Very Old Cast Iron? Buddha with Swastika on Chest and Lotus Throne

Cast Iron? Buddha with Swastika on Chest and Lotus Throne

My mother bought this Buddha from an antique dealer when I was a child (about 55-60 years ago) and always believed it to be a museum-quality piece. It's heavy and seems ancient to me. I think it's cast iron but I don't know for sure. There is no identification or other markings on the inside, outside, or bottom.

I don't know how to evaluate the craftsmanship or determine the age. I've been looking at images of Buddhas on the Web for hours and can't find one like it. There are a few somewhat similar ones but they're mostly bronze or wood.

The swastika on the Buddha's chest has nothing to do with the Nazi symbol. In Hinduism, the left-hand (counterclockwise) swastika represents Kali and magic.

The Buddha appears to be meditating. His right hand is limp (hanging vertically) but his left hand is palm up and almost horizontal. His middle finger is bent slightly inward. The position is similar to a "begging bowl" Buddha but there is no bowl and I see no reason to believe there ever was one.

The outside of the Buddha has no rust other than what may be a little in his mouth. The color seems too orange to be rust so it may be something else. I don't have a high-quality macro lens so you'll have to go by the photos I made. There is also some orange rust on the inside of the torso.

The Buddha looks quite dusty but touching it lightly with a soft duster "glove" has little or no effect. I haven't done anything else to it. The patina is original and undisturbed.

There are several holes in the cast iron, the only large one being under his left foot (in the lotus position). It's hardly noticeable. I'm sure the holes were flaws in the original casting. The process may have been somewhat primitive when the Buddha was made.

The "throne" (stand) has lotus petals all around and has no markings or external rust. It appears to be the same age as the Buddha. The statue sits nicely on the stand and doesn't wobble but is clearly the wrong shape for the flat space inside the lotus petals. The throne probably wasn't made for this particular Buddha.

My mother had another cast-iron Buddha (currently in storage) so it's possible the thrones were switched. The storage unit is currently inaccessible but I'll make a pencil outline of the Buddha and gladly exchange the throne for the other one later on if I find that the shape matches. You have my word on that.