Sauk Rapids, MN
For our discriminating bidders we are offering the first look at this 19th century (possibly 18th or 17th, see below) bronze statue of Guanshiyin (Guanyin or Guan Yin, the goddess of mercy). I will give a description of her and then include the full appraisal report given by one Asian antique expert which is conservative (based on a 19th century approximation). If she is older than that then the value rises substantially, but we'll assume the 19th century valuation for caution's sake. Use your own discretion while bidding.
Description and Information:
This statue of Guanyin is from a high-end St. Paul, MN estate. The relatives said that the owners brought it to an Antique Roadshow and it was verified to be 400-500 years old (late Ming / early Qing dynasty). It appears to be gilt-lacquered bronze. It measures 19" tall and weighs 25 lbs 5.3oz.It is hollow and has small excess metal and powder inside. The base is covered (as shown in the photos).
Appraisers Remarks:
At first sight, this certainly looks the part. It's a beautifully modeled statue of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, known to the Chinese as Guanshiyin (aka Guanyin) the goddess of mercy and compassion and the equivalent of the Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition.
She is seated on a lotus leaf in the lotus position and "posture of relaxation" having the hands in the "giving of fearlessness" mudra (hand gesture).
The decoration is elaborately gilt- and polychrome-lacquered in colors of gold, black, blue and red.
The inscription, lower back, is difficult to read in its entirety because of the black "cloud" that's obscuring part of it. Also, the characters are written in a stylized way that arbitrarily eliminates some of the character strokes. It's possibly:
后田殷
Though the last character "Yin" is the only one I'm positive about.
As I'm not sure of the rest I won't speculate as to its meaning, but it's not any commonly found charm or inscription phrase.
So the big question is, how old is it?
There are certain features that are typical of the end of the Ming and the beginning of the Kangxi period from about 1630 to 1720. For instance, this large snail-like hair bun was fashionable during that period. Also, the fact that she's posed on lotus leaf, not the usual lotus blossom is typical of this period but this polychrome decorated bronze was rare to non-existent during this period (or any earlier) and is more typical of the late 1800s which is when I believe this piece dates to.
I know that's not what you want to hear, and it seems to contradict what the Antique Roadshow expert said about the date, but this type of complex scrolling karakusa foliage decoration on her robes is typical of the 19th century. The oddly scripted inscription also points to this era too.
I may be wrong, but that's my considered opinion just from looking at the photos. Whatever the age, she's an impressive and decorative work of art and could bring $5,000 - $8,000 at the right auction, particularly one having a special sale in the oriental arts.
I would insure her for at least $12,000.
For your consideration: https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-gilt-lacquered-bronze-figure-of-guanyin-late-5823937-details.aspx
Appraiser's Response:
Thanks for the link to the Christie's example. I remember seeing that one, and yes, although similar in many ways, there are a number of features that are importantly different, such as the more typical headdress of cowl and miniature Buddha figure in her diadem. Although the snail bun on yours was fashionable at the time (roughly 1630 to 1720) for women of rank, figures of Guanyin of the period were rarely depicted with it. There was a brief revival of this hairstyle that occurred in the 1890s which could well account for why the artist chose this more secular look.
The other important difference is the color of that red, it's much more typical of the 1800s, and I've not seen that hue -a highly saturated scarlet- any earlier than that on bronze (unless it's cloisonne). It is typical of industrial pigments that started to be used from the 1870s onward. Notice that the scarlet is absent from the Christie's example.
Also absent is the detailed foliate scrolling that's on yours. The decoration is typically more subdued both in hue and detail on the older pieces.
The inscription, by the way, is this device here, the three characters written in a column one above the other. Again, I've not seen anything like this on bronze decoration of the 18th century or older. I could be wrong, but this looks more like work done during the Guangxu period (1871 – 1908).
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| Bidder | Placed | High Bid |
|---|---|---|
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250399
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Jul 11 06:04pm
| $2,500.00 |
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276740
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Jul 09 09:41am
| $2,000.00 |
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253246
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Jul 06 01:38pm
| $553.00 |
|
231062
|
Jul 05 08:21pm
| $503.00 |
|
253246
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Jul 02 07:04pm
| $477.00 |
|
250793
|
Jun 30 01:54am
| $426.00 |
|
253246
|
Jun 29 08:18am
| $400.00 |
|
284720
|
Jun 28 06:31am
| $200.00 |
|
253246
|
Jun 27 02:13pm
| $100.00 |
|
275419
|
Jun 26 11:55am
| $12.50 |