Single-Owner Collections

A Tibetan turquoise and plated akor ear ornament, 19th century or earlier, set with flat cut turquoise stones of varying shapes and sizes, the silvered mounts with gilt detail and beaded and twist borders, length 12.1cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A rare North-east Indian bronze/copper alloy figure group of the four goddesses Brahmani, Indrani, Maheshvari and Vaishnavi, Pala period, circa 11th century, modelled in the round with the four goddesses seated in dhyanasana with central tower, on a lotus moulded circular base, height 11cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection; Alex Biancardi, London 1970s; and Bonhams, Hong Kong, 2nd October 2018, Lot 155. Note: these four goddesses are from a group of seven mother goddesses known as the Matrikas, who are worshipped in Hinduism's tantric Shaktism, which views the mother goddess as the source of divine power.

A Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Buddha, 12th century, modelled seated in dhyanasana with hands held in bhumisparsa mudra, height 8.4cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Ladakh bronze figure of a bodhisattva, probably Manjushri, 11th/12th century, modelled standing wearing a dhoti and beaded jewellery, holding a conch shell in his right hand, his left hand holding a stem of lotus which supports a manuscript, height 9.4cm, mounted on a wood stand. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India. Its culture and history are closely related to those of Tibet. For a similar figure, see Ashmolean Museum Yousef Jameel Online Centre, Accession No. EA2000.107.

A Nagaland Konyak tribe brass shaman's idol figure of a warrior, 12th-14th century. modelled standing unclothed but for a bead necklace with skull mask pendant, height 29cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: the Konyaks are a major Naga ethnic group native to the North-east Indian state of Nagaland.

A Tibetan gilt metal stupa, probably late 19th century, the removable bell shaped surmount with stepped spire above a band of cast bodhisattvas, the square base with bird supports framing a ring of four snakes, height 21.7cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan carved rock crystal tantric demon mask, probably 16th/17th century, carved and pierced with grotesque expression and elongated earlobes, length 12.8cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan iron danda or khatvanga, 18th century, with vajra crown terminals to each end, the handle formed as three skulls above a coiled serpent shaft, length 30.8cm, hung with a Tibetan red and gilt silk embroidered pendant with black tassels, on a metal display stand. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: a danda or khatvanga is a tantric staff or wand, typically used during empowerment rituals by eminent Buddhist practitioners.

A Tibetan brass diminutive phurba, probably 16th/17th century, with mask pommel and three-sided tapering blade, length 10cm, together with a larger bronze phurba with twin-faced pommel and three-sided tapering blade, length 17.2cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Mahassidah-Virupa, 17th/18th century, modelled seated in lalitasana on an antelope skin covered circular lotus base, blue and red detail to hair and facial features respectively, height 13.1cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Virupa was an 8th-9th century Indian mahasiddha and yogi, and the source of important cycles of teachings in tantric Buddhism.

A Tibetan bronze miniature figure of Kubera, 12th century, modelled seated in lalitasana on a lotus throne, height 6.7cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Kubera is the god of wealth and prosperity and is often accompanied by a mongoose.

A Himalayan carved lapis lazuli figure of Buddha, probably Kashmiri, probably 12th century, modelled seated in dhyanasana, holding a vessel in his left hand, his hair tightly curled rising to a domed usnisa with pabha (halo) behind, on a double lotus base, height 14cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Chinese white glass mala bead necklace, comprising one hundred and eight spherical beads and a larger glass marker bead, total length 148cm, bead diameters 1.8cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan horn bead mala necklace, comprising one hundred and eight polished spherical beads and a marker bead, of mellow brown tone, total length 144cm, bead diameters 1.3cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan bronze figure of Maitreya, 12th/13th century, with verdigris patination, modelled seated in lalitasana on a lotus throne, height 9.8cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Maitreya is a bodhisattva who is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in all schools of Buddhism, and is viewed as the direct successor of Gautama Buddha.

A Chinese carved jade skull, pierced with eye apertures, length 16.6cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan gilt bronze and iron phurba, probably 16th century, the pommel cast with the three heads of Vajrakila beneath a vajra crown finial, the lotus and eternal knot banded handle extending to the mouth of Makara, issuing the iron three-sided tapering blade, length 18.7cm, together with a Tibetan gilt bronze phurba with zoomorphic wolf-head pommel, lotus and eternal knot banded handle, the mouth of Makara issuing the three-sided tapering blade, length 13.7cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Thai green patinated bronze figure of Buddha, probably 16th century, modelled seated in dhyanasana with hands held in bhumisparsa mudra, his face with serene expression and elongated earlobes below tightly curled hair rising to a domed usnisa and flame surmount, on a double lotus throne, the front with inscription, height 19cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Chinese rock crystal bead mala rosary, comprising eighteen amethyst tinted spherical beads, length approx 50cm, bead diameters approx 2.2cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.