Country Group: The Himalayas (Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia and Other)

Item id: 516

This piece is an old (18/19th century or earlier) solid cast bronze or copper Tibetan or Nepalese Dakini. She is holding a Vajra in each hand. She is quite large at 9.5 inches tall and is quite heavy at over 38 ounces. She has a beautiful smooth soft surface and a glorious shimmering brown patina. She looks to have been covered with a blackish gunk which has been gently cleaned away on 80% of the surface, but which remains in the recessed places. She would look even more striking with a fuller cleaning. I will leave this for the next owner. My guess is that she still on one side of an even larger tantric deity in a temple, with another Dakini flanking the other side (this is just a guess). She currently does not stand on her own. While this kind of piece is outside my area of expertise, I believe that it is an extremely uncommon and very good sized item, and that it may be earlier than 18/19th C.