Until 1st May, 2026
Buy it now
A FINE GILT WOOD MANUSCRIPT COVER, 15TH CENTURY
Lot 4 - HS1225
Tibet. Finely carved in relief with an amrita vessel at the center, surrounded by three rows of scrolling vines to each side, all within a beaded border.
Provenance: From an important private collection, Southern Germany.
Condition: Good condition with old wear, expected age cracks, chipping and trimming along the edges, the corners with abrasions, and rubbing to the gilt.
Weight: 1.9 kg
Dimensions: Size 60.5 x 16.8 x 3.5 cm
As Selig Brown observes, the central amrita motif serves as an auspicious symbol representing the fulfillment of both material and spiritual aspirations. It frequently appears in Tibetan art, particularly on the lower covers of manuscripts dating from the 14th and 15th centuries (Selig Brown, Protecting Wisdom, Munich, 2012, p. 160).
Literature comparison
Compare a closely related gilt wood manuscript cover decorated with similar interlacing vines, 70.8 cm long, dated to the 15th century, in the Art Institute of Chicago, accession number 1985.602.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams New York, 17 September 2014, lot 14
Price: USD 3,125 or approx. EUR 6,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A wood manuscript cover, Tibet, 14th/15th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related decoration. Note the size (26.5 x 70.5 cm).
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 September 2005, lot 179
Price: USD 4,200 or approx. EUR 6,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved gilt manuscript cover, Tibet, 15th 16th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related decoration and gilding. Note the size (69.7 x 28.5 cm).
Please note that additional images and detailed information are available only upon request for lots with a starting price of 500 Euros or above in our Discovery Auctions.
If there are any existing additional images of this item, you can find them on this tab. You must be logged into your personal Zacke account to see the images. Click on an image to zoom or save.
Log in or sign up to view the natural light images.
Click here to request more information on this lot.
How to Buy Online
You must log in or create an online account in order to buy items from the shop.
Click the red 'Buy it Now' button to buy this item. You will then be able to download your invoice and receive instructions about how to pay. Prices include Buyer's Premium.
If you would like to buy multiple items at the same time, add the items you want to your cart. You will then be able to check out with multiple items simultaneously.
Items in your cart are not reserved. Please complete the purchase process promptly to secure the items.
How to Buy Offline
If you would like to buy one of these items outside of the online shop, please contact us at office@zacke.at or +43 (1) 532 04 52.
Our Terms and Conditions
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our auctions fair and transparent, we encourage you to read our terms and conditions thoroughly. We urge you to read through §34-50) to ensure you understand them. These terms are specifically designed to protect all serious and committed buyers from bidding against non-payers who attempt to inflate prices without the intent of paying their auction bills.
For further reading about non-payers at auction, go here: https://www.zacke.at/aboutnonpayers/.
The main points include the following:
- Bidders must complete their due diligence and clarify all questions about the objects before the auction. After the auction, Zacke will not answer questions from bidders unless the purchase price has been paid in full. Of course, this does not apply to questions concerning shipping, insurance, customs, etc.
- A sale cancellation of any kind after the fall of the hammer is not possible. The only exception to this fundamental rule is our guarantee of authenticity [the Guarantee].
- A Guarantee Claim, however, can only be raised after the purchase price has been paid in full by the buyer and within 45 days after the auction day.
If you have any questions about our policies, please get in touch with us at office@zacke.at.
By placing a bid, you agree to our Terms of Auction and Terms and Conditions.
