Gift ideas from Torana stores in Beijing and Shanghai, including Tibetan cashmere, Tibetan blankets, jewelry and Wangden rugs

1. Tibetan cashmere shawls

Superb shawls made from Tibetan cashmere from Pashmina goats living on the Tibetan plateau, spun in Tibet and handwoven in Nepal.

Come and feel the difference in our stores.

2. Tibetan blankets

The Lhasa blanket (above) is woven in the old town in Lhasa from Tibetan wool. They are woven in strips on a narrow loom, then sewn together to make a full size blanket. Many of our customers use them as "throws" to add color. Their beauty comes from the accidental juxtaposition of the colored bands, making each one different.

The nomad blankets (below) are woven from yak hair or goat hair. The weavers use hair of several different colors, with the occasional addition of a dyed stripe, so the blankets have a unique texture. They are strong enough to use on the floor.

3. Tibetan jewelry, old and new

A selection of new silver jewelry (center) made by Tibetan silversmiths in the town of Shegar, near the Nepalese border, including stone-set mandala, square spiral, key and swirl pendants.

Around these pieces are old silver gau (amulet cases), antique beads, perfume bottle and bronze dorje (ritual implement).

(Beijing store only)

4. Wangden meditation rug

Wangden carpets were primarily woven for monastic use, for sitting during lengthy ceremonies and during meditation. A few of these rare weavings are still made in a small group of villages in central southern Tibet.

There are several designs. The one on the left is a "chumi" (spring) design.

5. Braided Tibetan textile

These unique textiles are made by a braiding method that we had only seen on antique pieces until spring this year. We had not seen any contemporary weavings until we found several weavers able to make these textiles in March this year.

These textiles are made without a loom. The maker simply begins with a bundle of heavyweight yarns and a needle, and proceeds to interweave the yarns to make a kind of braiding. A larger piece like this takes about 6 weeks to make.

6. Tibetan Furniture by Chris Buckley

This new book on Tibetan furniture explains the origins and uses of the many unque types of furniture that originated in Tibet. It also explains many of the designs that can be found in Tibetan decorative arts generally.

Illustrated entirely in color with more than 100 superb examples.

240pp - hard cover - 81/2x11 bibliography and index.