A PARCEL GILT AND SILVER ‘BUDDHA UNDER THE BODHI TREE’ COMB, TANG DYNASTY

A PARCEL GILT AND SILVER ‘BUDDHA UNDER THE BODHI TREE’ COMB, TANG DYNASTY China, 618-907. The solid silver frame decorated at the handle in silver repoussé and parcel gilt to depict Buddha seated on a lotus-form pedestal, flanked by branches of the Bodhi tree on each side. The silver with a naturally grown patina. Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe. Condition: Good condition with wear commensurate to age. Signs of weathering and encrustations, tiny nicks, small losses, few cracks, and some warping to the teeth. Weight: 390 g Dimensions: Length 14.7 cm Gold and silver jewelry was worn by the elite in the Tang and Song dynasties. The most popular forms were hairpins and combs, although a few rings and bangles have also been found. Literature comparison: Compare a related gilded and engraved silver comb, dated to the Tang dynasty, in the collection of the British Museum, museum number 1938,0524.284. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 12 September 2019, lot 564 Price: USD 20,000 or approx. EUR 22,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A parcel-gilt silver comb, Tang Dynasty Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and similar technique. Note the smaller size (9.3 cm).