The renowned Eilenberg Buddha set a new world record for a Mon Dvaravati sculpture in Bonhams' Himalayan, Indian and Southeast Asian Art auction yesterday (September 11), kicking of Asia week in New York by soaring past its pre-sale estimate.
 Perhaps the finest piece on the current market achieved excellent results |
Said to be the most important statue of its kind to appear on the market in the past few decades, the remarkable piece originates from the estate of Natasha Eilenberg, a highly-respected independent scholar of art and culture in India and Southeast Asia. 20 pieces from her collection highlighted yesterday's sale.
The Buddha, a copper alloy cast, originates from Thailand's Mon Dvaravati culture, which created some of the country's finest works of art in the 8th century. Believed to be the finest example remaining outside of museum collections, the piece sold for $674,500 - a 92.7% increase on its pre-sale estimate of $250,000-350,000.
The auction's second highest bids were brought by an outstanding illustration to the Ramayana series, which is perhaps the best-known epic of the Hindu culture. Depicting the scene in which Rama and Lakshmana confer with the monkey army, the watercolour was created in Kangra, India during the 18th century. It sold for $74,500.
Following this was another illustration, this time to the Hindu epic The Rasamanjari of Bhanu Dutta. Created circa 1695, the torn-edged piece depicted "the intoxicated courtesan", and brought $68,500.
Be sure to check back with Paul Fraser Collectibles for more news from New York's Asia week, which promises some of the most impressive results seen in 2012 so far.
