Vintage Mid-Century Tibetan Cast Bronze Triptych Folding Buddhist Shrine Altar

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A powerful aura adds a sacred history and deep geometric texture to your interior with this exceptional antique Tibetan portable … Read more A powerful aura adds a sacred history and deep geometric texture to your interior with this exceptional antique Tibetan portable folding triptych shrine altar. Hand-cast in solid bronze, weighing exactly 2 pounds and 6 ounces, this three-panel devotional piece unfolds to 6 inches wide and is an exemplary mid-century or earlier work showcasing traditional Himalayan metallurgical iconography. The exterior of the closed cylinder functions as a highly dense, sculptural relief canvas, intricately detailed with stacked medallions depicting seated Buddhas, sacred lotus blossoms, and traditional geometric border fretwork. Highlighting its independent workshop heritage, the recessed crevices feature a heavily layered, vibrant green verdigris mineral oxidation. This genuine, age-old patina—which takes decades of natural environmental exposure, air, and moisture to slowly develop—settles deep into the bronze's valleys, providing a striking organic contrast against the warm, aged metallic high points. Secured by robust, integrated interlocking pin hinges, the triptych opens smoothly to reveal an intimate, architectural sacred space. The central vaulted niche houses a flawlessly cast, independent figural statue of a seated Shakyamuni Buddha in a meditative dhyana mudra pose, elevated on an ornate tiered lotus throne. The flanking folding doors are similarly incised on their interior walls with elegant calligraphic scripts, traditional Buddhist symbols, and stylized protective motifs. Blending historic Eastern mysticism with the tactile, raw elements of the Organic Modern aesthetic, this heavy, solid bronze altar is a commanding focal object perfect for a luxury library bookshelf, an entryway console vignette, or an eclectic salon display. See less