This is an old, hand-carved burl wood Tibetan tea cup, with absolutely fine burl grain patterning. Nice older cups like this are getting harder and harder to find, and of course more expensive too. Despite its age, this cup is in great condition. An outstanding specimen, both in terms of craftsmanship and the wood itself. It has beautiful patina and is in very good condition. In Tibet and the Buddhist Himalaya, these burl wood cups are highly valued, and in fact have some very special, even magical, powers attributed to them. The cups are considered medicinal and it was traditionally believed that if a person is served poison, drinking from a special burl wood cup will neutralize the toxins, or that the cup would even split or shatter. (But don't try that at home). The traditional lore recounts that in order to find the right wood the master carver would go out on a moonless, dark night and enter the forest. If everything was in order, then by some supernatural means, the craftsmen would spot an effulgent light around the proper tree, and the next day he could dig there, harvesting some "dza" or burl wood for making the cup.

Well, magical antidote for poison or not, they are beautiful and this particular cup is a fine specimen. It would be a fine addition to your Himalayan antique collection, and by the way, it remains fully functional. You can use it to drink from if you feel so inclined!