Ended

The Sperling Collection

Himalayan and Asian works of art

4 – 25 June 2025

This collection of Himalayan and Asian works of art, including more than 50 Buddhist images and relics, attests to a decades-long devotion to Buddhism and a passion for collecting. Judy and Harold Sperling began their journey in the 1970s, travelling extensively throughout Asia. Along the way, they formed lasting friendships with religious leaders, museum curators, antique dealers, scholars, and like-minded enthusiasts. Their collection reflects not only their refined eye and deep reverence for Buddhist art, but also the relationships and cultural insights they cultivated over a lifetime.

Preview & Resources | 預展及細圖網盤
168 Queen St, Woollahra NSW 2025
18-20, and 23-24 Jun, 10am to 4pm
6月18至20日、23日至24日，上午十時至下午四時

Cloud Drive: Detailed Images and Condition Reports | 微軟網盤：細圖及品相報告 - folder names according to lot number, change to 'Tile' view for easy viewing. Condition reports are filed under folder '0'.
微雲網盤：細圖及品相報告 - 文件夾按拍品號命名，選擇小圖顯示方便瀏覽。品相報告保存在 0 號文件夾内。

Please contact us for any information that is not included in the above link.
若有需要增補信息的拍品，請隨時聯係我們。

Shipping | 物流
For shipping enquiry, see 'Additional Information' at the end of this page, in internet browser.
運輸方面的咨詢，請見本頁底'詳細信息'欄（僅適用網頁用戶）

Spending Limit | 限額
The spending limit of this sale is AU$10,000. Please contact us if you require to have it raised or lifted.
此次網拍限額為一萬澳幣。若需要提高或取消限額，請及時聯係我們。

Y	CITES
	Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.

The Sperling Collection

Auction highlights

Lot gallery

1 — A gilt copper alloy head of Bodhisattva, possibly Avalokiteshvara Nepal, early 14th century

2 — A gilt copper alloy repoussé figure of a Lama 15th/ 16th century

3 — A gilt copper alloy repoussé Prabha Mandorla Tibet, 14th/ 15th century

4 — A gilt copper alloy repoussé panel of Lama lineage masters 15th/ 16th century

5 — Two gilt copper alloy repoussé panels of Karmapa 17th/ 18th century

6 — Two gilt copper alloy repoussé panels of Shakyamuni and Tara, and of a Lama Tibet, 17th/ 18th century

7 — A gilt copper alloy figure of a wrathful deity, and a repoussé Kalachakra dance mask Tibet, 19th century

8 — A gilt copper alloy repoussé panel of Buddha dividing smaller figures of Manjushri and Avalokiteśvara Tibet or Nepal, 13th/ 14th century

9 — Four gilt copper alloy and repoussé fragments Tibet, the 'Manidhara', 14th/ 15th century

10 — A gilt copper alloy repoussé torso, crown and head of a wrathful deity, and a gilt copper alloy figure of a wrathful deity the wrathful deity and torso, 19th/20th century Mongolia, the others, Tibet, 19th century

11 — A gilt copper alloy figure of a Drukpa Kagyu Lama 18th/ 19th century

12 — A copper alloy figure of Dorje Legpa, and a gilt copper alloy figure of Dorje Ta'og Mongolia and Tibet, 19th century

13 — A partially gilt copper alloy figure of a six-armed Mahakala Tibet, 20th century

14 — A partially gilt copper alloy figure of Jambhala Mid to late 20th century

15 — A gilt copper alloy figure of Padampa Sanggye 19th/ 20th century

16 — A copper alloy figure of Vajradaka , and two other gilt copper alloy figures of Buddha and a wrathful deity 20th century

17 — Six miniature gilt copper alloy and terra cotta figures of Buddha 19th/ 20th century

18 — Seven gilt copper alloy fragmentary objects Tibet, 17th to 19th century

19 — Ten gilt copper alloy and repoussé fragments of snow lion, katvanga, and double vajra 19th century

20 — A spinach and celadon jade ritual axe with silver repoussé fittings Mongolia, 19th/20th century

21Y — A trumpet assembled with a conch shell and silver repoussé mount, Dung-Dkar Tibet, 20th century

22 — A group of 21 necromancer's bone apron elements Tibet, 16th to 19th century

23 — Four silver and copper alloy repoussé prayer boxes, G'Au Tibet, 18th/ 19th century

24 — Four silver and copper alloy repoussé prayer boxes, G'Au early to mid 20th century

25 — A group of seven silver repoussé amulets and a gilt copper alloy hair ornament 19th/ 20th century

26 — Two wood sutra covers Tibet, 14th/ 15th century

27 — A Thangka of Arhat the Elder Subhuti Tibet, 19th century

28 — A Thangka of Rahula Tibet, 19th century

29 — A Thangka of lineage of the masters of the Sakya School 17th/ 18th century

30 — A group of 13 initiation cards, tsakli 17th to 19th century

31 — Thomas Laird, Murals of Tibet Köln: Taschen, 2018, Copy No. 257 of edition of 998

32 — Jiang Cheng'an and Zheng Wenlei eds., Precious Deposits: Historical Relics of Tibet Beijing: Morning Glory Publishers, First Edition, First Printing, 2000

33 — An pale-brown-ground silk brocade 'Thousand Buddha' fragment Liao to Yuan dynasty

34 — An embroidered leaf from a Buddhist ritual crown Ming dynasty

35 — A painted lacquer and papier maché ritual crown Tibet, 18th century

36 — An pale-brown-ground satin embroidered robe, chuba Mid 19th century

37 — An applique fragment of Kirtimukha Mongolia, 19th/ 20th century

38 — An apricot-ground silk brocade 'dragon' fragment Late Qing dynasty

39 — A green-ground brocade panel with the eight Buddhist emblems Mid Qing dynasty

