Single-Owner Collections

A Tibetan human skull kapala, probably 18th century, the brass domed cover repoussé decorated with lotus and scrolling tendrils above rocks and waves, surmounted with a four-prong vajra finial, the skull cup bowl with removeable red enamelled liner, the exterior with a turquoise and coral set band, length 18.1cm, raised on a triangular metal base cornered with three heads, the sides decorated with repoussé flames above double lotus base, total height 25.4cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A rare Tibetan bronze and bell metal ghanta and dorje, 16th century, the finely cast ritual bell decorated with a band of lanca script within lotus petal framing, above Kala mask and pearl pendant festoons within vajra borders, the handle with bodhisattva mask beneath a vajra crown finial, height 21.5cm, the dorje or vajra cast with four pronged crowns to either end, length 12.2cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan brown patinated bronze figure of Tara, 16th century, finely modelled seated in dhyanasana, wearing a headdress and beaded jewellery, on a double lotus throne, height 16.5cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Tara is an important female Buddha, especially revered in Vajrayana and Mahayana Buddhism.

A Tibetan sacred stone relic, probably haematite, with natural markings, length 6.4cm, contained within a Tibetan damascened iron box and cover of square form, the top decorated with gilt crossed double vajra, the sides with the eight Buddhistic emblems and scrolling tendrils, width 9.9cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: the sacred stone was presented to the current vendor by the late abbot of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet, in 1987. The stone is believed to have been in the shrine room since the time of the Guru Rinpoche (8th-9th century). The lot is accompanied by a photograph of the abbot holding the stone prior to the presentation.

A Tibetan agate bead necklace, comprising forty-seven irregular cylindrical beads and a larger spherical bead with coral marker bead, total length 118cm, lengths of beads ranging from 1.5cm to 3cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A rare Tibetan gold damascened iron gau, 14th/15th century, of circular hinged form, the top finely worked with a gold dragon encircled by bands of waves, flowers and foliate motifs, diameter 11.8cm, width 15.5cm, containing a damascened iron seal, height 6.6cm, and prayers. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection, Mehmet Hassan Asian Art, London, circa 1980s, and Bonhams Hong Kong, 2nd October 2018, Lot 108. Note: for a similar example of this shape, see 'Art Sacre Du Tibet: Collection Alain Border', Paris, 2013, page 229, no. 124.

A Tibetan/Himalayan jade bead necklace, comprising twenty-four varicoloured swollen cylindrical beads with carved fluted decoration, total length 96cm, length of each bead ranging from 3.5cm to 4cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Sino-Tibetan gilt bronze figure of the third Changkya Hutuktu, Rolpai Dorje, Qianlong period, the Gelug Lama finely modelled seated in dhyanasana with hands held in abhaya mudra, wearing a distinctive hat and finely incised long robe, raised on a rug-covered two-tier dais, height 16.4cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection, Ernest Ohly Gallery, London, 1972, and Bonhams Hong Kong, 2nd October 2018, Lot 147. Note: for a similarly depicted figure, see Bonhams New York, 14th March 2017, Lot 3300. Rolpai Dorje (1717-1786) was the most important Tibetan Lama at the 18th century Qing Court. The Changkya Hutuktu is a Gelug incarnate lineage with its seat at Changkya in Kham, Eastern Tibet. 'Hutuktu' is a Mongolian word meaning 'Spiritual Master'. At a young age, Rolpei Dorje was recognised as the reincarnation of Ngawang Losang Choden (1642-1714), the previous Changkya Hutuktu and spiritual advisor to the Kangxi Emperor (1662-1722). Rolpei Dorje was raised and educated in the Imperial Court of the Yongzheng Emperor (1723-1735), growing up with Prince Hongli, who later became the Qianlong Emperor. He became a trusted advisor of the Emperor and fluent in Tibetan, Manchu, Chinese and Mongolian, playing a crucial role in the relations between China, Tibet and Mongolia.

A Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Tsongkhapa, 17th century, modelled seated in dhyanasana with hands held in dharmachakra mudra, wearing pandita hat and monk's robes, on a double lotus throne, height 19cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) was an influential Tibetan Buddhist monk, philosopher and tantric yogi. He was the founder of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism and is believed to be the incarnation of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom.

