Posted By: Mary Mulcahy
Posted Date: Jul 08, 2022 (03:10 PM)
Dear colleagues,
The Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art is seeking information about collector Gerry Virtue to support provenance research on a set of Tibetan tsakali initiation cards likely from his collection (sample image attached).
We are interested to learn about Mr. Virtue's travels and acquisition of Tibetan objects, particularly whether these cards may have left Tibet before 1970. Was Mr. Virtue in Kathmandhu during those years, or possibly going to Lhasa to acquire objects?
If any of this information is known to you, please contact me and Dr. Debra Diamond at mulcahym@si.edu and diamode@si.edu. We're grateful for any clues you may be able to share, thank you so much for your time and attention.
Best,
Mary Mulcahy
Curatorial Assistant