40 — A green jade toggle of a duck 19th/ 20th century

41 — Two archaistic green jade carvings 20th century

42 — Two jade belt buckles, and a jade pendant 20th century

43 — An archaistic white jade disc, bi Mid 20th century

44 — A pale grey jade bangle 20th century

45 — Yanagawa Shigenobu (1787-1833) and Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861) Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

46Y — A huanghuali horseshoe-back folding armchair, jiaoyi Late Qing dynasty

47 — A pair of elm horseshoeback armchairs, quanyi China, mid 20th century

Specialist contacts

Yvett Klein

Client Services (Australia)

News and stories

WHITE-GLOVE SUCCESS ︳Himalayan and Asian Works of Art from The Sperling Collection 100% Sold at Bonhams Sydney: 47 Lots Realise AU$500,032

Additional information

Auction information

Lot Symbols

Related Departments

Conditions of Sale

1 —
A gilt copper alloy head of Bodhisattva, possibly Avalokiteshvara
Nepal, early 14th century

2 —
A gilt copper alloy repoussé figure of a Lama
15th/ 16th century

3 —
A gilt copper alloy repoussé Prabha Mandorla
Tibet, 14th/ 15th century

4 —
A gilt copper alloy repoussé panel of Lama lineage masters
15th/ 16th century

5 —
Two gilt copper alloy repoussé panels of Karmapa
17th/ 18th century

6 —
Two gilt copper alloy repoussé panels of Shakyamuni and Tara, and of a Lama
Tibet, 17th/ 18th century

7 —
A gilt copper alloy figure of a wrathful deity, and a repoussé Kalachakra dance mask
Tibet, 19th century

8 —
A gilt copper alloy repoussé panel of Buddha dividing smaller figures of Manjushri and Avalokiteśvara
Tibet or Nepal, 13th/ 14th century

9 —
Four gilt copper alloy and repoussé fragments
Tibet, the 'Manidhara', 14th/ 15th century

10 —
A gilt copper alloy repoussé torso, crown and head of a wrathful deity, and a gilt copper alloy figure of a wrathful deity
the wrathful deity and torso, 19th/20th century Mongolia, the others, Tibet, 19th century

11 —
A gilt copper alloy figure of a Drukpa Kagyu Lama
18th/ 19th century

12 —
A copper alloy figure of Dorje Legpa, and a gilt copper alloy figure of Dorje Ta'og
Mongolia and Tibet, 19th century

13 —
A partially gilt copper alloy figure of a six-armed Mahakala
Tibet, 20th century

14 —
A partially gilt copper alloy figure of Jambhala
Mid to late 20th century

15 —
A gilt copper alloy figure of Padampa Sanggye
19th/ 20th century

16 —
A copper alloy figure of Vajradaka , and two other gilt copper alloy figures of Buddha and a wrathful deity
20th century

17 —
Six miniature gilt copper alloy and terra cotta figures of Buddha
19th/ 20th century

18 —
Seven gilt copper alloy fragmentary objects
Tibet, 17th to 19th century

19 —
Ten gilt copper alloy and repoussé fragments of snow lion, katvanga, and double vajra
19th century

20 —
A spinach and celadon jade ritual axe with silver repoussé fittings
Mongolia, 19th/20th century

21^Y —
A trumpet assembled with a conch shell and silver repoussé mount, Dung-Dkar
Tibet, 20th century

22 —
A group of 21 necromancer's bone apron elements
Tibet, 16th to 19th century

23 —
Four silver and copper alloy repoussé prayer boxes, G'Au
Tibet, 18th/ 19th century

24 —
Four silver and copper alloy repoussé prayer boxes, G'Au
early to mid 20th century

25 —
A group of seven silver repoussé amulets and a gilt copper alloy hair ornament
19th/ 20th century

26 —
Two wood sutra covers
Tibet, 14th/ 15th century

27 —
A Thangka of Arhat the Elder Subhuti
Tibet, 19th century

28 —
A Thangka of Rahula
Tibet, 19th century

29 —
A Thangka of lineage of the masters of the Sakya School
17th/ 18th century

30 —
A group of 13 initiation cards, tsakli
17th to 19th century

31 —
Thomas Laird, Murals of Tibet
Köln: Taschen, 2018, Copy No. 257 of edition of 998

32 —
Jiang Cheng'an and Zheng Wenlei eds., Precious Deposits: Historical Relics of Tibet
Beijing: Morning Glory Publishers, First Edition, First Printing, 2000

33 —
An pale-brown-ground silk brocade 'Thousand Buddha' fragment
Liao to Yuan dynasty

34 —
An embroidered leaf from a Buddhist ritual crown
Ming dynasty

35 —
A painted lacquer and papier maché ritual crown
Tibet, 18th century

36 —
An pale-brown-ground satin embroidered robe, chuba
Mid 19th century

37 —
An applique fragment of Kirtimukha
Mongolia, 19th/ 20th century

38 —
An apricot-ground silk brocade 'dragon' fragment
Late Qing dynasty

39 —
A green-ground brocade panel with the eight Buddhist emblems
Mid Qing dynasty

40 —
A green jade toggle of a duck
19th/ 20th century

41 —
Two archaistic green jade carvings
20th century

42 —
Two jade belt buckles, and a jade pendant
20th century

43 —
An archaistic white jade disc, bi
Mid 20th century

44 —
A pale grey jade bangle
20th century

45 —
Yanagawa Shigenobu (1787-1833) and Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861)
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868)

46^Y —
A huanghuali horseshoe-back folding armchair, jiaoyi
Late Qing dynasty

47 —
A pair of elm horseshoeback armchairs, quanyi
China, mid 20th century