finial view 3

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Posted by Linda Pastorino on July 14, 2013 at 2:27am

headdress finial of coral with 22K gold , used on a headdress of a government official. Tibetan lt 19th / early 20th c.

Stefany Tomalin July 14, 2013 at 10:25pm

i know these as "Mandarin hat buttons" -chinese court insignia of rank when mounted on the pinnacle of an embroidered silk hat. each stone represents a different meaning-
Linda Pastorino July 14, 2013 at 10:54pm

This style is Tibetan, not Chinese. There are similarities but the metal work on this one is for the Tibetan's .. The Chinese ones sometimes use Coral too but the silver or gold work it's self is of a different nature if used on Chinese hats. Everything done in Chinese culture as in Tibetan has ranking specifics.
Stefany Tomalin July 15, 2013 at 10:06am

do you have an image showing this type in use in a tibetan context? i would very much like to see it being worn on a hat. or a reference to an illustration in a book?
Linda Pastorino July 15, 2013 at 2:40pm

I would probably have it in one of my books some place but I'm not in a position time wise to look for it now. Later on if I come across it I will post it .
Joost Daalder August 27, 2013 at 3:03pm

Yes, a hat-knob for a Tibetan official. We show a variant of this in Truus's *Ethnic Jewelry and Adornment*, p. 290. There is a very elaborate example also in Valrey Reynolds, *Tibet: A Lost World*, p. 45; and there are other documented examples not that difficult to find.
Lynn Levenberg September 29, 2013 at 3:10pm

This is called a shalok.
Lanajnaj September 30, 2013 at 7:58am

Think you for showing this very beautifull and interrsting piece!

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