Messing, bronze, silver, gilding etc. Tibet, China, approx. 17th – 19th cent.
The smallest object is a round Chinese coin with a quadratic opening and the inscription Mingming Tongbao 明命 通寶. Next, a black pearl-chain pendant (lacquer?) with a figural depiction seamed with pearls, followed by a silver chain element in the form of a drop with ruby-red applications and an eyelet. A vajra pendant with finely worked bronze claws and a red-brown middle section. Another pendant is bulged, seamed with pearls and continues into a sharp end at the bottom. On it is an emblem, a crossbar on the back. A larger object is a wide grinning skull, gilding, hollow on the back and with patina and an eyelet. A mystical and curios pendant, depicting a demon mask in openwork and producing an emblematic effect – the largest piece. Of different ages. HEIGHTS FROM 2 TO 7,8 CM
From the former collection of Heinrich Harrer
Harrer, a mountaineer, adventurous explorer and writer, gained worldwide prominence for his ground-breaking ascent up the Eiger’s north face in 1938 and later for his book “7 Years in Tibet†(1952, translated into 53 languages). In the course of his escape from a British prisoner-of-war camp in India, Harrer, together with Aufschnaiter, was the first ever European to reach Lhasa, where he stayed until 1951. During his stay he became the teacher of the Dalai Lhama, with whom he fled to India during the Sino-Tibetan conflict in 1950/51, sharing a lasting friendship together until the end of his days. The book, which tells of this adventurous escape and his time in Tibet, was made into a blockbuster film in 1997, starring Brad Pitt in the lead role. Harrer, who lived in Hüttenberg (Carinthia) until 2006, was personally acquainted with us and regularly contributed important objects from his collection – most of which was obtained by the Rietberg Museum in Zurich – to earlier exhibitions in our gallery, which was located in Vienna’s Schulerstraße at the time.