Lot 170a, Auction 4/20/2026: Two Tibetan Buddhist Wood Phurba Knives

$390.00

In stock

Central Asia, Tibet, ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A pair of wooden phurbas, also known as ritual “magic daggers,” crafted in the traditional three-sided stake form with cotton cords wrapped around the necks of both. The pommels are adorned with anthropomorphic faces, and the handles feature linear motifs, with zoomorphic forms above the blades. The phurba’s design traces its origins to an ancient Vedic tool used for pinning down sacrifices. The three segments of the blade are symbolic of the phurba’s power to overcome the “three poisons” of negative energy: attachment, aversion, and ignorance. Additionally, these segments are believed to represent the three spirit worlds, which the phurba unites through its ritual use. Size of longest: 9.3″ L x 1.5″ W (23.6 cm x 3.8 cm)

Condition: Old loss to the nose of animal on the longer blade. Surface nicks and abrasions, but otherwise intact, with nice patina. Fraying to cotton cords.

Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection

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