Featured What do you think of this Tibetan box?

Headed to a sale right now and this interesting old Tibetan box may be there still. Beautiful box covered in what I imagine is turquoise, coral, and some purple stone. Appears to have quite a bit of age. The note that goes with it I’m not so sure about so more curious what y’all think about it age/value wise? If the price it right I would love to own it and then maybe I can look into the note. Thanks

 

It is antique, looks like gilt copper. The stones are Tibetan turquoise, coral and what looks like low grade rubies. There could be some glass in there as well, in fact the coral could be glass. It is difficult to say without more closeup photos, which you probably don't have.

It was actually made by a Newari artisan in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal, but many of these ended up in neighbouring countries like Tibet.
It could have been presented to a European traveler because it represented value.

I can't read the name of the British explorer, so I don't know if he was famous in some way.
The Brits were relatively late on the Tibetan scene, other Europeans had already been travelling to Tibet since the 12th century. So a ca 1900 British explorer was not something to get excited about, only if he was famous in some other way.

How big is it, and what is the asking price? If it is reasonable, I would personally buy it, I love this style.

 

'Savage Landor' (Arnold Henry)...

~Cheryl

 

Thanks, Cheryl.
Apparently he took his cats with him on a journey from Russia to India, so that should increase the value. Travelling on horseback with two cats is no mean feat.

 

Bravo @DragonflyWink !
I found this on him:
"In 1899, British adventurers Henry Savage Landor was captured on his way to Lhasa. His torture session included 24-hours in a rack. After returning home he wrote a bestseller about his experiences."
There:
http://factsanddetails.com/china/cat6/sub32/entry-4421.html

 

Fascinating personnage!
I hope you'll be able to get the box!!!
http://savagelandor.com/life

 

They didn't mention the Medieval Spanish and Italian travelers, shame on them!

The note is no proof it actually belonged to Savage Landor, btw.
24 hrs of torture and then present him with a Newari box? Oh, I am sorry I nearly killed you, you illegal immigrant, here is a nice box....

 

I think it is; I'd never do that to a cat. I was expecting to find that 'Landor' was a pseudonym, since it's an anagram of Arnold.

 

So it is. Savage Arnold, sounds like a name from American wrestling.

 

Truly pertinent!
I read while looking his history that the torture part of is Tibetan adventure is.... questioned

 

I was wondering about a lot of it. I was thinking Prof. Gilderoy Lockhart.