CATALOG of COMFORT July 2020
During this challenging time, we all find comfort in our own ways: through the support of family and friends, doing yoga by zoom, or even going to bed with your favorite stuffed animal! If you are receiving this virtual catalog, then we have to assume that you, as we do, take some measure of comfort in art, either in creating it yourself or surrounding yourself with its beauty and culture. We have always maintained that the lure of tribal art, especially from the past, is that it was created for the fulfillment of individual or communal needs, be they spiritual or functional, rather than for commercial purposes. At this uncommon interval in our lives, it is the spiritual aspect that moves us and is the thought behind this short catalog. While the soul of each offering may not be applicable to your realm of belief or practice, we hope you will feel and appreciate the humanity that is encompassed within each carefully selected piece.
LATE ERA SECOND PERIOD (1827-1893) STANDING BRONZE BUDDHA, LAOS
Buddha said there are many paths up the mountain. He also taught that nothing is permanent. Keeping that in mind is also a reminder to accept that not everything is within our control. In Theravada Buddhism, practiced in most of Laos, representations of Buddha were created to remind the laity of the teachings of Buddha, the Dharma. This 19th century gilded bronze standing Buddha is an elegant allusion to cosmic law. Inserted in a separate square base, the figure stands with his arms pendant at the sides in the posture of Calling Rain, a reference to the moment when Buddha petitioned the skies to open up during a period of draught. His palms face inward toward the sides of his body with his long fingers pointing downward. His head is adorned with a flaming ushnisha, symbolic of enlightenment, over hair with snail-like curls. Long earlobes represent rejection of the material world. The Buddha’s tranquil expression, with arched eyebrows and slightly upturned mouth, invites a state of peaceful meditation. There are several attributes typical of Laotian Buddha statues of this period: the long slim hands and fingers, the stylized flame that embellishes the cranial protuberance, ushnisha, and the overall grace and fluidity. Two sides of the base have patches that look like they were filled in right after casting, typical of the lost wax method. There is a crack at the foot of the pedestal that does not affect its stability. This and some minor pitting throughout is consistent with age and use. The patina appears original and correct for the period. Reference: S. Lopetcharat,, Lao Buddha: The Image and Its History.
Height with base 20.5” (52 cm); standing figure only, just under 16” (40.5 cm). $2900
YAO PRIEST’S DRAGON ROBE, GUANGXI, CHINA, CIRCA 1900 The Yao are a large tribal group in southern China, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. What makes them unique among other Hill Tribes is that they have preserved their legacy by recording and copying their history and rituals in Chinese characters in books and scrolls; and in other representations of spiritual art such as in the embroidery on this striking circa 1900 tua sai (3rd and highest level) priest’s robe. Yao religion is a fusion of ancestor worship, animism and Taoism, sometimes blended with Buddhism or Christianity depending on exposure to other local populations or missionaries. Ancestral spirits are informed, consulted and supplicated throughout each rite of passage. An orderly relationship with the spirits of nature must be maintained through deference and show of gratitude. Yao Taoism is laced with magic, prophesy and the supernatural. Yao priests are charged with upholding cosmic order and safety. Becoming a priest brings honor to a man and his family. Through apprenticeship and the study of written Chinese, a man can achieve three levels of priesthood. Certain rituals, such as the ritual for the dead — of paramount importance in determining the destiny of the soul and delivering it to a happy afterlife — can only be performed by the third rank priest. Robes like this one were worn only by the highest level priest during the most important rituals and ceremonies. Similar in many aspects to the clerical robes of Chinese Taoist masters, most are constructed of two pieces of narrow woven cloth sewn together in the back and open in the front with little or no cutting, supporting the Taoist view that the natural state of things should not be altered. Gods, mythical creatures and forces of nature adorn the fronts and backs of the robes in silk embroidery on a cotton ground. The main section of this robe in indigo dyed cotton is bordered in a contrasting red color. An outstanding feature here is that the border is also embroidered with symbolic and written reference to the stars and constellations, incorporating two astrological systems, one on front, one on back. The third level robes served to distinguish, empower and shield the priest, surrounding him in holy and protective symbols and facilitating his efficacy in keeping the cosmic order for gods, people and community. In a robe of this exceptional quality, the excellence of the embroidery enhanced his status and helped to establish his place in the Yao ecclesiastic hierarchy. The robe is also a charming teaching device, full of colorful images, blessings and virtues, wishes, warnings, and stories to be seen and told. References: Jenjarassakul, Chinalai, Chinalai, “Yao Lan Tan Shamans’ Robes”, HALI, MarchApril 20009; The Clothes and Ornaments of Yunnan Ethnic Groups; Pourret, THE YAO The Mien and Mun Yao in China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand; Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Catalog.