A North-east Indian brown patinated bronze figure of Akshobhya, 16th century, modelled seated in dhyanasana with hands held in bhumisparsa mudra, the left hand holding a vajra, on a lotus throne and breakfront pedestal cast with pillars and elephants, height 16.5cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Akshobhya is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas. His consort is Lochanã and he is normally accompanied by two elephants.

A Tibetan silver figure of a healing horse, 18th/19th century, modelled standing with gilt saddle, the saddle cloth engraved with a tiger to either side, height 6.7cm, on an ebonized plinth. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan rock crystal mala bead necklace, comprising one hundred and eight spherical beads and vajra marker bead, length 136cm, together with a carved rock crystal vajra, length 5cm, and a rock crystal kapala bowl, length 6cm, all contained within a Tibetan bronze circular travelling shaman's box, 17th century, hinged to reveal prayers and silk cloth, diameter 12.5cm, with an iron stand. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection, acquired in Lhasa, Tibet, and Bonhams Hong Kong, 2nd October 2018, Lot 134. Note: rock crystal malas are used in peaceful ritual ceremonies to pacify illness, conflicts, fears, negativity and malevolent forces.

A Tibetan bronze stupa, 12th/13th century, of bell shaped form, the lotus knop finial above a ridged spire and gallery, on a turned tapered pedestal and double lotus base, height 12cm. Provenance: Peter Fussel, London, late 1960s, and Bonhams Hong Kong, 2nd October 2018, Lot 146. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: a stupa or chorten is the most ancient form of Buddhist art, symbolizing the monumental funerary mounds of ancient India used to store the cremated remains of spiritually attained lamas and Buddha relics. In Tibetan Buddhism, a stupa represents the mind of Buddha (enlightened being) and of Buddhist practitioners. This is a Kadam style stupa, named after the Religious Order of Tibetan Buddhism that flourished between the 11th and 14th centuries. Stupas are used for votive offerings, memorials and reliquaries, and often contain consecratory items like paper players, incense, stones or relics.

A Tibetan bronze healing horse figure, 16th/17th century, modelled in a trotting pose with mane and tail detail, fitted with a vajra around its neck, height 13.6cm, length 17.5cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: healing horses were more prevalent in China, where they were used to indicate the source of pain in both human and animal patients.

A Tibetan gilt bronze figure of Mahakala, 18th century, the six-armed deity modelled standing on a prostrate figure with elephant head, the arms holding a kartika, kapala and other attributes, his grimacing face bearing fangs and three bulging eyes, framed by a mane of flaming hair and an ornate crown, on a lotus base, height 17cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Mahakala is one of the most popular protector or guardian deities in Tibetan Buddhism. He is depicted in a number of variations including two-armed, four-armed and six-armed, as in the present lot. In his six-armed form he is also considered as a fierce and powerful manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. For similar figures, see Bonhams Hong Kong, 27th November 2014, Lot 135, and Bonhams Los Angeles, 14th December 2022, Lot 51.

A Tibetan bronze phurba, probably 18th century, with cast figural zoomorphic handle, the mouth of Makala issuing a three-sided tapering blade, length 21.3cm, together with a smaller silvered iron phurba with faceted knop handle and three-sided tapering blade, length 15cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.

A Tibetan brown patinated bronze figure of Kubera, 17th/18th century, modelled seated, holding a jewel in his right hand and a mongoose in his left, wearing turquoise and coral jewelled headdress and jewellery, his face with silvered eye detail, height 15cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: Kubera is the god of wealth and prosperity. He is often depicted with a plump body, adorned with jewels and accompanied by a mongoose in Buddhist iconography. In Tibetan, the mongoose is considered a symbol of Kubera's victory over the Nagas - the guardians of treasures.

A rare pair of Tibetan gilt bronze figures of Nakula, 16th/17th century, each mongoose modelled in a crouching pose, grasping a jewel between its teeth, the face with cold painted detail, length 15.5cm. Provenance: Robert Bouatta, London, 2005, and Bonhams Hong Kong, 2nd October 2018, Lot 103. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection. Note: mongooses are not native to Tibet, but their use illustrates the approach Tibetans took to preserving core Indian Buddhist teachings and iconography. The wealth deities, Jambhala and Kubera, are often depicted accompanied by a mongoose (nakula), which they would squeeze to spit out gems.

A Tibetan gilt bronze miniature figure of Buddha, 18th century, modelled seated in dhyanasana on a lotus throne, height 5cm. Provenance: the Alain Presencer Collection.