Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (482)

This beautiful antique short strand of beads would have been carried in the pocket and taken out for ritual religious prayer...2 spacer counter beads are honey amber and the 3rd is red coral...

This small hand painted picture on cloth, called a Tsakli was used for Buddhist religious instruction and rituals in Tibet. The back of the card has Tibetan writing...Obvious condition issues...This card and others listed on this site were all antique cards when they were brought out of Tibet in the 60's...roughly 3.75 x 3.5 inches

This well used pair of Chinese woman's Lotus shoes for bound feet has embroidered satin stitch floral motif on both sides of the toe. The soles have nice stitch detail

The Zhuang are one of the larger of the Chinese Ethnic Minority groups. This is a rare old baby carrier from Yunnan Province. Because silk was not readily available in the rural areas, the use of silk as the background fabric indicates that this carrier came from a wealthy family. The central panel uses several colors of fabric appliqued into a large stylized lotus flower. Silk thread is used for the delicate satin stitched embroidery of butterflies and flowers...

This pair of earmuffs are kept together with a silk ribbon. Worn to protect the ears in winter, the outer side has delicate embroidered flower motif, and the inside is slightly padded and has ear pockets which slip of the ears.

This charming old Chinese headband was handmade for a small child sometime in the late Qing dynasty. It is one of the nicest animal headbands that I have seen, and it is in good condition. The cat's face would have been worn at the child's forehead and is 3 dimensional. Made with silk fabric, with silk thread for the elaborately embroidery, the face is complete with ears that flap, and side paws. Opened at the back seam for easy framing, it can easily be re-sewn to fit display stand.

the woman of many Chinese Ethnic Minority groups did not cut their hair. It was often worn on the top of the head in a bun,and sometimes intertwined with lengths of an ancestors hair for added protection from evil spirits.

The hair was often (especially for festivals) decorated with added silver ornaments and/or hairpins.

This old wooden dragon was hand carved with an expressive face and large black eyes. He balances nicely with his tail on a short pedestal. Gripping his prized pineapple in his paws, he licks it with his tongue, clearly relishing the sweet taste. The pineapple has a short hollow plug on top to provide for an incense stick.

The name Zhang Feng Chao is carved on the underside of the pedestal. This old dragon is a wonderful example of an old Chinese folk art artifact...

This home made traditional (old fashioned) would have been hung on furniture door pulls for added decoration in Han Chinese home...full lenght is 30 inches...upper disc is 2 inches diameter 3 dimensional ball ia 3 inches diameter...made from fine silk fabric scrapes

This unusual small triangular shaped snuff bottle 2 of the 3 sides of the piece have carefully repouse Tibetan symbols..no makers marks...a few tiny dents ...no loss. It was brought back from Tibet by a man who went on a long walkabout from Istanbul to Tibet back in the late 60's...China was not open at the time...and Tibet ..he traveled with a backpack,limited space,few small momentoes and he was picky...old pieces only... bottle is approx 1.75 inches high

this matching pair of Turkomen Yomud tent bags, aka chuval, are out of my private collection...beautiful condition Sumak weave on bag faces plain woven canvas backs 39 x 17 inches (not including fringe)

Beautiful old wooden Japanese serving tray with irises carved into the border. Meiji Period. 12" x 22"

I call him sweet face...a bit dirty with age... Japanese hina aka girls day doll from late Edo period. lost his drum..6inches high including hat

Leather products were rare and expensive during the Qing Dynasty in China. Fans were in common usage and a quality fan would have required a proper protective case. A wealthy woman could have afforded this suede fan case and would have considered it as the acceptable accessory to properly detail her finery.

The case is 9+ inches long with silk cord for drawstrings, elaborately knotted and tasseled.

This embroidery panel was originally the front bodice of a dress...Hand embroidered over several layers of heavy fabric and using mirrors and silver and gold metallic threads...this dress bodice was a show piece probably used only for important occasions i.e. weddings etc. Very ornately embroidered, this panel measures 19 x 22 inches. the picture of the back side of the bodice indicates serious wear and age...

Late 1800's -very early 1900's this fixed fan was made and of hide elaborately pierced and painted. The fan handle and support is made from carved and curved horn...

This small Chinese inro style container would have been worn suspended from the wearer's belt. It was hand carved from wood and detailed on each side with delicate decorative carvings of birds, flowers and a phoenix.

The piece is 2.5 inches high and 2 inches at the widest point. Because of its small size and shape, it was most likely used as an opium container. The inside has been carefully cleaned to avoid dog encounters at the airports.

