Footnotes

A STEEL AND GILT COPPER ALLOY REPOUSSÉ ORACLE MIRROR
TIBET, 19TH CENTURY

西藏 十九世紀 鋼及銅鎏金錘揲嵌寶護法鏡

An oracle mirror is used in the tantric practice of divination to make forecasts of future events. At center is the seed syllable for Amitabha 'hrih' surrounded by a thin gilded border of fleur-de-lys and further decorated by a band of swirling foliate designs. At the top is a depiction of the three jewels - the buddha, the dharma, and the sangha - surrounded by ornaments of coral and turquoise representing the four noble truths. The bottom is decorated with a skull-cup which rests on three heads. See further examples of gilded oracle mirrors with semi-precious stone inlays which sold at Sotheby's New York, 20 March 2013, lot 257 and another at Christie's, New York, 18 September 2002, lot 104.

Published:
Deborah Ashencaen and Gennady Leonov, Visions of Perfect Worlds: Buddhist Art from the Himalayas, Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1999, p. 77, no. 45.
Robert Thurman and David Weldon, Sacred Symbols - The Ritual Art of Tibet, New York, 24 March - 3 April 1999, p. 101, no. 45.
Ramon Prats, et.al., Monasterios y lamas del Tibet, Madrid, Fundación "La Caixa", 2000, p. 110, no. 35.
Natalie Bazin, Rituels tibétains: Visions secrètes du Ve Dalaï Lama, Paris, Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet, 2002, p. 139, cat. no. 149.

Exhibited:
Monasterios y lamas del Tibet, Fundación "La Caixa", Madrid, November 2000-January 2001.
Rituels tibétains: Visions secrètes du Ve Dalaï Lama,Paris, Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet November 2002-February 2003.

Provenance:
Spink & Son Ltd., London, 1999
Christie's, New York, 25 March 2004, lot 78