Elegant ebony wood carving of a Balinese beauty circa 1960 to 1970- possibly older. This was obviously created for the tourist market and panders to the Western ideal of the female form of the time. I traveled to Bali in the 80s and 90s and found their arts and crafts leaning more to the impressionist side, where figures looked like the Navi from Avatar. Given its hardness and cost, ebony is usually only given to master craftsman to carve from...
Early Indonesian Javanese - Majapahit style bronze Buddhist 4 armed figure sitting on a lotus base the attributes are similar to Chola Hindu sculpture from India. H 3.5" by 2"w. Good condition some erosion and verdigris .
Small statue of an ancestor or protecting deity, wearing a ceremonial cap, holding a sort of square box with both hands and standing on a rounded base. Wood, light brown patina. Indonesia, Moluccas Archipelago. Height: 13 1/2" (34 cm). Strong erosion and old accidents due to old age. Ex. Old French collection. A rare piece.
From our Southeast Asia Collection, a massive Indonesian teak wood carved panel executed in high-relief, depicting a scene from the Ramayana.
Indonesia, like Burma, has a long standing and very accomplished woodcarving tradition where generations of craftsmen have been producing great woodwork for decades...
A fine Balinese hardwood carving showing the Hindu god Ganesha with his typical elephant head seated on a raised lotus throne. Condition: fine, a bit dusty. Dimension: c. 25.3 cm high, 8 cm deep. For a close depiction please visit the statue TM-15-171 in the "Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam". Collected in situ by a Dutch family in the 1st half of the 20th C.
A beautiful small bronze bust of a young Southeast Asian girl wearing a high headdress, a makuta crown, often used in the classical court dances in Thailand, Burma, Laos or Cambodia. The back of the patinated bronze head with the two initials "V.N." standing for Vietnam, work attributed to the Vietnamese artist Nguyen Thanh Le (1919-2003). Fixed on the original black painted wooden base...
Very old small "korwar", or funeral altar, representing a human figure with a huge head, standing on a rounded base, legs half bent, and holding with both hands an elaborated openwork shield. Wood, with fine age patina. Indonesia, Papua Province, Cenderawasi Bay. Height: 23.7 cm. Strong abrasion due to age, old accidents, otherwise good condition.
Hampatong female figurine, wearing earrings and necklace, knees bent, standing on a square base. Wood, with fine glossy dark patina. Indonesia, Borneo Island, Dayak Peoples. Height: 11 cm. The statue is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: old Dutch collection. A rare piece.
Lopburi bronze figure of a Radiant Lokesvara, or "Lord of the World" in sanskrit. Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. Covered in scores of miniature representations of Buddha on his shirt, he also has toe rings one attribute is missing. Size h 4.5" by 2.25" wide some loss from bronze decay , the face though still visible has sloughed off a bit.
From our Southeast Asia Collection, a superb Indonesian ebony wood carving of Ruana, expertly rendered with such animation and ferocity that the character looks almost demon-like, so much so that we actually find this particular piece a bit creepy.....But that is ultimately testimony to the tremendous skill of the carver...
Lifesize Ayutthaya Stucco and Gold Leaf Buddha Temple head, beautiful piece early period. Layers of gold from years of regilding , these are some areas with wasp nest between some of the hair points. Museum mounted . Size H 14" H on stand 20" depth 9"
Wood spoon, its handle finely carved in the shape of a standing female figurine. Nice age patina. Ifugao tribes, Northern Luzon Island, Philippines archipelago. Height: 18 cm. The spoon is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition. Provenance: Zemanek Munster tribal art auction sale # 77.
A simple vintage Thai sitting Buddha statue often seen from the Sukothai period onwards. The statue is casted and the eys are inlaid with metal. The simple, undecorated style visually expresses the Buddhist ideals. Age: 20th century Size: Height 10.25" Width: 4.25" Length 6.5"
From our Southeast Asia Collection, an important and magnificently large, published, inscribed and dated Burmese temple Buddha, Mandalay School, constructed of fabulously carved hardwood coated in reddish-brown lacquer and gilt, depicting Buddha seated in padmasana position with his right hand in bhumisparsa mudra, elevated upon a single tier base with iron temple security rings, and bearing a raised-lacquer dedication inscription that essentially translates as follows: "Wish-fulfilling Kabalon ...
Thai Buddhist Ayutthaya 13-16thc Copper bronze Buddha head. Nice early piece with a red copper metal surface and good green patina. Mounted to a tiny wood base mounted c 1950s. Size over all 3.5" head 2.5" w almost 1.5" wood base is 1.2" square .
See description for item # 990732: a Large, Published, Inscribed, Dated, Burmese Buddha
Ancient Thai Mon Period Lacquered and gilded Stucco Buddhist Head. The over life-size head is believed to be that of a temple guardian figure. The sculpture was split from ear to ear when we acquired it and had it restored to museum quality the gold is original only the left lower cheek was redone . The head was built around a brick wrapped is a gauze textile . We had the sculpture mounted on a Lucite stand
Head of a funeral statue, carved from wood, in the typical aesthetic style of the Batak sculpture. Fine age patina. Indonesia, Sumatra Island, Batak ethnic group. Height: 30 cm. Obvious signs of wear and age, otherwise good condition. A rather scarce object.