Burmese Mandalay Bronze Buddha
Authentic 19th-century Burmese bronze Buddha statue with original lacquer, gesso and gold-leaf gilding. The image was examined with UV and microscopy, confirming untouched historic gold-leaf layers and a ritually sealed interior. A rare Mandalay-period sculpture with genuine devotional use and strong visual presence.
Height: 48 cm | Width: 36 cm | Weight: approx. 10 kg.
Valuation Report
Burmese bronze Buddha with original gold-leaf gilding, preserved lacquer layers and intact gesso substrate. The sculpture retains its historic ritual sealing material inside the base, confirming traditional Burmese consecration practice.
Material and technique: bronze core with lacquer underlayer, white gesso ground and hand-applied gold-leaf gilding; original sealing resin and organic content inside.
Dimensions: height 48 cm; width 36 cm; weight approx. 10 kg.
Period and region: Burma (Mandalay tradition), 19th century.
Condition: original gold-leaf with natural wear, intact lacquer fluorescence under UV, stable gesso and bronze patina; no modern repainting, re-gilding or structural repairs.
Examination: assessed with museum-grade analytical methods including daylight inspection, UV fluorescence testing and high-magnification microscopy of lacquer, leaf and substrate layers.
1stbuddha retail valuation (guidance): €22 000.
Burmese Mandalay Bronze Buddha
Description
This 19th-century Burmese Buddha is a finely cast bronze sculpture finished with the traditional lacquer-and-gold technique characteristic of the Mandalay period. The surface shows the original sequence of black lacquer, white gesso ground and hand-applied gold leaf, confirmed through UV analysis and reflected-light microscopy. The gilding displays natural historic wear, with intact sections revealing authentic leaf structure and the warm amber fluorescence of the underlying lacquer.
The interior contains its original ritual sealing, including organic material embedded in a resin-based compound. This confirms that the image was formally consecrated and used as a devotional object rather than produced for later commercial purposes. Microscopy of the inner walls shows deep natural oxidation, mineral accretions and no evidence of modern fillers or repair materials.
Stylistically the sculpture follows the refined Mandalay tradition, with soft facial modelling, balanced proportions and the characteristic seated posture. The combination of well-preserved gold leaf, untouched lacquer layers, and a fully original ritual core makes this a rare and well-documented Burmese image from the late Konbaung/Mandalay era.
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Burmese Mandalay Bronze Buddha
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