Nepal is home to many ethnic groups and religious traditions including Hinduism and Buddhism. Shamanism combines these religions with the worship of nature and natural phenomenon. There is a unique village, called “Lugum”, in Western Nepal whose only inhabitants, at the time of this writing, are 126 shaman – 18 of whom are women. In addition to their role as healers and intermediaries between the mortal and spiritual worlds, is a duty to protect the larger community around them from...

Shamanic Culture, Tribal Art, Healing and Magic converge in an unmatched, museum quality collection of over 300 shaman pieces from across SE Asia. We had an opening extravaganza to debut the rare amulets, instruments and costumes, acquired over the last 15 years. It took months to research the individual pieces that represent many different, ancient healing cultures from South East Asia – Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Nagaland (India) and across the 17,000 Islands of Indonesia. Some of the pieces have...

We are excited to share a custom slab table concept we’ve been working on. The idea started after seeing a very rare and obscure cross section of Bastogne walnut that friends of ours have had in storage.Knowing that this piece would never be a table without combining materials we started daydreaming about the possibilities.After a series of sketches we came up with the size and round shape you see below.After narrowing down the shape of the slab we started daydreaming...

Shamanism is a fascinating subject. Reaching far back into prehistory, the quest to cure the ailing and ensure our survival gave rise to its development. It is deeply rooted in *animism and appears as such in virtually all societies around the globe. The striking similarities in beliefs and rituals throughout so many different cultures make it an intriguing and mysterious phenomena from the modern western perspective.http://davidbardwick.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/David%20Alan%20Shaman%20Show.mp4Regarding the world of the unknown, Albert Einstein truly observed, “The most beautiful thing we...

Antique Millet Beer MugsA Tibetan mug or vessel for a traditional, indigenous, hot, alcoholic beer-like drink called Jaand.These ‘beer tea’ mugs are made of sections of mature bamboo. The inner nodes are carved out and often ringed with metal bands on the exterior. The cover or lid keeps the Jaand hot and has a small hole to stabilize the fine bamboo straw used to filter the grainy drink.Our collection of Tongbas are beautifully worn and patinated pieces of Nepalese ethnic...

2000 Year Old Coins – Necklaces by David Alan Designs. Part of ‘David Alan Designs’ signature style is to incorporate antiquity into wearable art. This post highlights 17 recently completed necklaces featuring beautifully patinated Kushan copper coins set in sterling silver to create beautifully elegant yet casual necklaces. We invite you to come browse the drawers in our jewelry gallery to view the collection these new creations and thousands of other one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry pieces by David Alan Designs. History...

Japanese Cha Dansu “Tea cabinet”, late 1800’s – early 1900’s When this Late 19th century Japanese cha-dansu (tea chest) arrived on a recent shipment from Kyoto, one of our sales associates immediately tagged it “sold” in their name and set it aside until time presented an opportunity for further inspection. When the time came, investigation revealed the top center drawer was jammed, unable to be opened. With careful coercion the source of the jam was divulged which only compounded the...

120 Year Old Tibetan Snow Lion PendantsThe Snow Lion – or ‘Gangs Seng Ge’ in Tibetan, is a powerful celestial animal that resides in the eastern Himalayas. Protector of Buddha, it personifies fearlessness and a cheerful mind. For more than a century it has remained the national emblem of Tibet.The Snow Lion is a common theme in proverbs and folk songs dating back to the 3rd century AD. Monks as well as lay people perform Snow Lion dances, often at...

We have been collecting Antique Jizo Statues from the Edo Period of Japan for years. Their aesthetic beauty and symbolism is something we hold dear at David Alan. Along with these rare antique finds, we are happy to announce we have found contemporary Jizo Statues made from both wood and limestone. They are quite amazing!Jizō is a bodhisattva, who has postponed Nirvana until all can be saved. Jizō embodies supreme spiritual optimism, compassion, and universal salvation. He is the guardian...

Phurba – Three sided ritual dagger from Tibet – Old World AntiquesHistory: From Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Indian Vedic traditionsStill used by Buddhists and Shamans in Tibet and the Himalayas, the use of these magical daggers dates back to at least the 7th or 8th century. The Phurba, or Kila in Sanskrit, is linked to a whole cycle of legends and tantric rituals which all focus on dispelling demons and evil forces. It is a spiritual weapon. It is not sharp...

Jizai Kaki (Hearth Hook) From the late 1800’sIn Japan, during the Edo (1603-1868) and Meiji periods (1868-1912), all traditional Japanese homes and shops featured a central area called the Irori, or, a sunken hearth. Here, charcoal would be continuously burned for cooking and warming the home. Suspended above the hearth was a Jizai, or self-adjuster, from which a large iron kettle would be hung. A Jizai Kagi, or a large wooden hook, was suspended from the ceiling or roof beams...

Singo Barong — The David Alan CollectionReogPonorongo Tiger Mask From West Java IndonesiaIndonesia is a fascinatingly diverse country, consisting ofover 18,000 islands, numerous official religions, and evenmore unofficial belief systems. Java, the most populatedisland on earth was once the home to a large Hindu empire,followed by centuries of Buddhism which built the largesthand carved stone Buddhist temple on earth. Java was furtherinfluenced by five centuries of Islamic Sultans and DutchColonial rulers. Throughout all these prolific Kingdoms,many Javanese retained their old...