Auction recap / Bonhams
Bonhams Realizes HK$8,606,000 in Navaratna: Nine Gems from the Ratna Collection Auction
The specialized auction of Himalayan and Buddhist art concluded with a 55.6% sell-through rate.
Auction highlights
A LARGE COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA CENTRAL TIBET, 12TH/13TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 4.5–6.5MSold—
A GREY SCHIST GABLE RELIEF WITH THE TEACHING BUDDHA ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD/4TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 2–3MSold—
A COPPER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AKSHOBHYA CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH/14TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 2–3MSoldHKD 2,566,000
A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF DIPANKARA TIBET, 16TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 1.2–1.8MSold—
A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAJRADHARA ZANABAZAR SCHOOL, MONGOLIA, 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 1.2–1.6MSoldHKD 1,798,000
A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAISHRAVANA TIBET, 15TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 1.5–2MSoldHKD 1,798,000
A SILVER AND COPPER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH/14TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 1–1.6MSold—
A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF CUNDA CENTRAL JAVA, 9TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 1.2–1.6MSoldHKD 1,414,000
A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SAMBANDAR TAMIL NADU, CHOLA PERIOD, 11TH/12TH CENTURY
EstimateHKD 0.8–1.2MSoldHKD 1,030,000
| Auction highlights | Estimate | Sold price | Estimate track | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | A LARGE COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA CENTRAL TIBET, 12TH/13TH CENTURY | HKD 4.5–6.5M | — | |
 | A GREY SCHIST GABLE RELIEF WITH THE TEACHING BUDDHA ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD/4TH CENTURY | HKD 2–3M | — | |
 | A COPPER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AKSHOBHYA CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH/14TH CENTURY | HKD 2–3M | HKD 2,566,000 | |
 | A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF DIPANKARA TIBET, 16TH CENTURY | HKD 1.2–1.8M | — | |
 | A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAJRADHARA ZANABAZAR SCHOOL, MONGOLIA, 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY | HKD 1.2–1.6M | HKD 1,798,000 | |
 | A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAISHRAVANA TIBET, 15TH CENTURY | HKD 1.5–2M | HKD 1,798,000 | |
 | A SILVER AND COPPER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH/14TH CENTURY | HKD 1–1.6M | — | |
 | A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF CUNDA CENTRAL JAVA, 9TH CENTURY | HKD 1.2–1.6M | HKD 1,414,000 | |
 | A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SAMBANDAR TAMIL NADU, CHOLA PERIOD, 11TH/12TH CENTURY | HKD 0.8–1.2M | HKD 1,030,000 | |
Estimate track marks the pre-sale range; the tick marks the sold price. Lot photography: Courtesy Bonhams.
Contextual data provided by Pricing Culture Analytics; this is not an exhaustive list. Pricing Culture Analytics organizes publicly available auction data to analyze and produce insights.
In a specialized sale that closed on 29 October 2026, Bonhams presented a curated selection of Himalayan and Buddhist art. The auction, titled Navaratna: Nine Gems from the Ratna Collection, realized a total of HK$8,606,000[1]. Out of the nine highly specialized lots offered during the single-session event, 5 of 9 lots sold, resulting in a sell-through rate of 55.6%[1]. The auction house published the official results page confirming these figures, which serve as the primary record of the sale.
The collection brought together rare sculptures representing various periods and regional styles of Buddhist art, from the ancient region of Gandhara to the classic casting schools of Tibet and Mongolia. Each object in the collection carries documented history, with several having been featured in major international exhibitions and published in authoritative monographs on Asian art. The focus of the offering was on the iconographic diversity of Buddhist deities, depicted in copper alloys, gilt copper, and schist.
Among the notable objects in the sale was a large copper alloy figure of Shakyamuni Buddha from Central Tibet, dating to the 12th/13th Century. This sculpture depicts the moment when Shakyamuni Buddha attained full enlightenment beneath the Bodhi Tree at Bodhgaya[2], a pivotal event in Buddhist history. The figure has a documented provenance that includes the collection of Mr. M Hassan and Marcel Nies Oriental Art in Antwerp, and it was acquired at TEFAF Maastricht. It has also been published in Mehmet Hassan Asian Art, The Art of Central Asia, China and Tibet, and advertised in the publication Orientations.
Another significant piece offered was a grey schist gable relief with the teaching Buddha from the ancient region of Gandhara, dating to the 3rd/4th Century. Originally part of a stupa, this false gable frieze is carved on three sides and shows a detailed architectural composition with a haloed Buddha preaching at the center. The provenance of this piece includes a Private UK Collection in London, an Asian Private Collection, and the Hong Kong Art Market.
The sale also featured a copper inlaid copper alloy figure of Akshobhya from Central Tibet, dating to the 13th/14th Century. Akshobhya, known as the "Immovable One" and the Buddha of the East, is one of the five Transcendental Buddhas in Mahayana Buddhism. This bronze was published by Marcel Nies Oriental Art in Avatar: Resurrection of the Gods, and its provenance includes the collection of Mr. M. Hürlimann in Switzerland, Koller Auktionen in Zürich, a Swiss private collection, and Marcel Nies Oriental Art in Antwerp.
Additionally, a gilt copper alloy figure of Dipankara from Tibet, dating to the 16th Century, was presented. Dipankara is revered as a predecessor of Shakyamuni Buddha[5]. Its provenance includes Koller Auktionen in Zürich, a Swiss Private Collection, and a Private Collection in Hong Kong.
Auction highlights
Sale file- A LARGE COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA CENTRAL TIBET, 12TH/13TH CENTURY, which carried an estimate of HK$4,500,000[2] to HK$6,500,000[2].
- A GREY SCHIST GABLE RELIEF WITH THE TEACHING BUDDHA ANCIENT REGION OF GANDHARA, 3RD/4TH CENTURY, which carried an estimate of HK$2,000,000[3] to HK$3,000,000[3].
- A COPPER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF AKSHOBHYA CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH/14TH CENTURY, estimated at HK$2,000,000 to HK$3,000,000, which sold for HK$2,566,000[4][4][4].
- A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF DIPANKARA TIBET, 16TH CENTURY, which carried an estimate of HK$1,200,000[5] to HK$1,800,000[5].
- A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAJRADHARA ZANABAZAR SCHOOL, MONGOLIA, 17TH/EARLY 18TH CENTURY, estimated at HK$1,200,000 to HK$1,600,000[8], which sold for HK$1,798,000[7][6][6][6].
- A GILT COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF VAISHRAVANA TIBET, 15TH CENTURY, estimated at HK$1,500,000 to HK$2,000,000, which sold for HK$1,798,000[7][7].
- A SILVER AND COPPER INLAID COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF A BODHISATTVA CENTRAL TIBET, 13TH/14TH CENTURY, which carried an estimate of HK$1,000,000[8] to HK$1,600,000.
- A COPPER ALLOY FIGURE OF CUNDA CENTRAL JAVA, 9TH CENTURY, estimated at HK$1,200,000 to HK$1,600,000, which sold for HK$1,414,000[9][9][9].
The results of this auction reflect the selective nature of the current market for classical Buddhist sculptures, where collectors focus on specific iconographic details, regional casting styles, and documented provenance. The sold lots demonstrate sustained interest in well-preserved bronzes from Tibet, Mongolia, and Java, with several pieces finding buyers within or near their estimated ranges, while other highly valued lots did not find buyers during this session.
Sources
- 01
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07
- 08
- 09