Tiger bells in South Asia

Tibet

Tiger bells are mainly of the B type, one type A tiger bell and two tiger bell type C are reported.

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One bell type C, similar to those found in Nepal; on the catalogue card the country of origin, 'Tibet', is followed by a question mark

Leyden Ethnological Museum, collected in 1948.

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Group: unknown, probably common
One type A tiger bell, probably used for dogs.

Collection: Leyden Ethnological Museum, procured in 1957.

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Several yak belts with type B tiger bells were sold at the Tibetan Refugee market in New Delhi in the late seventies and early eighties. Belts such as these are in the Rotterdam Ethnological Museum and in the author's collection.

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Yak belt, Rotterdam Ethnological Museum

Yak belt with eight bells (two missing), bought in New Delhi, at the
Tibetan Refugee market, 1975

Type B bell, on the yak belt above
Dimensions: wide 4,5 cm. high 4,1 cm. side 5 cm. hoop 1,6 cm. rectangular

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One small type A tiger bell, silver plated, on a silver prayer mill.
Photographed in an antique shop in Singapore.

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Two tiger bells, one type B (left) and one type C (right), bought in Lhasa in 2008.

Dimensions:
Type B (left): diameter front: 4 cm.; side: 4,5 cm.
Type C (right): diameter front: 3,8 cm.; side: 4,7 cm.

Front view

Bottom view

'Forehead' view

Reported by Toos Suyker and Jan Verdiessen; the bells were donated to them by I. van der Meulen, who visited Lhasa in 2008.

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Two alternative tiger bells, dimensions: 34 mm x 25 mm. No further information.

Compare these bells with the bells from Malaysia.

Photograph: courtesy 3Worlds

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Tibetan market (source: unknown). The horses have harnesses
with probably type B tiger bells.

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for information please contact F. de Jager