Silver & Copper Ga’u Box inlaid with Turquoise, Tibet, 19th century

Silver & Copper Ga’u Box inlaid with Turquoise

This Tibetan amulet box or ga’u box comprises is of silver alloy, except for the back plate, which is, as usual, of hammered copper sheet.

Of quadrilateral form, it is provincial in nature. The front is decorated with a applied silver filigree within a repoussed silver border. It is also set with seven turquoise cabochons in box settings.

The

ga’u was worn suspended from the top gadrooned tube, which shows considerable wear and age. The lower decoration is a stylised dorje ornament which hangs at the bottom when worn. This is mounted with a lopp that is decorated with a single turquoise cabochon. Chains and further decoration could have been added to the ga’u from this loop by the wearer.

The age of this example is very clear. There are no losses to the filigree or to the stones.

Clarke, J., Jewellery of Tibet and the Himalayas, V&A Publications, 2004.

private collection, London