CIRCA: 1800 or before (center panel)
A six dragon Chinese-silk canopy from Tibet with gold and silver coloured embroidered threads, which was used for hanging over a seated Tibetan Buddhist lama or altar (see example photos lower row above). The center six dragon panel is surrounded by a boarder of red silk brocade with dragons and phoenix’s frolicking in clouds, and has a hanging fringe of green and purple silk. (There is some red colour run in the hanging fringe from the red brocade, but this is not on the dark blue center panel.) The size overall is 136cm x 109cm while the main center silk panel is 103cm x 74cm, and is backed by a plain blue cotton cloth. The center five clawed six dragon panel was made in China circa 1800, while the outer red brocade ‘frame’ and hanging green / purple fringe is from sometime in the early part of the 1900’s. Save for the stain on the hanging fringe it is in very good condition.