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I have a 41 inch tall hand carved wood Buddha. Made from a solid piece of wood, it's embellished with pieces of glass? Can anyone give me an opinion as to where this came from and estimate an age. I'm not certain if this type of work is still available and wondered if it's 20th century of possibly earlier. Any help will be greatly appreciated. thank you in advance

My guess by the style of the eyes and face is that it is Burmese in origin. The glass tile pieces are quite common in Thai pieces, so that is also an option. I am confident at least that it is of southeast Asian origin. The image seems to be one of a monk with begging bowl more than a buddha. In all traditional buddha statues, very specific proportions are followed, showing the balance of body, speech and mind. The arms seem a little out of proportion to the body, implying that it was probably made for export or as a decoration rather than an icon or deity statue. That may just be the angle of your picture or an indication of a young monk. It is very difficult to determine an age without direct inspection. The appearance of aging of the piece gives the impression of age, maybe even late 1800s- early 1900s, but the trade is very good at simulating age. I have seen similar items in Indonesian import shops that were made in the 1970s as well. Great piece and great condition. The one thing that implies created age is the worn gold rubbing on the face. It has the feeling of being intentionally rubbed almost completely off which is very common in newer pieces that have been "antiqued"
It's just my opinion, but I hope it helps

Nels

Nels, Your opinion is extremely helpful and very much appreciated, thank you for your reply.

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