? A SILVER- AND GOLD-OVERLAID IRON PEN CASE, DERGE, EASTERN TIBET, DERGE, 17TH-18TH CENTURY Of cylindrical form and masterfully worked with a hexagonal diapered pattern filled with tiny circles ranging from one to three, framed by bands of ruyi-heads and wan-key-fret, and terminating in a lotus bud encircled by petal lappets, all meticulously overlaid in silver and gilt wire, the design mirrored on the cover, each piece with a lug.
Provenance: The collection of Cindy Elden, New York, United States. Cindy Elden, philanthropist and collector, belongs to a lineage of distinguished art patrons that includes her great-uncles—David Archibald Smart (1892–1952) and Alfred Smart (1895–1951)—renowned Chicago publishers and art patrons whose legacy is commemorated in the naming of the Smart Museum of Art. Her father, Richard Elden (1933–2018), the visionary hedge-fund pioneer who founded Grosvenor Capital Management, upheld that legacy through decades of leadership as Governor of the Museum. As a current Board member of the Museum, Cindy Elden has supported acquisitions and exhibitions spanning antiquities to modern art, with a special emphasis on South and Central Asian sculpture. She is the President and Co-Founder of the Usher III Initiative, a nonprofit dedicated to curing the rare genetic disorder that causes both hearing and vision loss. Condition: Good condition with expected wear, traces of use, and manufacturing irregularities, encrustations and little corrosion, light warping and minute dents, rubbing and losses to inlays.
Weight: 492.7 g
Dimensions: Length 37 cm
This fine example of Tibetan overlaid metal work is from the Derge kingdom of eastern Tibet. The elongated form, enriched with a crisply diapered design inlaid in contrasting metals, reflects both the refinement of Derge craftsmanship and the central role of writing in Tibetan monastic and aristocratic culture. Pen cases such as this, prized by scholars and monks alike, embodied both status and devotion, serving as portable companions for the copying of sacred texts and the recording of knowledge. By the 17th century, the Derge court and its famed printing house were at the forefront of Tibetan literary production, and luxury writing implements like the present piece stood at the intersection of artistry, piety, and intellectual prestige.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related silver and gold-overlaid iron pen case from Derge, Eastern Tibet, dated 17th-18th century, 31.5 cm long, offered by Michael Backman, London, inventory number 8690. Compare a related earlier gilt-steel pen case from Derge, Eastern Tibet, dated 15th-16th century, 33.8 cm long, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 1992.257.1.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie’s New York, 31 March 2005, lot 146
Price: USD 3,360 or approx. EUR 4,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A silver damascened iron seal and a silver and gold damascened pen case, Tibet or Mongolia, 17th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and decoration. Note the size (34.8 cm) and that the lot further comprises a small iron seal.
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Gallery Zacke takes care of shipping and quotes postage upon request. The purchased goods are transported at the risk of the customer following handover of the packaged item to the post office or another carrier which the customer agrees to through his/her submission of the purchase order. According to specific wish of the customer, the auctioned goods may be insured for the value of the purchase price (highest bid and surcharge). This insurance fee is 3% of the purchase price.
Terms of Auction
§ 1) The auction shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the rules of procedure of GALERIE ZACKE?, SZA VERSTEIGERUNGEN UND VERTRIEBS GMBH, MARIAHILFERSTRASSE 112, 1070 WIEN (hereinafter referred to as the company) as well as in accordance with sections 244-246 of the GEWERBEORDNUNG [Industrial Code] of 1994. The auction shall be carried out on commission. The auctioneer shall be entitled to withdraw lots exceptionally, to conduct the auction deviating from the order of the catalog numbers and to offer lots jointly. In the event of any dispute concerning a double bid or if the auctioneer has missed a bid, the auctioneer shall be entitled to revoke acceptance of a bid and to continue auctioning the item. The figures stated in the catalog shall be the highest bid in Euro (€) expected by the respective expert. As a rule, the bid shall be increased by 10% of the last bid. (See table of the bidding increments).
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