Cast Bronze Phra Lae Lei, 13 Inches Tall

A larger Phra Lae Lei (ปางป่าเลไลยก์), the Wednesday evening figure. He sits with one leg down in the forest pose while a monkey and an elephant step in with gifts. The animals are part of the Parileyya story: they stayed near him in the woods and offered honeycomb and fruit. On a Thai home altar, this is the evening half of Wednesday. The morning figure is the standing alms-bowl pose.

Households often match the image to the weekday of birth. That is custom. It does not promise health or fortune.

Cast and size

The piece is cast bronze from a Thai foundry, made by lost wax. Wax is modeled to the pose, a heat-proof shell is built around it, and the wax is burned out. Bronze is poured into the empty mold. Once cool, the shell comes off, and the small animals and the robe edge are finished by hand. No gold coat is named.

• Height: 13 inches
• Width: 5 inches
• Depth: 9 inches
• Pose: forest seat with monkey and elephant
• Day: Wednesday evening

Measure the shelf depth against 9 inches before you order. It is a step up in size from the 9-inch version of the same pose.

Care

Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Do not scrub the recesses if you want the darker bronze to stay in the folds. A polish lifts the high points and thins that tone.