CIRCA: first half 1900’s
A crescent shaped pile-woven yellow Tibetan hat that denotes monks of the Gelugpa sect (and hence often referred to as the ‘yellow hat’ sect) which is worn during religious ceremonies. Made sometime in the first half of the 1900’s it is woven with a dense deep woollen pile and is knotted with the Tibetan knot (the same knot as used Tibetan carpets), has wool warp and weft and is dyed with a natural mustard-yellow dye. The overall length is 55cm, while the pile section including fringe is 35cm x 18cm (at its highest point). It comes from a long established collection and while not ‘rare’ per se, items of this nature are seldom seen on the market.
*The Gelugpa sect emerged in Tibet in the 15th century to become the pre-eminent Buddhist school in both Mongolia and Tibet and remains dominate to this day. The Dalai Lama, who holds the highest position in the Gelugpa sect, is considered its spiritual leader.