18th Century Shan TaiLue Burmese Hibiscus and 31 similar items

~ Voodoo Priestess Estate ~ 18th Century, Shan, Antique Tai Lue Burmese Hibiscus Wood Seated Buddha an 1888 LiDiex Suite Kuman Thong Guardian ~!~ Nearly twenty-three years have now passed since we were called to do the estate that had been closed up for seventeen years! The Voodoo Estate! This type of call usually gets us excited as they are a treasure trove. Located here in Florida, there was no electricity or running water so we rigged our own lighting and in we went. If you have ever seen the Adams Family you will have some idea as to what we were greeted with! Then the attorney handling the liquidation gave us some background. The estate had belonged to an alleged powerful Voodoo Priestess/JooJoo Exorcist, grand daughter of a Marie Laveau, and favored daughter of a Marie Glapion. These names meant nothing to us, but the late night talk of Voodoo and exorcism in the old mansion was enough for us to spend the night in a hotel and return in the morning to assess the estate. The rest is history. Our research has shown that this woman was what she claimed and was indeed descended from a long line of well known Vodoun family originating in New Orleans in the early 1800's. We were somewhat unnerved by this until we discovered they were also devout Catholics! Although I have to admit this was unlike any Catholic home we have ever been in and some of the items found inside were a little more than disturbing. There was no feeling of dread or unwelcome in the mansion, however there was quite a bit of contraband and other items we can or will not sell here. This is one of a few pieces from this estate we will be listing this week, so check our listings. We will, upon the new guardian's request, issue a named Letter of Authenticity with each lot from this estate, complying with the terms set forth to us by the estate's attorney. ~!~ Some Back Story This is one of seven Buddha depictions directly involved in the necromantic practices of Thailand that were recovered from the suite of the 1888 LiDiex. It is apparent this LiDiex successfully sought to learn these practices and brought them home to share with others associated with this estate. 1888 LiDiex The research involved in this estate provides continuous fascination. The procurer and end user of this Buddha depiction was a man known only as "LiDiex." He was a 4th. generation descendant of the original Man Known Only as "LiDiex" to these shores who arrived as a survivor and saboteur of the slave Ship Henrietta Marie in 1701. He then found his way to New Orleans to meet with the parents with the then infant grandmother of our priestess, Marie Laveau. That LiDiex made his way as a wood carver, furniture and cabinet maker as did many of his descendants. This is another case of the multi-generational relationships we have encountered with this family as the LiDiex all had a strong association with these women. Although the 1888 LiDiex was not a full time resident of this estate, he kept a suite of rooms with her from the time of his sixteenth birthday. Apparently he would leave for periods of up to a decade before returning, shutting himself in her estate for years before leaving again. He is attributed with the design and consecration of the, "Resurrection Skull Altar" and most of the ceremonial spells used with it. Her journals and those of a number of her live in practitioner followers tell of this altar being used in ritual resurrection ceremonies. There are some pretty fantastic tales of animating inanimate objects, most notably a number of articulated skulls using specific minerals, potions, elixirs, reptiles, chants and incantations. He is described in her journals as being, "in excess of six feet of sinewy muscle, deceptively strong, easily matching two of his size in their grappling" and "extensively shaved, tattooed and pierced." "Those eyes of azure that turn to pools of deep amethyst" in addition to, "shown to be capable of high magic without devices." Both their journals claim his ability to heal wounds, shape shift, create life with the power of his thought, telepath, and travel through time and space. They also corroborate the sharing of identities with a number of other LiDiex, "being a master of disguise and misdirection, often with his mere thought" according to these entries. This gave these men the ability to appear in two places at once, an old family ploy that was apparently often used by their Mistresses. It is this LiDiex who is attributed with making her introduction to Alexandra David Neel and his journals tell of numerous meetings and short adventures with her. Claiming at the age of twenty four to have met Neel for the second time in the company of Prince Sidkeong of Sikkim and of being her teacher of the Tibetan language having already spent six years with the Great Hermit as apprentice. Much is already written on these subjects, so there is no need to elaborate here in this already overly long text, but we wholeheartedly recommend a cursory search for some very interesting reading. ~!~ This Buddha Her journals and inventory tell us this Buddha was procured from a Tai Lue family whose great grandfather was a forest monk that went on to become abbot of their temple which we believe was destroyed. His journals place this LiDiex on a road somewhere between Thailand and Cambodia in 1940 at the time. He made some lengthy journal entries that attribute this and other artifacts he had assumed custodianship over in order to prevent their destruction or desecration by French occupation soldiers in retaliation for the open rebellion of the monks. There is substantial evidence to suggest they were culturally part of an arms trade agreement. Many of the Cambodian officers killed over the next thirty years were former monks and their friends. The LiDiex journals claim the family worshipped Kuman Thong and this Buddha was relegated as the guardian of their shrine, a position that continued on with this LiDiex as it was recovered along with most of his Kuman Thong, one of which was apparently misbehaving and was found at the base of the Buddha, facing him. Talk about a time out! Her journals also tell us this is one of the Buddha statues they chose to use in the harvest and refinement of their own, "Seven Whore Nam Man Prai, Incorruptible Corpse Oil." ~!