A BRONZE STUPA, KADAMPA STYLE, TIBET, 13TH CENTURY

A BRONZE STUPA, KADAMPA STYLE, TIBET, 13TH CENTURY

The domed base rising from a double-lotus frieze with beaded rim and supporting the stepped harmika, surmounted by a tapered parasol, canopy and lotus bud finial, the copper sealplate incised with a double vajra.

Provenance: From an old Austrian private collection.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, few small nicks and dents, light scratches, and casting flaws. The base sealed.

Weight: 651.5 g
Dimensions: Height 16.5 cm

Literature comparison:
This type of stupa is associated with the famed Indian monk Atisha, who founded the Kadampa sect in Tibet. Another example is held in the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, see Lipton & Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Art, New York, 1996, p. 46, no. 5.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 13 September 2011, lot 335
Price: USD 10,625 or approx. EUR 13,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze stupa, Tibet, Kadampa style, 13th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and material. Note the size (18.7 cm).

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 21 April 2021, lot 18
Price: HKD 102,000 or approx. EUR 12,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A brass stupa, Tibet, circa 13th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and material. Note the size (22 cm).