A LARGE LACQUERED AND GILT COPPER-ALLOY TRISHULA FITTING, TIBET, 17TH - 18TH CENTURYComposed of a central skull issuing three larger and two smaller blades, the edges decorated with red flames. The skull with large eye sockets and pierced smile revealing sharp fangs and a tongue, details picked out in orange and green, the design mirrored to the reverse.Provenance: From an old private collection in Amsterdam, Netherlands, acquired in the Hong Kong trade during the 1980s.Condition: Fine condition with expected old wear, minor scratches, few tiny losses, dents, small cracks, wear to the pigments. Displaying very well overall.Weight: 2.5 kgDimensions: Length 74.4 cmThe trishula has early origins related to concepts of trinity within the Vedic traditions and was the quintessential implement held by the god Shiva. In tantric Buddhism, it became linked as the magical weapon of Padmasambhava, illustrated in the crook of his left arm as a trident topped staff in his most iconic form as Guru Rinpoche.Literatureparison:Compare a five-pointed fire flaming trishula with a skull connecting the handle and prongs illustrated in Henss, Buddhist Ritual Art of Tibet, 2020, fig. 220.pare a related trishula with skull and five flames, in the Musée Guimet, accession number MA 5918.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Christie’s Paris, 13 June 2013, lot 54Price: EUR 11,250 or approx.EUR 13,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: A rare gold, silver and copper-inlaid iron trishula, Tibet, 16th/17th centuryExpert remark:pare the related form, flame details, central skull design, and similar size (71 cm).Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Paris, 15 December 2022, lot 124Estimate:EUR 6,000Description: A silver and steel ritual trident head (trishula) partially gilded and inlaid with silver, eastern Tibet, 17th/18th centuryExpert remark:pare the related form, flame details, and central skull design. Note the much smaller size (50 cm).十七至十八世紀西藏鎏金銅漆彩三叉戟正中央爲一個骷髏，其頭上有三個大和兩個小的叉，邊緣飾有紅色火焰。骷髏頭有大眼窩，齜牙咧嘴並吐出舌頭，細節以橙色和綠色挑出，正反面相同。