Kachalinta: Old Tibetan Boxes or Trunks
Tibetan
monastic boxes or chests were originally used in the store rooms of monasteries
to hold the brocades, hangings, ornaments, Cham costumes, masks
and other precious objects that were not used every day. These chests
were often offered to the monastery by a sponsor, so each donor would
try to use the best materials and the best artists of the time to make the box a worthy offering. They were also commissioned by the monastic
authorities themselves, and would have been painted by the thankha painters of that monastery. Often large amounts of gold and the best mineral
colours were used in the execution, hence some of the best examples of
Tibetan furniture decoration are found on these boxes. Dragons, lotus
flowers and flaming jewels are amongst the most popular motifs on the
boxes. These are an example of some of the authentic, old Tibetan boxes in stock.
SB192
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB192 Detail
Classic dragon box, with "kati rimo" field design
SB290
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB290 Detail
Bowl with flaming jewels
SB108
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB108 Detail
Beautiful pheonix in the cartouche
SB188
16th Century Box
Southern Tibet
SB188 Detail
Old style "Lokha box" with scalloped top
SB203
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB203 Detail
Bowl of jewels amongst flowers in cartouche
SB204
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB204 Detail
Dragon on a green background
SB233
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB233 Detail
Classic dragon box, silver design on red background
SB234
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB234 Detail
Smiling dragon in cartouche
SB568
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB568 Detail
Classic dragon box, with "kati rimo" field design
SB236P1
Pair of 18th Century Boxes
Central Tibet
SB236P1 Detail
Classic dragon boxes, with "kati rimo" field design
SB236P2
Pair of 18th Century Boxes
Central Tibet
SB608
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB608 Detail
Lotus flower in cartouche
SB308
Classic dragon boxes, with clouds in the border
SB308 Detail
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB292
Early box with 18th Century decoration
SB292 Detail
Jewel in centre with "Kati rimo" in the field
SB312P1
Pair of 18th Century Boxes
Central Tibet
SB312 Detail
Pair with bowl and jewels amongst flowers
SB312P2
Pair of 18th Century Boxes
Central Tibet
SB315
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB381
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB381 Detail
Classic double dragon with jewels in the cartouche
SB568
Pair of 18th Century Boxes
Central Tibet
SB568 Detail
A floral design in the central cartouche
SB608
Pair of 18th Century Boxes
Central Tibet
SB426
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB426 Detail
The entire box covered in "kati rimo"
SB428
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB437
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB437 Detail
Dragon with Chinese characters in the field
SB564
Early box with later (18-19th Century) painting
SB440
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB440 Detail
Dragon and flowers in the central cartouche
SB441
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB442
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB442 Detail
Two dragons holding up a plate of jewels in the center
SB551
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB448
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB448 Detail
Single dragon in the central cartouche
SB551
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB551 Detail
Flaming jewel amongst foliage
SB555 Detail
Front facing dragon with kati rimo
SB555
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB583
17-18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB590 Detail
Single dragon and kati rimo design in the field
SB590
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB592
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB592 Detail
Dragon with a bowl of jewels on his head
SB595
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB594
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB594 Detail
Dragon & elaborate kati rimo design in the field
SB613
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB604
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB604 Detail
Animal with auspicious symbols in center
SB614
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB605
16-17th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB605 Detail
Painted on 3 sides and top, made to carry
SB622
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB623
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB625
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB636
Early Box, re-painted in 18th-19th Century
Central Tibet
SB643
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB647
Kati Rimo design with clouds and pictures
SB647
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB561
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB561 Detail
Elaborate kati rimo design in the field
SB572
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB572 Detail
Classic dragon and kati rimo box
SB575
17th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB575 Detail
Box made to carry brocade, painted on 3 sides
SB581
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB568 Detail
Chepak or zipac with bowl on jewels on his head
SB573
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB410
Early 20th Century
Kham, Eastern Tibet
SC411
18th Century Box
Central Tibet
SB411 Detail
2 pheonix amongst foilage
