A set of five stupas

Circa 18th century, Tibet, stupa, gilt copper alloy with silver and turquoise inlay, 30 to 31 cm, private collection, Arts d’Asie lots 40, 41, 42 , 43, 44, 12th June 2021, Cornette de Saint-Cyr.

They all have a niche with a small buddha inside, the third one has two lions at the front, the fourth has Dhritarashtra, guardian of the east and king of the gandharvas, playing the lute, the fifth has Mahakala.

Rare phur.bu with two-armed deity

12th century, Tibet, kila, copper alloy, 23 cm, private collection, Arts d’Asie lot 165, 15th June 2023, Sotheby’s (Paris).

The top of the ritual peg features a wrathful figure adorned with snakes and wielding a vajra sceptre in his right hand. He has one head and two arms, unlike Vajrakila, who always has three heads and six arms, and whose lower body may be shaped like a ritual peg.