Catalog (427)

Oblong folio album with 54 albumen and 7 photolitho photographs, showing ruins and city scenes. Half leather with spine stamped "Egypt" in gilt. The black and white photographs mounted on boards. Each print approximately 22 cm x 28 cm, signed in the negative, the majority numbered and captioned in French. The photographers: - Felix Bonfils, French photographer, active 1867 - 1885. - G. Lekegian & Co., French company, active 1860 - 1890. - Zangaki Brothers, Greek photographers, active 1860 - ...

A textile panel made of different dyed silk stripes, exquisitely embroidered with motifs from Zoroastrian myths such as fishes or botehs. The backing is a coarse blue dyed cotton, framed by a black ribbon. These embroidery panels originally would have formed the knee to ankle section of one trouser leg, of a shalvar (pantaloon) from a Zoroastrian woman's wedding costume. Condition: one stripe with small fabric losses (see photo 6), few tears, an old mend, little faded. Dimension: c. 49.4 cm x 13...

An impressive spouted vessel, made of bronze, adorned with elaborate relief of animals like frogs, fishes, crabs and Chinese influenced creatures like dragons and Buddhist lions. The movable handle with a crocodile. These kettle were used during festive or ritual occasions. Please refer to "Malay Brassware - A Guide to the Collections of the National Museum Singapore" and compare with object no. TM-1408-1, on the online collection database of the "National Museum of Ethnology" in Leiden, Netherl...

These eight wayang kulit shadow puppets, called in Bali "ringgits", were bought from a dalang (shadow artist) in Bali around 1960 and had then already a certain age. In a wayang kulit performance, the puppet figures are mostly rear-projected on a linen screen. These puppets are made from rather thick pergament (cowhide) and painted in natural colors, many of them are inscribed with their name on the wooden sticks. Condition: the Kajon has a small loss and the stick is broken, all puppets with tr...

Four wonderfully executed oval Indian paintings of Mughal rulers in gouache and gold on paper. Framed behind glass in a gilt wooden frame, in France in the 19th century. The passe-partout with handwritten titles as: "Shah Ichan" (Jahan?), "Shah Alum" (Alam), "Azime Shah" and "Miran Shah". Reverses with the label of the framer. Condition: the frames with traces of usage and age and small losses, one frame damaged. Dimension: portraits: c. 9.5 x 7.5 cm, frames: 24 x 20 cm.

Antique Chinese silver fish set for 12 persons, with twelve forks and twelve knives. All handles with decoration of small Chinese figures among pagodas and a shield-shaped cartouche with monogram "S", the silver tines and blades engraved. Unmarked. Condition: traces of usage, tines partially little distorted, tips of seven blades chipped. Dimension: fork: length: c. 18.2 cm, knife: length: c. 21 cm. Total weight: 1110 g.

Twenty-three vintage black and white gelatin silver prints by the American photographer, writer and social activist Dorothy Norman (1905-1997), well known for her relationship to Alfred Stieglitz. With carbon copy of a typewritten manuscript (15 pages with some handwritten corrections in pencil) published 1957 in the College Art Journal Vol.16, No.2 (pages 100-108, with 7 pictures) under the title "Folk Art in Orissa, India - by Dorothy Norman". Each photograph measures 17.7 cm x 12.1 cm, is num...

Four finely carved wooden (maybe sandalwood) masks with lacquering and most with glass bead eyes. Showing different types of theatre masks as Hannya, Oni etc. Condition: minor rim frits, the Hannya mask with few lacquer losses. Dimension: c. 5.1 cm long x c. 3.5 cm wide.

A pair "loro blonyo", statues for a Indonesian wedding ceremony, possibly from the area of Yogyakarta. Carved from wood, with finely painted attire and embellished with filigree jewellry and glass cabochons. The female statue is a symbol of the goddess of fertility "Dewi Sri", the male statue is representing "Prince Sadana" (Lord Vishnu). Dating to the first half of 20th century. Condition: traces of age, fingerrings lost, missing glass cabochons. Dimension: female: c. 38.5 cm high x 15 cm wi...

These two saddle rugs, in knotted pile, are forming a pair and were used together: the larger piece with trapezoid ends served as a saddle cloth (makden), while the smaller rug was a saddle cover (masho). Both items are in their original condition, with a red trim and backed with a coarse beige fabric. Provenance: old Swiss collection. Dimension approx.: makden: 120.5 x 67 cm, masho: 82.5 x 66 cm. Condition: signs of age and wear, rims with partial discoloration, faded.

Two silver teapots, both with strainer and hinged cover on pouring spout. Beautifully made with floral decoration, the knobs in bud-shape. Both marked "ZR800". Provenance: Swiss-Dutch family living in Indonesia in the first half of the 20th C. Condition: few traces of usage. Dimension: large teapot: c. 22.3 cm high, 17.8 cm wide, weight: 607 g, small one: c. 15.4 cm x 12.4 cm, weight: 417 g. Total weight: 1.024 kg.

A beautiful bronze standard finial of the "Master of Animals" type. A tube in anthropomorphic form, worked on both sides identically, showing a human with a long nose and jutting ears, grasping the necks of two animals. Western Iran, Luristan culture, c. 9th-7th century B.C. Provenance: Private Collection, Switzerland. Condition: fine, with nice patina. Dimension: height: 15.2 cm.

A pair small Chinese porcelain jars with lids, each decorated with two foo dogs among peony flowers and scrolls in the "wucai" palette with underglaze blue. Bases without glaze. Rare to find a pair with matching lids and with so fresh colors. Including two later reticulated wooden stands. Dimension with lid: 14.3 cm high, on stand: 17.3 cm high. Condition: one cover with glued area and rim chips. One jarlet with minor kiln dust and the other jar with negligible rim fritting. The wood stands with...

A fine bronze standard finial of the "Master of Animals" type, worked on both sides identically. A tube in anthropomorphic form showing a human with a long nose and jutting ears, grasping the necks of two animals. The center of the figure with a human mask and two protruding cock's heads. Western Iran, Luristan culture, c. 9th-7th century B.C. Provenance: Private Collection, Switzerland. Condition: fine, only slightly bent. With nice patina. Dimension: height: 18.2 cm.

A Chinese court "chao fu" silk skirt, altered as a Carnival costume, using one quarter of the skirt as a flap (photo No. 6). Night blue silk with sixteen dragon roundels and four five-clawed "long" dragons pursuing the flaming pearl among clouds, bats and cranes, above waves, stylized rocks and the "lishui" pattern. Embroidery in polychrome satin stitch and couched metal threads. Condition: altered, some thin areas in the non-embroidered part, waistband not original, some loose and missing threa...

A complete Tausug raw silk sash (kandit) with long fringes. Tapestry weaving with geometric and zigzag design from the Sulu Archipelago near Mindanao in the Philippines. Provenance: old Swiss collection. Condition: slightly faded, patina, little staining, a small thin area. Dimension approx.: 36.3 cm x 355 cm (with fringes).

A pierced fragment of an antique Tibetan or Nepalese torana, worked in copper repousse with remains of gilding and colors. Showing a caparisoned elephant with a snow lion on his back, lifting a deity riding on the mythical beast "sharabha". Condition: wear to gilding, slightly warped. Dimension: 36.5 cm high x 15 cm widw x 2.5 cm deep.

An antique vertical wall hanging made of velvet, partially cut and painted with ink and colors. Beautiful depiction of a watermill in a grove with two peasants. Original brocade border and printed cotton lining with hanging loops. Signed and sealed in the lower left corner. Condition: fine, scarce stained, partially faded, few traces of age. Dimension with border: c. 198 cm x 146 cm.