Featured Asian Wood Carved Statue

Kind of crude carving so I guess no significant age.
I've seen export wax seals only on Chinese pieces. Is that Sanskrit?

 

It is Devanagari, a script used for many Asian languages, including Sanskrit.
Since Sanskrit only has about 14000 native speakers, it is unlikely that this is Sanskrit. Most likely Hindi (India) or Nepalese.

 

Thanks I read of some Napalese masks having wax seals and although I did not see a clear example of them because of the subject I'd think more of Tibetan than Indian?

 

I'd say the subject is Chinese, made the day before yesterday. There is no natural wear at all, just some grime added.
Tibetan dress and hairstyles are different. Tibetan script is different too, with elegant curls here and there.

Seals are issued for Nepalese antiques which are approved for export. Sadly, if you pay the seal stamper enough, you can get an official Nepalese seal without official approval. That is how important heritage and items with deep spiritual significance are lost to the Nepalese people.
But that was never the case here. Since this is not a Nepalese antique, not antique by any means, and not even Nepalese or Indian style, I think the stamp was added to fool buyers in the West.
'Official' Asian seals have as much value nowadays as 'official' Asian certificates. And genuine seals are also issued for 'replicas' because they have no cultural value to the country.

 

Alrighty then, so there that is.

 

There is no way to sugarcoat some things.
The Asian fakes industry can be exasperating, and sometimes we see several items a day on this forum. "Those Westerners will buy anything". Yes, sadly they will, but information on this site will help gain more insight.

 

Hi,
Several years a ago I had a Chinese woman contact me and offered to pay me for some of my "antiques" so they got me replicated in China. I explained that antiques were at least 100 years old. She protested and said that "antiques" were just something that people liked and were happy to have if only a few weeks old.
I hung up on her.
greg
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