Buddhist Ceramic Prayer Bead String

With top-knot ushnisha, long lobed ears and large lentoid eyes; mounted on a custom-made stand. 320 grams total, 10.4 cm high including stand



Acquired in the London art market. Private collection, 1970s.

Carved in the half-round head of a Bodhisattva (probably Maitreya) with fine detailing to the arched brow, aquiline nose, neat moustache and full lips; the eyes heavily lidded, urna to the forehead, long open lobes to the ears; the hair in multi-stranded curling locks gathered into an ushnisha with brow-band below; heavily cleaned, conserved, and mounted on a custom-made stand; supplied with original old wooden base with collector's label: 'Head of Bodhisattva / Fine grain schist / Gandhara, Northwest Pakistan / 4th century'. 14.3 kg total, 34 cm high



From the private collection of Richard Kelton (1929-2019), California, USA, acquired in November 1982, thence by descent. with Abell Auctions, 25 September 2022, no.422 (£25,000) Acquired by the present owner at the above sale. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12309-222166.

Both framed and glazed with information cards to the reverses: a Northern Indian Mughal Qur'an leaf dated 1780 A.D., with prayers copied from Mulla Fathullah's Tafsir commentary in Naskh script, interlinear Persian translation throughout in red Nasta'liq in the margins, together with illuminated devices, with gold embellishment; an illuminated manuscript from a Dala'il prayer book, written in Naskh script framed by golden clouds, central borders of meandering vines; each with explanatory label to reverse of frame. 1 kg total, 28.7 x 23.5 cm each



Acquired by the vendor's father on the UK art market, before 1990.