China, late Ming to early Qing dynasty. Cast standing barefooted on a pierced craggy rock plinth, holding a gnarly staff with a long rosary and a folded book with a heart-shaped cross-section, the long flowing robe opening to reveal his bony chest.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and casting flaws, some minor notches on the staff as well as the rocky plinth. Fine, naturally grown dark patina. Provenance: From an English private collection.
Weight: 1,942 g Dimensions: Height 27.8 cm
The immortal’s bushy eyebrows, beard, and other details are finely incised, and the bony feet and ribs are impressively executed. The naturally grown patina lets the metal appear almost like wood!
Auction result comparison: Compare with a similar figure of the famous Daoist immortal Li Tieguai sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong in Later Chinese Bronzes from the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Gerard Hawthorn, lot 53, for HKD $118,750.