1998–Present :: Tibetan Furniture
In the late 1990s Ira and Sylvia began to collect what has since become one of the world's largest and finest collections of antique painted Tibetan furniture. The collection features an eclectic array of antique artistic and functional pieces, including trunks, cabinets, altars, tables, ceremonial drums and painted door panels. These pieces are joined by a selection of rare, culturally significant items representing the esoteric artistic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, some dating back as far as the late 14th Century. These pieces represent the many ways in which skilled craftsmanship has graced the material culture and daily lives in many monasteries and
private homes of the Tibetan people. The Serets collection of Tibetan furniture gained international recognition when twenty-four pieces were chosen for the exhibit, WoodenWonders, held at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, California between November 2004 and February 2005. This is the most comprehensive overview to date of the history and development of Tibetan furniture, raising awareness of the depth and beauty of this rich cultural tradition.
For more information on the Serets work with endangered cultures, please visit the Jindhag Foundation.