Width 31”(79 cm); front length 45” (114.3 cm); back length 48” (122 cm). $4800
DOUBLE-TAILED GECKO AMULET, THAILAND, 19TH CENTURY In Thailand, the making of an amulet often begins with something different and special. The material, for example, might be rare and difficult to find, like wood that came from a tree that was struck by lightning, or with a name that is a homonym for a venerated object or celestial being. It might display an unusual feature like a three-legged frog or in this case, a gecko with a tail that splits in two, the animistic charm for good luck and compassion. At times executed as a drawing on paper or cloth, or chosen as a lucky tattoo, the fork-tailed lizard also offers protection and functions to ensure the kindness of strangers during a long journey. The two-tailed gecko may be used to invite charisma, the kind that brings you friends and support, or elevates your love life. Along with the symbolic gecko carved in relief into bone in this rare 19th century amulet, yantra mystical symbols and writing incised in khom, the ancient Khmer writing often used in Thailand’s temples to inscribe sacred Buddhist mantras, are visible through meticulously devised “windows” in the casing. Yantra are visual representations of sound — prayers and incantations — combined with sacred drawings and geometry to attain specific goals, or in general to offer protection and invoke blessings from all directions of the cosmic universe. The entire charm appears to be encased in silver with impressive finely worked borders: “appears” because the silver is very smoothly covered in lacquer. This is in contrast to the rather crudely applied lacquer on and around the lizard and on the opposite side. Careful study does not reveal conclusively if the raised portions of lacquer are old repairs or intentional inclusions of further magic. We can speculate that some kind of additional talismanic matter lies underneath or is mixed in with the irregularly shaped lacquer. It is possible also that under the more linear lacquer application lies an amulet called takrut — a protective device with sacred writing inscribed onto an auspicious medium that is then rolled into a tube. This amulet is a prime example of a combination of sophisticated and somewhat primal workmanship; and of the fusion of Buddhism and animism that frequently occurs in Thai spiritual art. It emanates feelings of comfort, safety and strength. References: Conway, Tai Magic; Cummings, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand.
2.4” (6 cm) x 1.5” (3.8 cm) x 1/2” (1.3 cm). $1450
19TH CENTURY MIAO BUFFALO HORN DRINKING VESSEL, SOUTH CHINA The Miao are minority group living predominantly in the mountainous regions of the southern provinces of China. Their religion incorporates shamanism, animism, respect to the ancestors and touches of Buddhism. Their art is influenced by their religion, legend and culture, and by proximity to the Han Chinese. A drinking horn like this one from Guizhou Province would have been brought out to elevate festivals and ceremonies and to serve libations to honored guests. On one side a large graceful phoenix is yin to the open-mouthed yang dragon on the other — as a pair symbolic of good fortune in marriage. A small fish on the underside (not visible in photographs) is drawn from everyday life but also is an emblem of abundance and prosperity. The mythical and real animals depicted are surrounded by symbolic floral and geometric forms, all executed in lacquered pigment and enhanced by inlaid silver reminiscent of channel inlay cloisonné. The colors on this horn are exceptionally vivid, featuring bold yet refined strokes in mostly reds and yellows. We were fortunate to find another horn from this period that was dated 1838 and which therefore helps to inform the dating of this one as early to mid 19th century. The vessel is in excellent condition given its age and use. Reference: Guizhou’s Hidden Civilization.
