This antique Tibetan altar cabinet is an excellent example of a chagam, dating to the early 19th century (perhaps 18th century). The painting design is incredibly unsusual and features a form of kati rimo (silk brocade) design. This design came is a geometric design originally taken from textiles and rugs. The geometric textile design is almost exclusively reserved for early chests and trunks from the 16th and 17 centuries and rarely found in altar cabinets.

This genuine example of a well used altar cabinet that retains it's true age and patina. It is a perfect piece for a collector of Tibetan furniture and art and is rare to find these days, especially with such an unusual, almost islamic design. It's decorated in the traditional Tibetan earth pigments which explain the wonderful depth of the colours.

It would have been used as a family altar and for storage of religious scrolls, silk ceremonial clothes, family jewelry and precious yak butter, which is burnt in small lamps during prayers. Yak butter lamps would be burnt atop these cabinets meaning much Tibetan furniture is covered in a sticky residue. Our expert team has sensitively restored this piece, cleaning the residue whilst retaining its age and patina.

References:

A similar example to this cabinet can be found in Tibetan Furniture: Identifying · Appreciating · Collecting by Chris Buckley, (figure 160). For further reading on kati rimo and brocade designs, see figures 56, 57, 58 in the same book. 

For further information on Tibetan symbolism, see Tibetan Buddhist Symbols by R Beer. 

From Tibet

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