A rare gilt bronze Tibetan Buddha blasted through a $200-$300 pre-sale estimate to finish at a staggering $200,000 in an online Fine Estates Auction held March 24 by Briggs Auction Inc. The piece, pulled from a Main Line, Pa., estate, generated auction fever from almost the moment it was posted until the hammer came down. It was the most ever paid for a single item at Briggs Auction Inc. What made this Buddha so special? It was right, and of exceptional quality, said Stephen Turner, president and owner of Briggs Auction Inc. The figure was unusually large at 13 inches tall, and very heavy. The underside of the statue bore a Yongle mark, which added to its historical significance. And the pieces nearly excellent condition certainly added to its value. The Tibetan bronze seated Buddha on a carved, 5-inch-tall stand showed a serene-faced figure wearing a draped robe, posed in quiet contemplation on a lotus base, making a graceful vitarka mudra with his right hand. Bidders from around the globe competed over two bidding platforms, Briggs Auctions own Bid At Briggs, as well as www.Live Auctioneers.com. All prices quoted in this report are hammer, exclusive of the buyers premium. Other highlights from the sale included a large format oil-on-canvas portrait of a partially-clad beauty, titled Lorelei ($32,000); a large set of Georg Jensen Pyramidian pattern sterling flatware with serving pieces ($6,000); a rare Thomas Crow (Wilmington, Del.) signed pocket watch with fuse movement and enameled dial ($5,500). A set of four Gio Ponti Model 116 walnut dining chairs for Singer & Sons sold for $2,800, and a Hasui Kawese woodblock of colorful iris flowers, signed at the bottom, realized $2,600. The sale saw other strong prices and enthusiastic reception from several of its other first quarter 2023 auctions, which included a range of market fresh merchandise from Main Line, Pa., and Delaware Valley estates and collections. Some top lots included in those earlier sales were a ca. 1921 life-size portrait of a seated woman purportedly Mary Anderson Pew (Mrs. Joseph N. Pew, founder of the Sun Oil Co.) by Hungarian artist Philip de Laszlo ($12,500); a 19th century oil-on-canvas by Mary Smith depicting rabbits eating a watermelon ($8,000); a 1967 Ford Mustang convertible with original red paint and black top and interior ($15,000); and an Italian snuff box in brass and beveled glass depicting various mythological scenes in a fitted velvet case ($7,000). An oil-on-board winter landscape depicting Deborahs Rock in West Chester, Pa., by 20th century Pennsylvania artist John Suplee brought $2,600, and a special Beatrix Potter/Peter Rabbit Collection auction in January saw three Harrison Cady original Peter Rabbit watercolor-and-ink paintings realize $2600, $1700, and $1300, respectively. The year is off to a great start, emphasized Turner. We have some wonderful collections coming up over the next few months, and were confident the rest of the year will be just as big and appealing to our bidders. For further information, visit www.BriggsAuction.com.