A GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA TANG DYNASTY |

standing in tribhanga atop an integral faceted lotus pedestal, adorned with long flowing shawls, jewels, a dhoti, and an elaborate headdress, holding a willow branch in one hand and a holy water bottle in the other, the face serene and gaze downcast, stand (2)

Ralph M. Chait Galleries, New York, 3rd November 1982.
Collection of Florence (1920-2018) and Herbert (1917-2016) Irving, no. 840.

The figure with expected wear overall resulting in some pitting, erosion and scattered losses along edges, particularly to one sash, the bronze surface with some encrustation, and the base with a slightly uneven rim and a tiny hole drilled at the back.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Representations of Avalokitesvara during the Sui and Tang periods frequently depict the bodhisattva adorned in princely jewels, bearing in one hand a 'pure water vessel', believed to heal and bless worshippers, and a willow branch, also representative of healing, in the other.  A very similar but slightly larger example in the collection of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, is illustrated in Chinese Art in Overseas Collections, Buddhist Sculpture II, Taipei, 1986, pl. 116, and one in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is also illustrated, pl. 117. Two related examples sold at Christie's New York, 14th September 2017, lots 827 and 830. A similar figure holding a bottle and prayer beads sold in these rooms, 17th September 2013, lot 61.