A SINO-TIBETAN GILT-BRONZE VAJRA

MING DYNASTY, 15TH CENTURY

Details

A SINO-TIBETAN GILT-BRONZE VAJRA
MING DYNASTY, 15TH CENTURY
The thunderbolt-scepter is cast with a central bulbous grip that separates two lotus pedestals supporting a central column surrounded by eight arched vajra points emerging from the jaws of makara heads.
7 1/8 in. 18.2 cm.) long

Provenance

Kinpei Takeuchi (1873-1960).
Ryuichi Sano (1889-1977), acquired in Tokyo, 1950s.
Sano Art Museum, Mishima, Japan.

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Lot Essay

The dorje or vajra was mainly employed in Tantric Buddhism in Tibet, in the Vedic ritual for dispelling evil forces from sacrificial enclosures. As such, it symbolizes spiritual forces and firmness of spirit. Bells are often found in opposition or as a complement to the vajra.
A very similar vajra of 15th century date was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 29 May 2007, lot 1582.

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