Buddhist art and Buddhist statues will make a strong showing at Gianguan Auctions' holiday auction on Saturday, December 19. The sale takes place in the gallery's new Manhattan headquarters at 39 W. 56th Street. Properties also include fine Chinese paintings, ancient to modern, and Chinese porcelains. 

The Buddhist statues and art coming to the podium are rendered in silver, gilt bronze, polychrome porcelain, jade, stone, crystal and gouache. They carry values from $400 to $40,000. Lot 37, for instance, is a silver figure of a Shakyamuni Buddha seated in dhyanasana. Of the Ming Dynasty with the Zhengde six-character mark, the 12-inch statue weighs 5,300 grams (slightly more than 11 pounds) and is valued at $30,000-$50,000.

Two rare Thangka wall murals, Lots 194 and 195, depict Goddess Sarawati with a stringed instrument and Ushnishavijaya holding all her instruments and framed by a flaming mandorla. Painted in gouache, the dynamic pieces will bring $3,000-$4,000.

Lot 206 is a rare, richly gilded bronze figure of Tara embellished with blue pigment at the head and polychrome at lips and eyes. This unusual statue will make $20,000-$40,000.

A silver Qing Dynasty Vajrasattva, seated and dressed in incised robes, is decorated with turquoise and coral. Its base is sealed with a double varja. It is Lot 204, $6,000-$10,000. Bronze with silver inlay was used for a statue of the 5th Dali Lama. It is Lot 193, a rare 6-pound treasure valued at $6,000-$8,000.

Stone reflections of faith include Lot 34, a Guanyin with amphora bottle carved of shoushan stone. At 11-inches, it is $3,000-$4,000. Polychrome adorns the carved shoushan stone Budai Louhan at Lot 35. Its estimate is $2,800-$5,000. Polychrome furon stone makes Lot 36, a delicately decorated Guanyin dressed in flowing robes and holding an amphora bottle, a smart buy at $3,000-$6,000.

Lot 6, a carved jade pendant of Maitreya, is destined to fetch $600-$1,000. Lot 71, is a hanging scroll of Guanyin of South Sea painted by Hong Yi (Li Shutong – 1880-1942). The red ink-on- paper is signed and has two artist seals. Its value is $8,000-$15,000.

In addition to these highlights, lovely small items run through the auction that reference Buddhism. For complete details, it is best to carefully scan the catalog available at www.gianguanauctions.com. Enquiries can be made by calling 212-867-7288 or 212-867-9388.

Collectors accustomed to visiting the auction preview should take note of Gianguan Auctions' new address at 39 West 56th Street, off of Fifth Avenue. Previews begin Friday, December 11th and run through Saturday, December 18th, 11 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. For more details, please visit www.gianguanauctions.com