4 Face Buddha Noise maker? Mark Help

Hi,
I've seen a couple of these before but they were solid pieces. This one is heavy but it has stuff inside, sand or whatever. Sounds like a lot of stuff when you shake it rather than a few bits of sand. Were these made to shake and make noise? I don't think the mark is Chinese, maybe from Tibet? I know this isn't old or valuable, just wondering about it.
Any information appreciated
thanks for looking

 

Looks Japanese to me, perhaps a paper weight? For their calligraphy hobbies. The mark is not a Chinese reign mark, so more likely a Japanese bronze maker's mark. What is the size?

 

thank-you toomany! sorry, I should have included the size -this is 3 1/2"H x 3" diameter.
Could be Japanese, I'll see what I can find

 

Could also be simply decorative, Japanese liked small decorative objects (okimono) and they had a thing for strong facial expressions, part of their culture of showing how you feel rather than saying anything. Not a bronze expert, so that is pretty much all the opinions I can convey about it.

 

Thanks again toomany!
It is one of those pieces that you want to pick up and when you realize there is something inside you naturally shake it

 

I ALMOST bought one like this,but it was priced high so I declined. When I got home I looked them up,and they are all over ebay dirt cheap.

 

thanks Johnny! was it solid or did it have stuff inside?

 

All the ones I am finding are saying Chinese Buddha paperweight

https://www.google.com/search?q=hap...14MKHR3RBkEQ_AUICigB&biw=1343&bih=876#imgrc=_

http://www.sellingantiques.co.uk/279976/20th-century-chinese-bronze-buddha-paperweight-circa-1940-s/

https://www.rubylane.com/item/1268760-Vc234/Four-Faces-Buddha-Chinese-Paperweight

There is even one listed on amazon for $122. Didn't want to link to it.

As to the noise inside.
My guess is that whatever they used to weight it down has deteriorated and broken.
Any dents? Might have been dropped.

 

Thanks cluttered!

Yes, maybe they used some sort of filler rather than solid brass/bronze. No dents, you don't want to drop it on your foot, lol, it would hurt

 

Yes they are, these heads are a fairly recent thing from China. The Chinese production lines come up with new things every month or so, to satisfy the Western fashion for oriental art. These heads started to turn up everywhere something like 5 yrs ago, if I remember correctly.
They are called Buddha heads, but it seems to me a very non-Buddhist way of representing the Buddha.

 

Good to know, still think Japanese inspired, and not Buddha either....lol

 

The stuff inside is what remains of the hollow ceramic casting or electrodeposition core, depending on how made. Casting is most likely. The core limits the volume of metal that can flow into the mold, since the maker doesn't want to cast a solid metal piece as it would be too heavy and expensive.

 

Thanks for the replies folks

yes, you don't think of Buddha being angry.

Thanks for the explanation Spring!

 

It was hollow,but heavy. I dont remember it making any noise. I liked it,I still do,but it goes against my very nature to pay more than a few shekels for anything!

 

lol, I'm the same way - the cheaper the better