A GROUP OF RARE BRONZE AND BRASS MOLDS WITH LOTUS AND ANIMALS
This lot is a museum deaccession and is therefore offered without reserve

Tibet, Himalayas, and India, 19th-20th century or earlier. Comprising a Tibetan tsa-tsa mold in the shape of a gau (shrine) with central window of similar form surrounded by scrolling foliage above a lotus-petaled base; a Himalayan circular mold with concentric bands of beads, lines, lotus petals, and leafy floral sprays, the reverse incised with inscriptions in Devanagari script; and another with animals including deer and ox as well as a beast mask and Buddhist emblems; an Indian mold for a phul (pilgrimage and devotional plaque) of pentagonal form depicting Shiva and Parvati on horseback, flanked by attendant figures; and an Indian or Central Asian circular plaque with a dense arrangement of various geometric, floral, and foliate motifs. (5)

Provenance: Galerie Hardt (established in 1976), Radevormwald, Germany, before 2020. Acquired by the gallery’s founder Peter Hardt (b. 1946) during his extensive travels in Asia, the first of which occurred during a formative world tour in 1973. Throughout his storied career, Peter Kienzle-Hardt organized countless exhibitions and participated in major international art fairs. He made many important contacts during this time and eventually met the Kienzle siblings, who shared his passion for Asian art and culture. A strong bond and deep friendship developed, ultimately leading to the creation of the Museum für Asiatische Kunst decades later in 2014. While the museum’s permanent exhibition predominantly comprised pieces from the Kienzle Family Collection, Peter Kienzle-Hardt supplemented it with objects from his own collection. Before his death in 2019, Horst Kienzle bequeathed his entire property to Peter and legally adopted him as his son, who has been using the name Peter Kienzle-Hardt ever since.
Condition: Good condition with expected old wear, cast irregularities, and traces of use, including small nicks, surface scratches, some dents, and nibbles to edges. One of the molds bearing remnants of pigments and russet signs of corrosion. Each with a fine, naturally grown patina.

Weight: 1,710 g (total)
Dimensions: Length 10.3 cm (the largest)

Literature comparison:
Compare a related bronze tsa-tsa mold of Avalokiteshvara, attributed to the Himalayan region, formerly in the Rubin Museum of Art, illustrated on Himalayan Art Resources, item number 65740. Compare a related aluminum phul with Shiva and Parvati on horseback, India, 19th-20th century, in the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, accession number 2013.226.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 20 December 2016, lot 9219
Price: USD 2,500 or approx. EUR 3,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A cast bronze tsa-tsa mold
Expert remark: Compare the related form of the mold and decoration. Note the size (10 cm).