An inscribed marble carving of Buddha

Carved after the Northern Wei style with Buddha seated on a throne within a niche surmounted by a seated Buddha figure flanked by apsaras, his right hand raised in abhaya mudra and the left in vitarka mudra, wearing flowing robes falling in folds, the face in a contemplative expression below the finely incised hair, the throne set above two elephants and flanked by acolytes standing with their legs crossed, all raised on an extending plinth supported on a column flanked by two acolytes, the reverse with a seven line inscription below low relief carving of Buddha on a stepped throne and acolytes, the sides carved with figures with one hand pointing upwards and the other stretched downwards (chips). 41.7cm (16½in) high. Estimate: £15,000 - 20,000

Provenance: Bought in China in the late 1930s by the great uncle of the present owners. The original purchaser was subsequently interned by the Japanese in China and returned to Europe after 1945 with the present lot among many other objects, some of which were bought from the famous Hong Kong dealer Warren King.

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Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, 12 May 2008. New Bond Street