SOAS Library's collection of Tibetan block prints was acquired (through purchase and donation) between 1938 and 1973. Those either donating items or acquiring them have included Edward Denison Ross, Marco Pallis, Walter Simon, Tenzin Namdak and Philip Denwood.
The collection consists mainly of xylographs but there are also a small number of printed reproductions of manuscripts, in particular Bon-po texts. Of the xylographs there are a few collected works (gsung 'bum), most notably 13 volumes for Tsongkapa (1357-1419), 11 volumes for Khedrup Je (1385-1438) and 9 volumes for Gyaltsab Darma Rinchen (1364-1432). These three collected works appear to have been printed in India subsequent to the Tibetan diaspora, although there are some other xylographs which predate it. A complete set of Rin chen gter mdzod (153 volumes in 63 boxes, published by Rumtek Monastery, near Gangtok, Sikkim, India) - which is very similar to the one (TBRC W1PD96185) on the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Centre website (http://www.tbrc.org) - is also available.
The Wylie scheme has been used for transliteration.
For further information please click on the link in the 'Document' field below. This list, along with some further information on each item, will be incorporated into this catalogue in due course.