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Two gilt polychromed manuscript book covers Tibet, 13th-15th century image 1
Two gilt polychromed manuscript book covers Tibet, 13th-15th century image 2
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Lot 6

Two gilt polychromed manuscript book covers
Tibet, 13th-15th century

18 September 2013, 10:00 EDT
New York

Sold for US$6,000 inc. premium

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Two gilt polychromed manuscript book covers

Tibet, 13th-15th century
One with diamond medallions of two turning lions, the ashta mangala, and a dragon, set within an outer rim of floral sprays issuing from twin peacocks at the center above and a flaming, lotus-born triratna below; an edge with kirtimukha; the other with interlacing foliate scrolls and an outer rim depicting different stages of the lotus blossom encircled by a single stem; an edge with kirtimukha and reverse with concentric rings.
11 1/2 x 30 5/8 in. (29.2 x 77.7 cm) & 11 3/8 x 28 1/4 in. (29 x 71.8 cm)

Footnotes

The cover with diamond medallions belongs to a group distinguished for their rich gilding and shallow carved abstract design, four of which are discussed in Selig Brown, Protecting Wisdom, Canada, 2012, nos. 18-21, pp. 98-104. Compare in particular the medallions, peacocks, flaming jewels, and effusively applied gold of the present lot to no. 19. A fifth example of this group was published alongside the present lot in Weldon, Early Tibetan manuscript covers, London, 1996, no. 20. The other cover in this lot features an inside face with concentric circles on a red background which Selig Brown notes was popular amongst the 14th & 15th centuries (Brown, 2012, p. 157).

Published:
Weldon, Early Tibetan Manuscript Covers: 12th - 15th century, 1996, no. 21.

Provenance:
Rossi & Rossi, 1996
Sotheby's, New York, 16 September 1999, lots 76 & 80

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