A NECROMANCER'S BONE HEADDRESS, WRISTBAND AND APRON, TIBET OR NEPAL, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

A NECROMANCER'S BONE HEADDRESS, WRISTBAND AND APRON, TIBET OR NEPAL, 18TH-19TH CENTURY

The apron comprises oblong plaques carved in low relief with seated and standing buddhas and bodhisattvas atop various mounts and below Kirtimukha masks alternating with smaller vajra plaques joined by a network of tubular beads, above similarly joined square plaques carved with Buddhist symbols, wrathful heads, and beast masks, headdress and armlet similarly carved. The matching headdress and wristband of similar design. (3)

Provenance: Cambridge trade. Acquired from a local estate.
Condition: Good condition with old wear, loose threads, shortened cord ties, small losses, tears, and soiling.

Weight: 2.6 kg (total)
Dimensions: Length ca. 5 cm to 13.5 cm (the plaques), Size 95 x 61 cm (the apron), Length 26 cm (the headdress), and 22 cm (the armlet)

Bone aprons, jewelry and crowns are used both in Tantric rituals and religious dance performances. These types of ornaments are generally paired with a brocade costume and worn by a person representing a deity in tantric Buddhist rituals and dances. The carved designs on the bone are both figurative and decorative. The majority of the known sets in public and private collections have figures from the Chakrasamvara cycle of Tantric practice. The full mandala of Chakrasamvara has sixty-two deities. An elaborate set of bone ornaments would have the most important figures represented from the mandala but not necessarily all sixty-two deities. Skeleton figures representing spirits and ghosts from a cemetery or charnel ground are also common decorative elements.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related ritual bone apron, Tibet or Nepal, 18th-19th century, in the Rubin Museum of Art, object number C2006.69.4.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 18 December 2013, lot 6117
Estimate: USD 4,000 or approx. EUR 4,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bone necromancer's headdress and apron Nepal, 18th/19th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related design and manner of carving with similar plaques and beads.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby's New York, 19 March 2014, lot 126
Price: USD 18,750 or approx. EUR 22,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A ritual bone apron and a pair of bone armlets
Expert remark: Compare the related design and manner of carving.