18th C. Tibetan Gilt Sword Handle of Begtse Chen

$4,795.00

In stock

Central Asia, Tibet, ca. 18th century CE. A rare and formidable Tibetan ritual sword handle of gilt brass, meticulously cast in the form of a flattened scorpion, its stylized body defined by pronounced segmented ridges and curving, beadlike limbs ending in powerful pincers. Each side of the head bears a small inset silver sphere, gleaming against the rich golden surface. This zoomorphic form is deeply charged with symbolic potency, representing the deadly yet protective weapon of Begtse Chen, the red-armored guardian deity of Tibetan Buddhism. The scorpion in Tibetan iconography embodies dual aspects: its venom signifies the destructive force of the deity, while its form also holds protective and healing associations. In Buddhist esoteric traditions, such scorpion-hilted weapons are wielded not only by Begtse Chen but also by certain manifestations of Pelden Lhamo, and are linked in legend to Padmasambhava, who entrusted these deities with the safeguarding of the Dalai Lama’s lineage.
Size: 5.2″ L x 3.1″ W (13.2 cm x 7.9 cm)

Although the scorpion sword is first recorded in Tibetan textual sources of the 18th century, its imagery appears centuries earlier, notably in the hand of Lhamo on the inscribed 1292 stele of Mahakala, now in the Lionel Fournier collection. Tibetan tradition attributes an Indian origin to the form, with the scorpion known in Vedic literature and associated in Hindu mythology with the goddess Camunda. Yet the scorpion-hilted sword itself appears to be a distinctly Tibetan innovation.

It is likely that this handle once belonged to a ceremonial sword carried by a monk in the elaborate Cham dance, a masked ritual performance invoking deities for protection and blessings. A comparable complete example is preserved in the Triay Collection (Bazin et al., “Rituels tibetains: Visions secretes du Veme Dalai Lama,” 2002, p. 146, no. 106), while a photographic record of a 1930s Cham dance shows a similarly armed performer (Tsultem, “Mongolian Sculpture,” Ulan Batar, 1988).

A similar gilt copper alloy scorpion handle hammered $57,375 HKD (equivalent to $7,323.94 USD) at Bonhams Hong Kong on November 30, 2022 (“Images of Devotion,” lot 1051).

Condition: Some light surface wear as shown, but, otherwise, intact and excellent with impressive preservation of gilding.

Provenance: ex-Farrow Fine Art, San Rafael, California, USA

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.