Tibetan dungkar with Ganesha depiction - silver mount with turquoise and coral

Tibetan conch shell trumpet (dungkar) with partial silver mounting and an unusual Ganesha depiction - probably late 20th century, Nepalese work.

The special feature of this piece is the large-format, three-dimensionally embossed Ganesha figure on the shell belly - the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom and new beginnings, depicted here with several arms and in a seated position, surrounded by cloud tendrils and a dragon at his feet. Ganesha is often found in Nepalese Buddhism as a protective deity and pathfinder, reflecting the connection between Hindu and Buddhist iconography in the Newari tradition.

The silver mounting comprises a chased setting at the apex with a coral cabochon, a richly decorated mouthpiece with a central turquoise medallion and a silver ring at the transition between the belly and mouthpiece. On the back of the shell, the silver setting shows further embossed animal figures - a recognizable elephant and cloud tendrils. Coral and turquoise cabochons are scattered throughout the piece.

Provenance: Swiss private collection

Dimensions: 21 × 11 cm · Weight: 807 g