Bronze Seated Buddha Statuette

Barrel-shaped in profile with tall basal ring, broad shoulder low neck and chamfered rim; painted rosettes to the shoulder and sidewalls. 1.35 kg, 18.2 cm wide



Ex Hong Kong collection, 1980-1990. From a London, UK, collection. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Comprising six shallow plates with painted feather design. 1.8 kg total, 17.7-18.2 cm



Ex Nagel Auction, with official Tek Sing Treasure labels to verso. Accompanied by an illustrated information sheet about the Tek Sing shipwreck.

The Tek Sing (True Star) wreck is one of the famous recovery stories of the 20th century. Sailing from the port of Xiamen (then known as Amoy) in February 1822 the vessel Tek Sing was bound for Jakarta, Indonesia laden with porcelain goods and 1600 Chinese emigrants. The captain decided to pass through the Gaspar Strait, between the Bangka-Belitung Islands, and ran aground on a reef. The vessel sank in about 100 feet of water. The next morning, February 7, an English East Indiaman captained by James Pearl, passing through the same waters, encountered debris and some survivors and managed to rescue about 190 of the latter.

Discoid in plan, squat bowl with basal ring, shallow lid with central knop handle; lid with dense gilt scheme of busts and patterned clothing; sidewall with dragons; inside lid, two gilt scholars with a scroll, inside bowl a crouching scholar. 56 grams, 63 mm wide



From a private Tyneside collection, formed since the early 2000s.