10th Apr, 2025 11:00
TWO-DAY AUCTION: Fine Asian Art, Buddhism and Hinduism
180
AN EXTREMELY RARE GOLD REPOUSSÉ ‘THOUSAND BUDDHA’ RELIQUARY STUPA, ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA
€15,000
€30,000
A buyer’s premium of 30.00% (including VAT) applies to the hammer price of this lot if your bid is successful.
Kushan empire, 1st-3rd century. Separately worked in four parts, the tall flaring sides encircled by ten rows of twenty-three individually worked miniature Buddhas, totaling to 230 miniature Buddhas, each in deep meditation seated in dhyanasana with hands lowered in dhyana mudra. The funnel form lid chased with panels of foliate blossoms, surmounted by a domed cover decorated with a lappet band and topped by a detachable three-tiered umbrella finial. (4)
Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, small dents, traces of use, some warping, soil encrustations, minor losses.
Alloy composition range: 71.96% gold, 14.23% copper, 13.8% silver. The lot was tested by the Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum.
Weight: 70.2 g
Dimensions: Height 14.2 cm
The motif of a thousand Buddhas is common in Mahayana Buddhism, but evidently exceedingly rare in a Gandharan context. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra, also known as the ‘Sutra of the Fortunate Aeon’, is a Mahayana sutra which discusses the names and deeds of over a thousand Buddhas, of which most of them are said to arise in the future. The sutra dates to around 200-250 AD and its original text is now lost, however Gandhari and Sanskrit fragments have survived, for example in the Schoyen Collection, illustrated in Buddhist Manuscripts Volume IV, pls. XVIII-XXIV.
The stupa is probably the most popular monument in early Buddhism and takes its origin from the burial mound. The earliest examples were constructed to store Buddha's ashes and relics. In due course they were built to store the remains of Buddha's famous disciples or holy manuscripts.
Expert’s note: The present work probably served as a reliquary deposited within a larger stupa or monument. Typically made of stone and bronze, stupas of gold were perquisites of the elite.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related gold reliquary in the form of a stupa, 5 cm high, dated to the 1st century, in the British Museum, registration number 2004,0331.1. Compare the related, famous Bimaran reliquary casket, excavated in Bimaran Stupa 2, dated 1st century, 6.5 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1900,0209.1.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 17 October 2024, lot 176
Price: EUR 58,500
Description: An extremely rare silver repoussé Thousand Buddha’ reliquary stupa, Ancient region of Gandhara, Kushan empire, 1st-3rd century AD
Expert remark: Note the closely related form and workmanship. Note the much larger size (20.7 cm) and different material.
Kushan empire, 1st-3rd century. Separately worked in four parts, the tall flaring sides encircled by ten rows of twenty-three individually worked miniature Buddhas, totaling to 230 miniature Buddhas, each in deep meditation seated in dhyanasana with hands lowered in dhyana mudra. The funnel form lid chased with panels of foliate blossoms, surmounted by a domed cover decorated with a lappet band and topped by a detachable three-tiered umbrella finial. (4)
Provenance: The collection of The Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum. Institutional art collection in Belgium, acquired from the above. Dr. István Zelnik, President of the Hungarian South and Southeast Asian Research Institute, is a former high-ranking Hungarian diplomat who spent several decades in Southeast Asia, building the largest known private collection of Asian art in Europe.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age. Expected wear, small dents, traces of use, some warping, soil encrustations, minor losses.
Alloy composition range: 71.96% gold, 14.23% copper, 13.8% silver. The lot was tested by the Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum.
Weight: 70.2 g
Dimensions: Height 14.2 cm
The motif of a thousand Buddhas is common in Mahayana Buddhism, but evidently exceedingly rare in a Gandharan context. The Bhadrakalpika Sutra, also known as the ‘Sutra of the Fortunate Aeon’, is a Mahayana sutra which discusses the names and deeds of over a thousand Buddhas, of which most of them are said to arise in the future. The sutra dates to around 200-250 AD and its original text is now lost, however Gandhari and Sanskrit fragments have survived, for example in the Schoyen Collection, illustrated in Buddhist Manuscripts Volume IV, pls. XVIII-XXIV.
The stupa is probably the most popular monument in early Buddhism and takes its origin from the burial mound. The earliest examples were constructed to store Buddha's ashes and relics. In due course they were built to store the remains of Buddha's famous disciples or holy manuscripts.
Expert’s note: The present work probably served as a reliquary deposited within a larger stupa or monument. Typically made of stone and bronze, stupas of gold were perquisites of the elite.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related gold reliquary in the form of a stupa, 5 cm high, dated to the 1st century, in the British Museum, registration number 2004,0331.1. Compare the related, famous Bimaran reliquary casket, excavated in Bimaran Stupa 2, dated 1st century, 6.5 cm high, in the British Museum, registration number 1900,0209.1.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Zacke, Vienna, 17 October 2024, lot 176
Price: EUR 58,500
Description: An extremely rare silver repoussé Thousand Buddha’ reliquary stupa, Ancient region of Gandhara, Kushan empire, 1st-3rd century AD
Expert remark: Note the closely related form and workmanship. Note the much larger size (20.7 cm) and different material.
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Auction: TWO-DAY AUCTION: Fine Asian Art, Buddhism and Hinduism, 10th Apr, 2025
Galerie Zacke is privileged to present a remarkable two-day live auction event, featuring 684 works of art from China, Southeast Asia, India, and beyond.
The highlight is our flagship live auction on Day 1, showcasing lots 1-269, Among the many standout pieces are a ge-type octagonal bowl from the Southern Song dynasty, part of the Jules Speelman collection (lot 137), a rare 1st-2nd century gold figure of a mother goddess from the Zelnik István Southeast Asian Gold Museum collection (lot 176), as well as a group of four parcel-gilt bronze Bodhisattvas from the Bao-Xiang Lo Palace and Temple, with Qianlong marks and of the period (lot 52).
Day 2 continues with our general auction (lots 270-684), offering seasoned collectors and new bidders alike an opportunity to enhance their collections. Learn more.
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