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I don't know what Anthony is talking about but your Thogchag is a nice example. I have collected several of these in Tibet and no one has definitively said what exactly they are (photo attached somewhere?). They seem to be what in Native American culture would possibly be 'tinklers', decorations tied onto a pouch or bag however that is only conjecture.

Thogchag are curious objects steeped in mystery. Nice examples are not easy to find and many copies (fakes) are available touted by people who don't know squat about them.

Isn't it curious when art dealers publicly critique somebodies art in negative way, especially they don't know anything about it?

If we all have to like the same stuff perhaps Anthony could provide us with some professional guide-dunce. ;- }

Hi Harry,
Pretty silly using the same email address as your web-site?
How come when I log in www.artyeti.com I don't come up with your name but yet another site touting similar rubbish?

We did not all come down in the last shower.

If that is the best example of Tibetan art you can come up with, you either need to expand your budget or get help.
Cheers
Tony

Gee Tony why so harsh? Nowhere do you say anything about Thogchag - only Criticism.

I didn't know this was a contest re: Tibetan art? I thought it was a question about Thogchag. Although I am sure you are very knowledgeable about everything else you apparently do not understand these? That's OK Tony. It's OK.

But thanks for your insight!

ps: Sorry your disappointed Tony but which rubbish - mine or yours??? ;- }

Not 'tinklers' but associated with non-Buddhist as well as syncretic spiritual beliefs. One oral tradition is that the old ones were made from meteoritic iron. Was extensive article in Arts of Asia magazine by Jamey Allen, around 1989.

Indeed, many recently made. Actual ages of pieces nearly impossible to estimate, so 'collectors' should not think are antique or ancient just by looking. People collect stuff for their own reasons, including erroneous ideas about cultural contexts and liking gaudy decoration on mass-produced porcelains. De gustibus non est disputandum.

Good luck,
Cal

Love the 'syncretic spiritual beliefs' myself Cal!

The Thogchag article was written by John Bellezza, a buddy who does surface archeology in Tibet who has another article about Thogchag (among others) posted on this site.
You are thinking of the "THOGCHAG, Talisman of Tibet" article (Arts of Asia May-June 1998). John corroborated with me and features examples from my collection in that article.

Your are thinking of the Arts of Asia "Dzi" Bead article (July-Aug 2020) which also included many ancient beads from my collection.

Bom Champa for a better tomorrow!
Good luck everybody.........

Ah, yes, you are right - too much rely on foggy memory, should have looked up articles.

Good luck,
Cal

I am looking for an article about Thogchag. Can anyone help me. Dareji

To reiterate regarding Thochag articles, there are not alot of articles with helpful information but here are some:

John Bellezza's article in Arts of Asia is posted online on the website attached below.
The article shows Bellezza's collection (on black) however the posted article is incomplete and there are many more examples in the magazine article. (such is the fate of collectors who loan objects for articles but have no editorial control of them). The thogchag on the cover are examples from my own collection.

Bellezza's monthly newsletters on the < http://www.tibetarchaeology.com > website contains wealth of arcane information about Tibet, it's culture and history by one of the foremost researchers doing surface archeology in Tibet.

There is an interesting Facebook page about Thogchag. 'Thogchags or Thokcha - Tibetan & Himalayan Amulets’
< https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thogchags-or-Thokcha-Tibetan-Himalayan-Amulets/211211252277966?fref=photo >.

There are also several books from Taiwan and China published about Thogchag (he text is mostly Chinese).







URL Title :Thogchags: Talismans of Tibet

I'm glad it was sorted-out that the AoA article on tokcha (or thochag) from 1998 was not authored by me. My only contribution to AoA was my 2002 article on Tibetan zi beads. Everything I know about tokcha was gleaned from Tony Anninos and Robert Brundage, and from the few scant articles published in earlier times. I do not consider myself to be an authority on these intriguing artifacts.

It is rather ironic--comments about criticizing the collections of others without adding anything useful. I recall the time I showed my Khyung tokcha to an esteemed collector--and his only reply was "it's not very good"--because his were better…. Jamey D. Allen

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