Bronze Buddha Statue Signature Help

Came across this small 5.5"H statue, real heavy. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

i don't see bronze....imo.

 

Statue is bronze, stand is wood.

 

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It is a fairly recently made Chinese brass Budai, not a Buddha, and not bronze, as komo said.
Buddhas are not fat, Budais generally are.
Many like him have been coming out of China over the last decade. That black lacquer in the folds and crevices is a recent thing.
The text is more likely to refer to the Budai, than an artist's signature. These are mass produced, so no artist would have signed it.

Something on Budai:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budai

 

扌合貝才進寶

Presumably the translation is too literal (put it into google) and means pearl instead, doesn't looks like something that would be put on an old piece.