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Subject:Re: help ID metallic buddha
Posted By: Paul Tue, Mar 14, 2017
It does look old, and it is in the Ayutthaya style. Ayutthaya (and other spellings) was the second capital, after Sukhotai and before Rattanakosin (Bangkok) Era. I hesitate to make a determination on age because the level of fakery or reproduction of bronzes (and stone sculpture, too) can be extremely high in Thailand.
Years ago I showed a bronze (Chiang Saen style) to the curator at the LA Museum. He wanted it for an upcoming show. He looked at it and said, yep, it's the real deal, but it has to go through my technical dept before it goes into the show. The technical dept did both a thermal luminescence test (inside) and solvent tests (outer surface) on it and pronounced it a more recent reproduction. When the curator gave it back to me, he said "I still think it's the real thing, but I can't argue with my lab."
So that's why I hesitate.
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