A GOLD-FILIGREE INLAID COCONUT ROSARY QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

formed of 27 solid coconut beads, each inlaid in gold with lança characters and divided by silver roundels

There are some missing inlaids, as well as typical age cracks, some of which have been stabilised, especially to the third bead from the S clasp.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Compare a coconut rosary of related inlaid Sanskrit design, but of longer length, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the Museum’s Exhibition of Ch’ing Dynasty Costume Accessories, Taipei, 1986, cat. no. 59. Introduced into Buddhism from Hinduism, prayers beads or rosaries were worn by priests and devotees alike and used primarily during Esoteric Buddhist rituals. They are also the attributes of certain deities such as Avalokitesvara, the Deity of Compassion, and the Buddha Amitabha. Traditionally composed of 18 or 108 beads rosaries were made in a variety of materials, including coconuts, jade, and human bones, such as one, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Cultural Relics of Tibetan Buddhism Collection in the Qing Palace, Hong Kong, 1992, pl. 141.