Length in straight line from farthest point of opening to horn tip is approximately 16” (40.5 cm). $1850
RARE LI DRAGON COVER TAPESTRY, HAINAN, CHINA, 18TH/19TH CENTURY The majority of the Li population of over 1.2 million in China, lives in Hainan, a tropical island paradise in the South China Sea that historically was a dumping ground for Chinese criminals and political dissidents from the mainland. Later on, as the central government began to see the island as a rich source of minerals, agriculture and fish, it sent officials and soldiers to control and take advantage of Hainan’s natural resources. Over time, as these Han Chinese moved in, empowered by the Court they pushed the Li into the rocky disease-infested mountains and appropriated the more desirable and fertile lowlands for themselves. They justified this by dehumanizing the Li, categorizing them as impoverished mountain dwellers and primitive barbarians. At the same time, the Han were aware that the Li had cultivated cotton of such superb quality it was known as ‘silk’ cotton. Local Han officials demanded and collected cotton cloth woven by the Li as a form of tax to be sent from Hainan to the Imperial Palace in Beijing. They also recognized the Li for their excellent skill in dyeing, weaving and embroidery. It is probable that some time during the late Ming to early Qing period the Court sent prototype drawings with royal iconography to Hainan and demanded that the Li copy them in silk embroidery on their fine woven cotton. What resulted was the Li long bei, one of the most rare and fascinating textiles in the Asian world: a hybrid, neither tribal nor traditional, neither all Li nor all Han Chinese. The width of each weaving, for example, was limited to the width of the backstrap loom, so that nearly every dragon cover was to consist of three long but separate cotton panels, but embroidered as if one large unified piece. Ubiquitous dragons were frequently joined by other creatures, like the fabled phoenix and ch’ilin, and sometimes tigers, cranes and fish. How then did some of the Li long bei find their way into museums and the marketplace on Hainan? The most logical theory is that the Li, already accustomed to producing textiles for every aspect of their daily and spiritual lives, created and hid some of the dragon covers for their own clandestine use in important ceremonies and rituals like the dispelling of unsettled ghosts. Still, production for themselves would have been extremely rare, limited by cost, the need for secrecy and a deep-seated fear of punishment by government officials were they to be discovered. Of the few tapestries that were kept hidden, at least some would have succumbed to the ravages of time, insects and climate. Separate sections may have been distributed to different family members or lost. Apparently, a small number of tapestries stayed well hidden. Even Hans Steubel, an anthropologist and author who in the 1930s lived among and wrote about the Li, their artifacts, clothing and textiles, made no mention of the dragon covers. It wasn’t until 1966, at the beginning of China’s Cultural Revolution, that for one brief moment the long bei came to light when the Red Guard stormed island households to seize and destroy all evidence of art and culture. Few long bei survived. The magnificent, well preserved and obviously rare 18th/19th century dragon cover shown here, in addition to mythical creatures, features a remarkable abundance of flowers and vegetation in appealing detail and color. In keeping with age and use, there is some minimal wear to the silk embroidery which looks to be all original with no overstitching. Many of the symbols on the dragon covers were shared by the Han and the Li in their daily lives, religion, myths and legends, so as both cultures alternately clashed and adapted to each other throughout their turbulent history on Hainan Island, they also influenced each other, at times blurring the lines between what was Han and what was Li. There is no more stunning example of this than the Li long bei. References: Cai, Long Bei; Chinalai, “Long Bei, Ceremonial Dragon Covers of the Li of Hainan”, HALI; Steubel, Die Li Stämme der Insel Hainan, Xueping, Traditional Culture of Li Ethnic Group
52.5” (132 cm) x 77” (195 cm). $14,500
