Tang Dynasty, 829 AD. A gilt-bronze figure, influenced by the Gandharan style, of Buddha sitting on raised rectangular podium resting on a four-legged base, with separate flaming aureole to attach to a peg on the reverse; legs with engraved images of the donors; reverse of aureole with incised inscription, translating approximately as: a 'dedication by Zhang Hai requesting that his family remain safe' and 'offering Buddha forever', dated to '829 AD during the reign of Emperor Wenzong of Tang'.293 grams, 13.5cm (5 1/4").Exhibited: Out of Uddiyana. An exhibition at Tibet House New York, From the Buckingham collections, exhibit TB010, p.161; accompanied by copies of the relevant exhibition catalogue pages.Acquired for the ‘Buckingham Collection’ by the late Nik Douglas (1944-2012), renowned author, curator and Asian art expert; the collection formed from the early 1960s to early 1970s; displayed at the major exhibition ‘The Buddha Image: Out of Uddiyana’, Tibet House, 22 West 15th Street, New York, 16 September-20 October 2010, extended to 16 November and again to 7 January 2011; where the collection of one hundred pieces was publicly valued at US$ 15M; this piece was scheduled to be included in an exhibition titled ‘On the Silk Route; Birth of The Buddha’, to be held in London from November 2012, but sadly his death prevented this; accompanied by copies of several press releases and articles for the exhibition, including Artnet News, This Week in New York, Huffpost, Buddhist Art News, and copies of the relevant London and Tibet House exhibition catalogue pages, which dates the piece on artistic grounds to the Early Wei period, circa 5th century AD, and a transcription of the Chinese characters inscribed on the piece; recent translation of the previously undeciphered inscription suggests a later date of 829 AD, a discrepancy which likely arose due to stylistic similarities between those dates.Gandhara was a principal gateway through which Buddhism spread to China, with the connection to Gandharan Buddhist statuary and sculpture evident in the style of this piece. [A video of this lot is available on TimeLine Auctions website]