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Woman's Silver Lhasa-style Ga'u inset with Turquoise & Glass
Tibet
19th century
height: 9.5cm, width: 9.8cm, weight: 108g
Double-square amulet boxes (ga'us) such as this one were worn by women and were popular in and around Lhasa. The central motif of a stylised lotus bud
infilled with turquoise chips and set among silver filigree wire is surrounded by borders of more turquoise chips. Triangles of red glass mark out the angles of
the other square and these two are bordered by turquoise.
The ga'u was worn suspended from the top gadrooned tube, which shows considerable wear. The lower decoration is a stylised dorje ornament which hangs
at the bottom when worn. Common to most such ga'us this example has a copper backing plate which sits in the ga'u. The copper backing for this example is a
later replacement.
References: a similar ga'u is illustrated in Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004, p. 78.
Inventory no.: 556
This Item is available - Ask about this item
See 516 and 591 for other similar ga'us.
Woman's Silver Lhasa-style Ga'u inset with Turquoise & Glass
Tibet
19th century
height: 9.5cm, width: 9.8cm, weight: 108g
Double-square amulet boxes (ga'us) such as this one were worn by women and were popular in and around Lhasa. The central motif of a stylised lotus bud
infilled with turquoise chips and set among silver filigree wire is surrounded by borders of more turquoise chips. Triangles of red glass mark out the angles of
the other square and these two are bordered by turquoise.
The ga'u was worn suspended from the top gadrooned tube, which shows considerable wear. The lower decoration is a stylised dorje ornament which hangs
at the bottom when worn. Common to most such ga'us this example has a copper backing plate which sits in the ga'u. The copper backing for this example is a
later replacement.
References: a similar ga'u is illustrated in Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004, p. 78.
Inventory no.: 556
This Item is available - Ask about this item
See 516 and 591 for other similar ga'us.
