Skip to the beginning of the images gallery

Lot 424 – Tibetan Gilt Bronze Buddha

AvailabilityIn stock

Only 1 left

SKU

424

Gilt bronze Buddha with visible remnants of original fire gilding.

Traditionally cast metal with natural patina and interior mineral deposits.

Himalayan workmanship, likely Tibetan or West-Tibetan tradition.

Dating to the late 18th or early 19th century.

Solid sculptural presence with clear signs of age and authenticity.

€1,790.00

Estimated Value: €2,000 – €3,000

Object: Lot 424 – Gilt Bronze Buddha

Material: Gilt bronze / copper alloy

Technique: Traditional sand casting with hand-finished interior access zones

Iconography: Flame ushnisha and lotus base cast integrally in metal

Surface & Evidence: Uneven gold remnants embedded in scratch edges and recesses, covered by layered oxidation. White chalk-like mineral clusters are loose interior accretions, not paint. Black micro-pitting runs through the gold contact zones, confirming historic gilding-to-metal ageing interaction. No modern lacquer or resin layer present.

Construction: Hollow cast metal body, interior carries granular pore texture from sand casting. Raised internal nubs show the same mineral and oxidation profile as surrounding metal.

Condition: Compact, stable casting. Natural wear, oxidation, and mineral deposits are consistent across interior and gilded zones.

Dimensions: H 35.5 × W 24 cm

Weight: 3.5 kg

Authenticity: Surface gilding, oxidation, and interior structure show no industrial polishing, modern resin, or synthetic coatings. Patina and mineralisation fit long-term natural ageing of a traditionally cast Himalayan gilt bronze object from 1750–1820.

All observations are based on provided photos and visible evidence. This object is assessed as a traditionally cast gilt bronze Buddha with historical surface ageing consistent with the late 18th to early 19th century Himalayan region, with Tibetan or West-Tibetan workshop traits plausible within that timeframe.

Documented for collection reference and structured product reporting.

Lot 424 – Tibetan Gilt Bronze Buddha

In stock

Description

Lot 424 is a gilt bronze Buddha cast in the Himalayan tradition. The interior and surface show layered oxidation with fine pitting and mineral accretions that lie within recesses and along internal casting marks. Traces of gold are visible in worn edges and scratch lines, confirming the gilding is old and part of the historical surface interaction, not a modern applied coating. The gold sits beneath darker oxide zones and partly under white, chalk-like mineral clusters, indicating long-term natural ageing in a hollow cast environment.

The sculpture displays a flame ushnisha and a lotus base cast integrally in metal. The patina includes soft green-gold transitions and irregular micro-texture consistent with traditional sand casting and hand-finishing traces along interior curves and tool-accessed zones. No uniform modern lacquer, resin fill, or industrial polishing marks are present. Wear patterns around raised internal nubs and edges carry the same age profile, supporting a period between 1750–1820.

At this scale (H 35.5 × W 24 cm, 3.5 kg) the statue carries a compact but solid sculptural presence. Buddhas from this era were shaped by workshops that no longer exist, built by artisans whose techniques lived in generational memory rather than written plans. The result is a work that embodies both spiritual symbolism and a tangible historical surface biography, preserved in the metal itself.