18TH CENTURY HIMALAYAN SINGING BOWL Singing bowls, especially antique bowls made from combinations of hand-hammered bell metals, have long been known for their meditative quality, calming effect and lovely resonance. A number of studies credit playing the bowls with transforming the environment and improving health. Frequently known as Tibetan singing bowls, they are desired by both collectors and musicians for their melodic, magical, thrumming sound; and played in temples and monasteries to foster prayer and meditation. Written history on the singing bowls is scarce and little is known through word of mouth. Some information given appears to be commercially motivated and some appears in respected journals. Various references speculate, for example, that the bowls originated in Tibet, Nepal, India, the Himalayas in general, or in other Asian countries. Their origin, however, most often is attributed to Tibet and an interview by Rain Gray with an elderly Tibetan monk seems to confirm this.* The lama states that three major Tibetan monasteries were each home to a large singing bowl. These original three bowls inspired further production; and, he notes, one purpose of later bowls was to recreate and represent the Buddhist concept of sunyata, emptiness. As belief about the origin of the bowls varies, so does opinion about their age, with the more desirable hand-hammered bowls generally believed to date from 800 years ago to circa1970. Although the market is filled with post 1970 bowls, most are machine-turned and made of brass; whereas the best of the hundreds of hand-hammered bowls we carefully examined and played before purchase, had the look, quality and feel of antiques from the 17th to 19th centuries. The metals that comprise the antique bowls have been described variously as bell metal bronze, with a higher percentage of tin than usual and a unique proportion of tin to copper; or as having been made of five, seven or nine metals or metal alloys. For example, some sources identify seven metals as gold, silver, mercury, copper, iron, tin and lead, and note that they represent celestial bodies: the sun, moon and the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn respectively. Each metal is believed to be imbued with prayers chanted during construction, suffusing the bowl with sacred energy for healing and altered consciousness. Most everyone agrees that older, hand made singing bowls create sound that resonates from superior production and age. They look better, feel better and sound better. Such is the case for this lovely bowl which we attribute to the 18th century. It has an optimal thickness and weight with just the right amount of stains and dents to add to its patina without detracting from the sound. Inside the center are stamped three slightly worn and aesthetically pleasing concentric circles. While each bowl has multiple harmonics, the dominant note emanating from this one is close to a C#. *Gray, An Interview with Lama Lobsang Leshe.
Height 4� (10 cm); 7.5� (19 cm) diameter. $575
MUN YAO SHAMAN’S MASK, LAOS, CIRCA 1900 Yao people live predominantly in southern China, but also in northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Burma. Within the practice of the Yao religion, a form of Taoism laced with ancestor and spirit worship, the priest performs Taoist rituals, while communication with the spirits falls within the purview of the Shi Gong. The Shi Gong master is not an ordained priest but a shaman-medium initiated through special rites. It is possible that the use of a mask, called Dong Ku by the Kim Mun Lantien Yao in Laos, in Yao rituals pre-dates the incorporation of Taoism into the Yao religion. Yet knowledge about the origin and significance of the masks is insufficient. We know that wooden masks like this one were used only by the Shi Gong and that they were worn or hung during certain ceremonies: to invoke the protection of the spirits for upcoming journeys, for travel or hunting in the mountains; and for healing. The mask also functioned as a device to frighten away unruly or malevolent spirits. This may account for many of the masks’ faces having frowning mouths with teeth bared, and diabolical eyes. The smiling mouth and smile lines at the corners of this mask’s eyes give a more benevolent impression. The mask is carved in charming detail on hard wood, with a separately applied long triangular nose with nostrils. Some shamans’ masks were decorated with tufts of hair, as is the case here: animal hair is held in place by primitive iron nails is at the top of the head around the upper protuberance, over the eyes and between the ears and eyebrows. A lighter area of wood on the chin and the remnants of iron nails are evidence that once there also was a tuft of hair present as a beard. Many masks also included carved finials centered at the top. Some believe that the finial, sometimes referred to as a horn, was intended to mimic the ushnisha on images of Buddha. Four small holes, two on each side of this mask provided the option for it to be worn, held or hung. This mask was featured in the curated exhibit, Deeply Yao, at El Museo Cultural de Santa Fe in 2015. References: Nguyen, How to Make the Universe Right; Pourret, THE YAO The Mien and Mun Yao in China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.