~ "Seven Whore Nam Man Prai, Incorruptible Corpse Oil" A total of thirteen drams of what her journals and inventory name as, "Seven Whore Nam Man Prai, Incorruptible Corpse Oil" were recovered from this estate. Her journaled inventory tells us this, "Nam Man Prai Oil was produced from the corpses of seven murdered prostitutes." According to these entries, the production of this oil took place in seven different cemeteries in five states, over a six month period in 1965, and that she was assisted by some of her long time associates, namely, the 1888 LiDiex, her Aunt Nadiene, an unnamed Khmer monk (referred to as an abbot in two entries), and at least one, South Carolina Sea Islander Root Man named as, "Dr. Buzzard." The technique was taught to this group for the most part by the 1888 LiDiex, who is said to have mastered it from a Khmer Buriram master of necromantic sorcery he had dealings with in Thailand from 1940 to 1946." ~!~ Tai Lue People From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for the most part... Total population - 556,000+ Regions with significant populations; China (Xishuangbanna), Burma (Myanmar), Laos, Thailand (Northern Thailand) and Vietnam (Lai Chau Province) China; 280,000 (2000) classified as Dai Laos; 126,229 (2015) classified as Lue Thailand; 1,000,000 (2001) classified as Thai Lue Burma; 60,000 (2013) classified as Shan Vietnam; 6,757 (2019) classified as L? United States; 4,000 (1998) Languages; Tai Lü ? Chinese ? Burmese ? Laotian ? Thai ? Northern Thai ? Vietnamese Religion; Tai folk religion Buddhism Related ethnic groups; Tai peoples Shan people Tai Nuea The Tai Lü people are an ethnic group of China, Laos, Thailand, Burma and Vietnam. They speak a Southwestern Tai language. Etymology The word Lü is similar to the Lao people in the Tai Lü language. Tai Lü can be written as Tai Lue, Dai Le and Dai Lue. They are also known as Xishuangbanna Dai, Sipsongpanna Tailurian and Tai Sipsongpanna. The word Lue in the Tai languages means "north" thus their ethnonym means Northern Tai which they share with Tai Nua people. Distribution In Vietnam, most Lu live in Lai Chau Province and their population was 5,601 in 2009. In China, they are officially recognized as part of the Dai ethnic group. The 2000 census counted about 280,000 Dai people speaking Lü language. The population in Thailand, where they are called Thai Lue was in 2001 estimated to be approximately 83,000. Most Thai Lue in Thailand live in Nan, Chiang Rai, Phayao and Chiang Mai Province. In Vietnam, Lu are the indigenous people in Muong Thanh ("Land of the God of Tai people" Tai Lü: muong theng). They had built Tam Vin wall in Muong Thanh and managed there for 19 generations before Hoang Cong Chit, a Thai leader, came. Nowadays, nearly all Vietnamese Lu live in Lai Chau Province. The Lu take their father's last name and have the middle name B' (for males) and Ý (for females). Their religion is Theravada Buddhism. ~!~ But Back to this Buddha Examination reveals an antique, hand carved Hibiscus wood imagery consistent with other known period examples produced by the Tai Lue Monks of Theravada Buddhism. It measures approximately 13 1/4" in height x 4 1/16" x 3 5/16" and weighing 1 lb., 6 oz. The image bears an old stress crack that has stabilized and bears remnants of red and black lacquer along with gold leaf from blessings. Red and Black Lacquer Our observations have found many old Buddha images and amulets were covered in red and/or black lacquer at one time, a practice said to have originated at Wat Sapan Sung. Many examples such as this one can be found to have had the lacquer blessing worn off of them by devotees rubbing them in prayer over the years. Many can be found that had the lacquer applied by the worshipper after receiving them. Others however, would dip their depiction in lacquer as a protective layer. ~!!~ Gold Blessed The above mentioned residual of 22k and/or 24k gold leaf were sheets of leaf (pit tong) that were used to perform a blessing ritual called "Na Na Tong." The LiDiex journals tell us, "Na Na Tong is a great charm. It brings with it what the Thai calls Metta mahansaney and mahaniyom (to be well liked, have great charm, attract business, attract the opposite sex, provide protection and bring good luck)." ~!!~ This is certainly a beautiful antique Thai Occult artifact with an extraordinary provenance that is much nicer than the photographs are able to depict. ~!!~ We have been contacted and visited by a number of people who were interested in the items from this estate since our first batch was listed. Among the buyers have been known psychics and practitioners. More than one, after adorning themselves or handling their purchase, stated "this is a woman of power!" Many of our clients, after receiving items from this estate have reported dream contacts and other unexplained phenomenon. Unusual, authentic Voodoo Priestess Estate piece and at a bargain price! This is truly a rare opportunity to own anything with attributes to this estate. The majority of this estate is now gone. Most of what we had left, and it was considerable, has been split up and sold to a couple of private, foreign collector practitioners that will never be available to the public again. We made the decision to do this as we have had some pretty strange visits from even stranger individuals and there have been enough unexplained phenomenon going on in the warehouse where her things were kept that many of our employees refused to go in there. The pieces offered and sold here are some of the few remaining that will ever be offered to the public. Nice addition to any collection, altar, or decor, displays really well. Really doesn't get any better than this. There are 14 photographs below to tell the rest of this tale. Buyer to pay $12.85 for Insured Ground Shipping with Tracking and our own Brilliant handling with lagniappe. We Combine Shipping. Rest assured your order will be carefully packed to withstand the onslaught of the most deranged of Postal Workers. International Buyer's, please contact us for correct or combined shipping quotes. Payment is due at listing end. Check our other listings, and sign up for our newsletter as new items are usually listed daily. Text and Photos Copyright 2001-2024 bushidobuce, all rights reserved. ~!~ Props are not part of the deal, but you knew that already. ~!!~ Powered by SixBit's eCommerce Solution