Gebetsglocke / A bronze prayer bell, Tibet, 17./18. Jh.
Material: fine cast bron…
Description

Gebetsglocke / A bronze prayer bell, Tibet, 17./18. Jh. Material: fine cast bronze, with worn surface and age patina, reinforced with tree resin under the crown, iron bobbin, Mark: none, Height: 17 cm, Condition: good, intermediate piece old joined with resin

562494 

Gebetsglocke / A bronze prayer bell, Tibet, 17./18. Jh. Material: fine cast bronze, with worn surface and age patina, reinforced with tree resin under the crown, iron bobbin, Mark: none, Height: 17 cm, Condition: good, intermediate piece old joined with resin

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A SILVER-DAMASCENED ‘DRAGON’ IRON HELMET, 17TH-18TH CENTURY OR LATER A SILVER-DAMASCENED ‘DRAGON’ IRON HELMET, 17TH-18TH CENTURY OR LATER Tibet. The exterior of the helmet made from nine curved plates, seven of which are flat-inlaid in silver with shou symbols and Tibetan characters. Each plate is joined by a scalloped rim with prominent central rib, the upper tip of each rib notched to enclose the base of the knopped plume. The front of the helmet reinforced with a scalloped plate decorated with a dragon head at the center flanked by two sinuous dragons. The lower edge of the helmet pierced with numerous holes to secure the three-tiered neck guard. Inscriptions: To the plates, ‘Lu’, ‘Sa’, ‘Sam’, and ‘Meh’. Provenance: French private collection. Condition: Good condition with wear, casting flaws, and traces of use. Corrosion, encrustations, minor nicks and losses, light scratches. The silver inlays are well preserved. Weight: 2,447 g (excl. stand) and 3,048 g (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 44 cm This type of segmented Tibetan helmet, used originally with a coat of lamellar armor, was probably derived from Sasanian Persian helmets of the 3rd century CE. Until the 17 th century, Tibet was a disunited country where a number of regional secular rulers allied to religious orders vied for power and in which warfare was not uncommon. A sizeable armor production in Tibet was the result of this situation. The present helmet, with fine silver inlays depicting fierce dragons, is a rare example of this group. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related iron helmet of similar construction lacking the silver inlays, dated to the 14th-17th century, Tibet, in the collection of the National Museums Scotland, reference number A.1909.406 A. Compare a related iron helmet, dated to the 16th-17th century, Tibet, in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2008.354.