Lot 33
A COPPER ALLOY RITUAL BELL (LONTJENG) JAVA, 13TH/15TH CENTURY
29 March 2018, 16:00 HKT
Hong Kong, Six Pacific PlaceHK$60,000 - HK$80,000
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A COPPER ALLOY RITUAL BELL (LONTJENG)
JAVA, 13TH/15TH CENTURY
16 cm (6 ¼ in). high
16 cm (6 ¼ in). high
Footnotes
爪哇 十三至十五世紀 金剛鈴
Provenance:
Mark Gordon Collection, Singapore
Private Collection, Singapore
Here the vajra is represented with a three-prong terminal in the form of the trident and the bell is adorned with beaded swags between rosettes and lotus leaves at the shoulder.
The vajra represents the thunderbolt and the diamond. The thunderbolt harkens to the lightning strike experience of enlightenment of the historical Buddha while meditating under a bodhi tree, while the diamond indicates indestructibility. In combination with a bell, symbolic of the womb, the vajra bell signifies the indestructible rooting out of ignorance. The bell, with its hollow form, symbolises wisdom acknowledging emptiness, while the clapper vocalises the very sound of emptiness.