Featured Little Buddha head

Second Item I’ve picked up at auction , once again using the description from the auction house and Sing what you guys think , I love this one. DESCRIPTION: Antique figurine of a Buddhist figure featuring a pointed beard, circular designs on the cheeks, and holes in the ears. Holes suggest it may be a pendant or charm.
CIRCA: 19th Century, possibly older
ORIGIN: Tibet
DIMENSIONS: H: 2.75" W: 2.5" L: 2.5"

 

Can you tell what material it is made of? Ceramic or metal?

I have not seen anything quite like it, but the style of the face is rather cute/sweet, which I associate with items made to appeal to modern tastes.

 

Hello I’m sorry I didn’t put that in there he’s made of bronze

 

Although I cannot find another example (antique or new), my feeling is that this is a recently made casting.

If it was designed as a bell, I would expect the hole in the base to be larger. Can you feel or see any means of attaching a clapper inside? How thick are the walls?

There does not appear to be any wear in the (presumed) suspension holes in his ears.

If you can get your finger into the hole on the base, can you feel any mold lines on the interior? Does the interior closely follow the exterior shape?

The surface looks "antiqued" rather than like a genuine old patina, particularly when contrasted with the bright brass exposed by the small scratches on the bottom.

 

I will feel it up as soon as I get it

 

I keep seeing Yoda.

 

Yeah I love the face and I got it for $25.00 at a auction because nobody else would bid on it

 

I don’t know what it is either but I would agree that it doesn’t look very old. You’d think no one else bidding on something would always be a bad sign but I’ve gotten some pretty great stuff that way. Idk on this one though. Compared to most things you’d find at any mall or strip mall it’s pretty neat. It’s all relative. What the average person has access to or knows they have access to is pretty boring as far as neat items. So in that respect $25 for a neat little thing isn’t bad.

 

It looks like it was cast with a clay-like core that was then dug out, which might indicate it is a lost-wax casting. But I don't see any evidence it was designed as a bell. Nor do I see anything that changes my feeling that it is relatively new.