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Fire-Gilded Bronze Buddha Head , 18th–19th Century

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SKU

417

Authentic fire-gilded bronze Buddha head from Asia. Cast in bronze and finished with original mercury gilding. Natural wear reveals aged patina and surviving gold residues. Calm facial expression with finely modelled features and hair curls. Thailand / Laos, 18th–19th century.

€350.00

Estimated Value: €1.200 – €1.800

This valuation is based on direct visual examination supported by UV light and microscopic analysis. The object is a hollow-cast bronze Buddha head with surviving original mercury fire gilding, showing a naturally aged patina and no signs of modern intervention.

The granular structure of the remaining gilding, its integration with the oxidized bronze surface, and the absence of synthetic coatings confirm pre-industrial production. The proportions, facial modeling.

Comparable authentic fire-gilded bronze heads of similar size and quality, when offered on the private art market through specialized galleries, support the above retail valuation range.

Fire-Gilded Bronze Buddha Head , 18th–19th Century

In stock

Description

This fire-gilded bronze Buddha head represents a refined example of pre-industrial Buddhist sculpture from Mainland Southeast Asia, most plausibly Thailand or Laos. The head was hollow cast in bronze and originally finished with mercury gilding, traces of which remain clearly visible under magnification, particularly on the hair curls and protected surface recesses.

Microscopic examination reveals a porous, granular gold structure characteristic of true fire gilding, applied directly onto an already oxidized bronze surface. The underlying patina shows a stable, naturally developed copper-oxide layer, confirming long-term aging rather than modern surface treatment. No modern lacquer, adhesive, or artificial patination is present.

.With its compact size, clear authenticity markers, and remaining original gilding, this Buddha head stands as a genuine devotional object rather than a decorative souvenir, suitable for serious collectors of Southeast Asian Buddhist art.