Woven from 2 layers of woven strips of bamboo, this style of helmet was worn by all foot soldiers during the Qing Dynasty. Only vague hint of paint remains on the helmet. Originally, the sections top of the hat were painted red, white and black and the body of the hat had painted white circles with black characters which indicated the foot soldiers army troop or military brigade. The 3 holes would have permitted a cord to tie the helmet onto the head.
These Chinese long wooden bobbins were used for winding thread for routine sewing chores. As a household tool, used by generations of women within the family, they were hand carved and painted with the continious use in mind. Inside each bobbin there is a small bead which freely moves back and forth and acts as a noise maker when the bobbin is in motion...or falling to the floor.
An unidentified hard wood was used to carve this set of 4 matching wooden saucers. They would have been used for tea bowls and have traditional red/orange lacquer paint over a treebark carved pattern on the front surface. Each saucer was carved into a diamond shape with gently curved sides and are each was carved into a thin, shallow bowl shape. This is a rare and unusual set in very good condition.
During the Qing Dynasty, hair combs like this were commonly used. The structure is bone and the tines are of wood. A few tines have gone missing with age and use. The comb is about 5 inches x 2 inches.
Intricately detailed, this miniature scaled model of a japanese tea house was the result of a village folk art craftsman sometime between the late 1890-1920. Each piece is carved from bamboo and is pegged into place.
The rice paper shutter doors slide and addition solid shutters are stored in the exterior swinging compartments. The roof is easily removed to reveal the inside which is furnished with an alter, bamboo scroll,flower vase and serving tansu with sliding doors. Outside is the bath ...click for details
Question:Ever wonder what the Chinese wore on their feet while working in a flooded rice field? The answer: Large high leather boots with knobbed soles. I have 2 of these but I suspect they they are not really a pair, so I am selling them separately. Obviously, they have had a long and useful life. Considering the amount of the dried dirt that fell out of the inside when I turned them upside down, I doubt that they are still water-proof. Sourced from Ning Bo Province, the boots are 16" ...click for details
All along the four edges of this bone toggle, there is a carved circular pattern design. This pattern is very similiar to a Yao Ethnic Minority pattern and would be unusual in a Han piece.
The last picture enlargement shows how the toggle would have been used to secure the cords of a hat. The bead would be moved up the cords so that the toggle would be tight under the chin. This system would hold the hat on the head ...click for details
There are 2 of these antique containers which were used as flasks for gun powder during the late Qing dynasty. The flasks were skillfully hand turned into a gourd shape from a piece of wood. Each has a bamboo stopper. The first pictures are of the smaller flask, 5 inches tall with the stopper. Pictures 4 and 5 are of the larger flask 6 inches tall with the stopper. They both have the original finish which shows areas of wear along with some nicks and scraps. Whether they were used by the mil ...click for details
This Chinese ethnic minority hair comb was hand carved with scalloped edge detail on both sides. Many ethnic minority women would save the hair from ancestors and add it to their own hair for additional bulk...some groups would add bits of wool also to make the hair appear thicker. Combs were used both for combing and for hair ornaments.
This plain pot metal vessel was used to contain hair oil during the reign of Chinese Emperor Daoquang about 1850. Standing about 6 inches high and 3.5 inches diameter at the widest point, a woman would dip her comb into the oil before combing her hair. I do have an identical matched pair of these but am selling them separately.