Length 13.5” (34.3 cm), 7” (17.8 cm) from ear to ear, and approximately 5” (13 cm) deep. $2600
THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE: YANTRA DRAWING ON CLOTH, BURMA, 19TH CENTURY Imagine you are living in the last half of the 19th century in a small village nestled in the hills of Shan State, Burma. There is a yantra master, a hmaw-saya (saya, sala) in the village, a man who, after long study as an apprentice with an elder saya has become spiritually empowered and skilled in inscribing magical writing, drawings and diagrams on cotton cloth designed to give protection, good fortune, prosperity, support, love and compassion. Planting and harvesting of crops is seasonal and now you have no work, so you are about to embark on a long journey to find some way to help your family during this hot dry season. You go to the yantra master for his help. This master would have to be pure of mind and live in the purist of circumstances. He would enter a trancelike state and while chanting, render a drawing that takes into consideration your astrological, emotional and physical needs. In this instance, you would fold the yantra many times into a small packet that you would carry with you for the assurance of safety. Yantra is a Sanskrit word derived from the root yam, meaning “to sustain, hold, or support the energy inherent in a particular element, object, or concept.”* Yantra are drawn, painted, written, carved, etched or engraved on any kind of material deemed or made auspicious, including as a tattoo on skin. In the mostly Theravada Buddhist countries of mainland Southeast Asia, yantra may incorporate Buddhism, Hinduism, cosmology, astrology, numerology and animism in any combination and may be executed by lay masters or monks. Now imagine instead you are a prosperous merchant. The head monk at a nearby Buddhist temple has deemed you worthy and has accepted your commission to complete a cosmological, or mandala, yantra containing the Hindu-Buddhist cosmic universe in vegetal ink and pigment on cotton cloth. Through divination and astrology, the abbot has selected a propitious day to begin by painting Buddha within a circle at center. On subsequent auspicious days, the monk will continue with the illustration, adding three more concentric circles, each divided into twelve segments featuring Buddha’s famous disciples, thevada (angels), spirits, mythical creatures and beings, and the humans and animals that played an important role in Buddha’s many rebirths. The large circles are separated by narrow ones with Pali religious text written in the local language. This imaginary yantra would have looked very much like the one shown here. In this rare and masterful painting on cotton cloth, the Buddha at center is in the Shan style, seated on a platform with his hands in earth witnessing mudra. The peacock and the hare are present as emblems of the sun and the moon, symbolizing purity and longevity and fertility and rebirth respectively. At the four corners and in between, tiered diagrams of cabalistic squares filled with letters and numbers representing the seed syllables of sacred chants, gatha, guard the four cardinal and four secondary directions and attract blessings from all directions of the cosmos. These are interspersed with paintings of additional astrological, mythical and symbolic animals. Highly desirable, monk-executed fairly square yantra like this one, may have taken a year or more to complete and generally were limited to beneficial and protective themes involving reverence to Buddha and his teachings. Our fictitious merchant would have hung the newly acquired yantra as a canopy over the household altar (note the cloth ties at the four corners) or another area requiring protection, or on the wall. Although this isn’t the genre of protective drawing that typically was carried, its history as revealed by an unusual number of fold lines seems to inform an unexpected narrative: perhaps our merchant had business in different regions of the country and as he traveled kept his treasured painting folded inside his shirt, safe from loss and close to his heart. References: Conway, Tai Magic; Mookerjie, Yantra, *p. 11.
35-1/2” (90 cm) x 37-1/2” (95 cm); mounted on cloth on wood frame: 41” (104 cm) x 44-1/4” (112.5 cm) $5500
We hope you have enjoyed our small catalog. It gives us pleasure to write about and share with you some of our favorite pieces. There is only one thing left to say: we take comfort in knowing you, and we thank you for your support, in some cases throughout many years; and for the interest you have shown in what we have to offer and in us as a family. In so many ways we feel that you have become family too. Now that life is in transition (isn’t it always, but maybe not usually on this scale!), we hope to do this again, so please tell us what you think. All comments and suggestions welcome! We send you our love and best wishes. Stay safe! Stay healthy! Stay protected! Wishing you comfort. - Vichai, Lee, Dhani
CHINALAI TRIBAL ANTIQUES, LTD. 52 Woodville Road, Shoreham, NY 11786 631.821.4272 chinalai@optonline.net www.chinalai.net