There are several reasons why we are currently unable to offer any Zanpars. Zanpars did not have a Buddhist background; rather, they had a therapeutic one. Unlike thangkas and statues, Zanpars were not found in private households in historical Tibet. They were kept only in monasteries and used to heal the sick as required. Only trained monks knew the procedures required for this.
Consequently, there were very few zanpars compared to other sacred Buddhist objects. When the Chinese military occupied Tibet in the 1950s, they looted and destroyed almost all monasteries. Zanpars were completely unknown to the Chinese at this time and were considered worthless. Most of them were destroyed or went unnoticed. Fleeing Tibetan monks probably did not take them with them into exile.
Even in the slowly growing Western antiques market, Zanpars initially remained insignificant and continue to play only a minor role. Nevertheless, there are now collectors interested in these objects. High prices are demanded and paid for the few authentic Zanpars that remain available.
The extremely limited supply has led to imitations being offered for sale as zanpars. Such sticks are not difficult to forge. Old wood is easy to obtain, and there are talented carvers and sufficient templates to work from. These new Zanpars are not always easy to recognise at first glance. If you see prices of less than US$150 or €150 being asked for supposedly old Zanpars today, it is safe to assume that they are counterfeit.
The old Zanpars we used to offer here came from antique markets in Kathmandu in the 1980s and 1990s and were gradually sold over time. In this chapter, we will not offer any Zanpars if we have doubts about their authenticity.