On this website, I have blogged on the proliferation of fake Indian Sacred bronzes. This is one more such blog. I hope these blogs raise awareness and help collectors make informed choices.

The above Yoga Narasimha has been with me since 2019. Some of my close friends and longtime collectors/dealers have seen it, held it in their hands, and it has undergone close inspection. It is a coveted bronze, and it is published in the book Narasimha, The God of Yoga.

Recently, out of curiosity, I did a reverse image search on the above bronze. I was surprised/pained to see several, I counted six, similar Yoga Narasimhas on the market.

What really caught my attention is that one such reproduction (?), the picture above, was sold at a European auction for a substantial sum, well over Eur 3,000. It was listed as a 15th-century bronze. Hmmm.

The side-by-side comparison is below.

The one on our left is with me. Which one is the copy? My reasons for doubting the bronze on our right are highlighted below. In reproductions, the features are less defined, there are more casting defects, and details are lost.

The reverse image search is a valuable tool. Google and Bing provide reverse image search engines. The sellers, in addition to online or auction listings, resort to social media advertising (Facebook, Instagram…) to reach customers. Hence, the images are available for online search. Do a reverse image search before buying any antique Indian bronzes. Even when you are convinced the bronze is genuine, do the search.

The reverse image search is really simple. Please do it.