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The Tibetan objects in this collection were acquired by a private collector travelling in India and Nepal in the 1970s. He spent several years there, often staying at Tibetan monasteries. Some of these objects were bought from Tibetan monks and some were bought in bazaars in Manali, Kathmandu, Delhi, Darjeeling and elsewhere. Due to insufficiency of funds in late 2006 to cover living expenses, the collector was obliged to sell these items. They were all sold during 2007 (none are still for sale), to several different people, so this collection no longer exists. As the Buddha said, all compounded things (especially art collections) are impermanent. These images were uploaded to this Serendipity website on September 7, 2010. They may not be displayed publicly elsewhere without the permission of the copyright holder, who may be reached via the Feedback/comments page at the online website.
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1. Image of the Dhyani Buddha Akshobhya This is an image of one of the five Dhyani Buddhas (Amitabha, etc.), all of whom are adorned with fine robes and jewels. Face and hair painted. Detailed metalwork in robe. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 21 cm (8.3") high Material: gilded bronze |
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2. Image of the Tantric Deity Vajrakila with Consort Vajrakila is the Sanskrit name; Dorje Phurba in Tibetan. Principally a Nyingmapa deity; also practiced by the Sakyapas. Statues of Vajrakila are rare. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 25 cm (9.8") high, 20 cm (7.9") wide Material: darkened bronze |
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3. Vajradhara Vajradhara is the supreme Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. Shown holding bell and vajra. Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: 17 cm (7.1") high, 12 cm (4.7") wide Material: bronze |
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4. Vajrayogini (Dorje Naljorma) A deity common to Sakyapa, Gelugpa and Kargyupa traditions. The dakini who taught Naropa. Shown holding knife and skullcup, wearing a garland of skulls and surrounded by flames. Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: 7.3 cm (2.9") high, 6.2 cm (2.4") wide. Material: bronze |
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5. Prayer Wheel An unusually finely worked prayer wheel, gilded. 'Om mani padme hum' inscribed on the wheel in Sanskrit and Tibetan, plus the eight auspicious symbols. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: prayer wheel 7.7 cm (3") in diameter; with handle is 32 cm (12.6") high Material: gilded metal, conch shell, copper, bronze, wood |
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6. Phurba A tantric ritual instrument like a spike, for skewering demons. This is the instrument held by the deity Dorje Phurba (above). Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: 29 cm (11.4") Material: heavy metal (probably iron) |
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7. Bell and Vajra Nine-pronged bell and vajra, used by Nyingmapa ngakpas (yogis). The nine prongs symbolize the nine yanas of the Nyingmapa tradition. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: bell 16 cm (6.3") high, 9 cm (3.5") wide; vajra 11.5 cm (4.5") Material: metal |
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8. Damaru Drum made from human skulls and skin. Coral and turquoise stones. Long tassel made of silk. Seems to be old. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: drum head 10.7 cm (4.5") by 8.5 (3.5") cm; with silk tassel, 85 cm (33") Material: bone, metal, cloth |
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9. Vajravarahi (Dorje Phagmo) Dorje Phagmo is a dakini. Her images, including this one, have a small pig's head in her hair. She carries a knife and skullcup. Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: 15 cm (5.9") Weight: 84 g (2.7 oz) Material: bone |
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10. Manjushri Manjushri is the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, always shown holding the sword which eliminates delusion. Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: 5.3 cm (2.1") Weight: 100 g (3.2 oz) Material: bronze |
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11. Padma Sambhava with consorts Padma Sambhava took Tantric Buddhism to Tibet. He is depicted here with his two wives. The statue seems quite old. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 11 cm (4.3") Material: bronze |
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12. Wolf-headed Deity with Consort Such an image is rare. The name of this deity is unknown. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 13 cm (5.1") Material: bronze |
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13. Temple Decoration Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 52 cm (20") Weight: 29 g (1 oz) Material: embroidered silk |
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14. Bone Mala 108 beads with a small skull image at the top. For practice with wrathful deities. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: Total length is 67 cm (26"). Each bead is 1.2 cm (½") in diameter. Material: bone |
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15. Soapstone Mala 108 beads, with a pair of metallic mantra recitation counters Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: Total length is 104 cm (41"). Each bead is 1.0 cm (0.4") in diameter. Material: soapstone |
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16. Bodhi seed mala 108 beads, with a pair of metallic mantra recitation counters Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: Total length is 74 cm (29"). Each bead is 0.7 cm (0.3") in diameter. Material: bodhi seeds |
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17. Khatas Three ceremonial khatas, two of silk and one of cotton (with blue fringes). Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: Top down: 150 cm x 64 cm (59" x 25"), 173 cm x 61 cm (68" x 24", 180 cm x 27 cm (71" x 11") Material: silk (2) and cotton (1) |
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18. Silver Buckle This is a buckle used with a Tibetan woman's dress. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 10 cm x 8 cm (4" x 3") Weight: 164 g. Material: silver |
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19. Bell & vajra pendant Jewelry. Suitable to be worn as a pendant. Both sides have small piece of coral. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 3.5 cm wide x 3.8 cm high (1.4" x 1.5"). Weight: 10 grams Material: silver (tin? alloy?) plus coral. |
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20. Four Amulets These are Chinese and Thai. Top left is Padma Sambhava (Chinese characters on front, Tibetan on back). Top right is a Chinese buddha or sage. Bottom left is a Thai monk. Bottom right is Shakyamuni Buddha. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: Each approximately 3 cm (1") wide. Material: metal and plastic |
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21. Sandalwood buddha A sandalwood image of Shakyamuni Buddha with vitarka mudra. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 10 cm x 6 cm (4" x 2") Material: Sandalwood image on wooden base. |
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22. Ivory Buddha #1 Shakyamuni Buddha with vitarka mudra. A finely worked carving from South India. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 8.1 cm wide x 10.4 cm high (3.2" x 4.1") Weight: 124 g (4.3 oz) Material: ivory on wood base |
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23. Ivory Buddha #2 Shakyamuni Buddha with dharmacakra mudra. Another finely worked carving from India. Click on the image for an enlargment and for additional images. |
Size: 5.4 cm wide x 9.8 cm high (2.1" x 3.9") Weight: 51 g (1.8 oz) Material: ivory on wood base |
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24. Embroidered Double Vajra Embroidery done in Kathmandu in the 1970s. Made using a pedal-driven Singer sewing machine. Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: Embroidered area is 10" in diameter. Material: embroidered silk |
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25. Small Cymbals In Tibetan: drilbu. Musical instrument. Click on the image for an enlargment. |
Size: each cymbal 7.5 cm (3") in diameter Material: metal |
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