An independent appraisal of a Dvaravati-style Buddha head

A carved stone Buddha head, bought from an antique shop in Singapore, was submitted for an independent appraisal. The owner described it as possibly a very old Dvaravati piece. The appraisal shows what goes into valuing a sculpture like this.

The piece

A hard stone sculpture of the head of the Buddha, unsigned and by an unknown artist, dating from the 8th or 9th century. It measures about 40 cm high, 25 cm wide and 25 cm deep. The stone may be limestone or sandstone.

What the appraiser found

The head resembles images of the Buddha from the Dvaravati culture, which flourished in what is now Thailand between the 6th and 13th centuries. The downcast eyes indicate a state of meditation. The curled tufts of hair, the rounded ushnisha on top of the head and the elongated earlobes are features very often found in representations of the Buddha, and the head as a whole is meant to convey his greatness and his calm, meditative character.

Fair market value

Fair market value is the price a piece would sell for on the open market, agreed between a willing buyer and a willing seller who both know the relevant facts. The appraisal, based on the MutualArt.com database of auction results, put this head at USD 4,000 to 6,000.

Comparable sales the appraiser used

• A carved Asian Buddha head, 17 in. high. Estimate USD 1,000 to 1,500, unsold. Cowan's, Cincinnati, 26 August 2011.
• An 18th-century Chinese Qing dynasty stone Buddha head, 12.5 in. high. Estimate USD 2,400 to 3,600, sold for USD 1,050. Artemis Gallery, Louisville, 9 April 2020.
• An 18th-century Southeast Asian stone Buddha head in the Chiang Saen style, 5¼ in. Estimate USD 500 to 700. Mineola, New York, 9 March 2021.
• A 7th-century-style Khmer Buddha head, 28 cm. Estimate USD 2,495 to 3,995, passed. Leeds, 28 August 2019.
• A Khmer sandstone head of Avalokiteshvara, Bayon, 13th century, 27 cm, on a wood stand. Estimate USD 8,912 to 11,883. Galerie Koller, Zurich, 25 April 2012.

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