Located in Point Richmond, CA
Antique Tibetan style religious storage box / table from Bhutan, 19th century or earlier.
This type of box would have been most commonly found in a village monastery, where it would have been used to store especially important thangkas (Tibetan Buddhist paintings used in ritual, teaching and spiritual practice) or other revered ritual items or texts. The front of the box is decorated with floral and vegetative motifs indicating life and abundance. The top of the panel depicts the Wheel of the Dharma (Teaching) flanked by two deer, a reference to the Buddha's first teaching at Sarnath; on each side of the sliding door is a jewel emitting mongoose (Nakala), bringing forth the jewels of wisdom or material wealth. The sliding door is adorned with flaming jewels, the unquenchable Teaching of the Buddha. On the left panel are more symbols of abundance and of the Teaching - foliage, a deer, mongooses and flaming jewels. The back panel is a powerful presentation of a temple palace (Fodhang) in a celestial landscape. The right panel mirrors the left utilizing the same symbols. The bottom edge of the base has a lotus throne motif.
The construction is of wood, and has quite some age to it. Remnants of original color are discernible to a greater or lesser degree throughout.
This type of box / table is sometimes referred to as a construction table or box because it is made up of individual pieces and panels that are assembled together by fitting the front, side, back and small door panels into grooves cut into the bottom and top boards -- a kind of knock down construction. Originally the table was meant to facilitate assembly and disassembly as needed, but for stability's sake, we have assembled it using braces...
Category
19th Century Tibetan Antique Bhutanese Furniture