Buddhist sculpture purchased at garage sale sells for US$ 2.06 million

A gilded bronze Buddhist sculpture, purchased at a garage sale approximately 20 years ago for roughly US$ 100, sold for US$ 2.06 million at a Sotheby’s auction in New York.

The 16.5-centimeter piece depicts Cintamanicakra Avalokiteshvara, a rare form of the deity. Sotheby’s experts classified the work as dating from either the Five Dynasties period or the late Tang Dynasty (618–907). The sculpture features six arms holding religious objects, including a wish-fulfilling jewel, a dharma wheel, and a lotus stem.

Initially estimated to sell between US$ 600,000 and US$ 800,000, the final price was reached following a seven-minute bidding dispute. The owner had previously brought the item to an Antiques Roadshow evaluation event in St. Louis before deciding to auction it.