Doris Weiner, a New York dealer, points out
another attraction: “It is not too late to amass an important collection of
Indian, Southeast Asian or Himalayan art,” she says. “There are constant
discoveries being made. Some of the best pieces have come on the market in the
last 10 years.”VALUE JUDGMENT
Ancient sculpture from India and Southeast Asia celebrates man’s relationship
with the divine. The growing number of savvy collectors are pushing up the value
of these timeless pieces, once viewed as oddities from the “other” Asia. |
In the area of Himalayan art, serene images of the Buddha are
highly sought after. Earlier is better, and size, refinement in modeling and
craftsmanship also add value. More subjectively, collectors often have a
visceral reaction—good or bad—to a Buddha’s facial features. “Everybody is
looking for a great image of Buddha with a subtle smile on its face,” says
Eskenazi. A 19-inch, 14th-century gilt bronze Tibetan Buddha with a smile that
the Christie’s catalog described as “benign” sold for $209,100 in March. Collectors also covet the second- and third-century Buddhas made in Gandhara
(present day Pakistan and Afghanistan). Looking more like Greek statesmen than
spiritual beings, these stone, stucco or terra-cotta figures strike the classic
poses and wear elegant quasi-Hellenic pleated tunics, yet retain the exotic,
rounded quality of Indian sculpture. “Because the images are more familiar to
Westerners, Gandharan sculpture is the often the gateway to this field,”
explains London dealer Fabio Rossi. Also, because Gandharan sculpture has a
broader collecting base than other objects in this field (due to its appeal to a
Western aesthetic), competition propels exceptional pieces to great heights.
Last March for example, a 62-inch gray schist Buddha, estimated to sell at
Sotheby’s for $200,000 to $300,000, brought the hammer down at $736,000.
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