South East Asian Bronze Buddha Head Collection

Each with elongated body leonine legs and paws with spurs to the joints, head thrown back and mouth gaping, tongue protruding and beard extending to the chest, two curved goat's horns; lateral 'wing' to outer flank; some pigment; some restoration. 23.55 kg total, 52.5-53.5 cm high



Acquired from a gallery in Hong Kong. Private collection, Hong Kong, acquired in the 1990s. Private collection, London, acquired in the 2000s. Accompanied by an original of a thermoluminescence analysis report no.C125k89 by Oxford Authentication for one of the pair. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12885-240555. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Tin-glazed bowl with everted rim and basal ring. central spiral with radiating foliage motifs to both faces. 360 grams, 16 cm



Ex Nagel Auction, with official Tek Sing Treasure labels to verso. From the private collection of an Essex gentleman since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

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.

Comprising two squat bowls with basal ring and gilded undulating rim, landscape scenes to outer face and centre; accompanied by a contemporary English made copy imitating the Chinese originals, circa 1775. 227 grams total, 80 mm wide each



From the private collection of a Canadian gentleman living in Essex, UK, formed since the 1920s-circa 1990. Property of an Essex lady until the late 1990s; thence by descent. From the private collection of an Essex gentleman since the late 1990s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.