Dr Fu Qing Zhu "published" his book on Women's Health Issues in 1816. Originally hand copied until the 1860's, publications after that were made using hand carved woodblocks. This particular copy appears to be from 1885. It has all 4 volumes and the original cloth binding cover. There are hand written prescriptions on the front of 2 volumes...

A bride of the Yi Chinese Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province, would have worn the "cock" hat for her wedding day. The hat is made using layers of cotton fabric with a stiffiner between the layers to maintain the shape. Using colorful cotton thread, hat was extravagantly hand embroidered. A few traditional silver ornaments including the bubble, flower and butterfly were added.

Now, it is the very lucky Yi girl who can use her great grandmother's bridal hat for her own wedding...

This small hand carved wooden container would have been used to store smoking tobacco, and would have been worn hanging from a belt the same as a Japanese inro. Although similar types of containers would have used by both traditional Han Chinese and ethnic minority Chinese, this particular container is definately traditional Han Chinese. One side has a carved scene of a bird and branch, the other side has written characters...

This Tibetan talisman has a sealed leather herb bag hanging on each side of a small bronze sitting Buddha which is also displayed in a leather casing. The Buddha is depicted as holding a small bottle. All 3 pieces are hanging from a matching leather strap so that it could be worn around the neck of the individual.

This antique pair of spectacles folds into the space of a single eyeglass for easy carrying. Lacking ear pieces, they rest on the nose, hence the name pince nez. The rims are tortoise shell.

The saddle seat is Leather and decorated with small tuffs of wool yarn and strips of flat metal (presumed low grade silver) which are embed into the leather in an ornate geometric design.

I replaced the tie which secured the front of the seat to the metal saddle tree...the original cord was literally falling apart...Limited research indicates this saddle was from Rajastan India.

This woven Tibetan container would have been used to hold a pair of wooden tea bowls...there is an interior separator (removable) which allows for the separation of tea bowls. Hand made using plant materials (hemp) and rattan with leather closures Bowls would have been packed into container such as this when traveling... and from the condition of this one...it has traveled many times. The container is 6 inches diameter at the top and 4 inches high...well aged fair condition...

This small old Chinese wood sculpture of a mounted horseman is probably of famous warrior or legendary character. Carved from wood and painted the horse and rider are fixed to the original wooden stand. Original paint with some loss and one arm missing. 6 inches high including stand and a charming artifact of centuries past.

The metal bowl of this traditional old bronze Chinese spoon is heavily patinated from extensive use and was probably used for heating maybe opium.

After hand-weaving their home spun yarn, the Miao women of Na Dan would use contrasting thread colors to create an intricate embroidery of geometric patterns on their precious baby carriers. These pieces were highly prized, used primarily for festival, and were handed down through succeeding generations.

The pouch at the top of the tassel most likely contains various herbs to bring health and good fortune to the baby...

Women of the Miao Chinese minority did not cut their hat...when the hair was worn "bun Style" on the top of the head, the comb would be positioned horizontally, with the tynes pushed under the "bun"...and the silver dangles would hang down...the actual "comb" is hand carved and covered with silver for decoration...

This very nice traditional Chinese pillow has leg supports which fold up when it is not in use. The top is made of shaped and stained bamboo slats which flex for soft comfort. The body of the piece is made of a dark wood with carved scrollwork along the bottom edge. Each end has an elaborate carving of a bat in flight. good condition 15"x 5" x 4" with legs extended

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.

Personal care items with long handles to reach the back...the brush is carved from wood and the back scratcher is carved from bamboo...roughly 22 23 inches long...

This beautiful mottled gray/green color stone There is a carved with dragon which is deeply undercut so that he is suspended across the top of the stone. The ink reservoir has a matching stone cover. The ink stone is carved from a thick slab of stone, 10 inches across the back, 6+ inches back to front, and over one inch thick. It is heavy. It has been held in a private collection for about 20 years....conservatively dates from early 1800's...

This is a charming traditional Chinese child's "wind hat" so called because of the protection the hat gives to the back of the neck. The silk threads of the satin stitched embroidery depict lots of flowers and butterflies. Hat is in good condition

This round inkstone was carved out of a naturally occurring layered stone...both the bottom and cover viewed from the side show the striation of the stone.The covered has a pond design etched with raised koi fish. It is really lovely. The inkstone is just over 4 inches in diameter and .8 inches in height.

This Buddhist sutra book was from Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka. The front and rear wooden covers painted red with random gold paint spatters. The sutra book contains 16 handwritten pages made from palm leaves, which are held between the covers with cord. Measurements 25" x 2"

These old Chinese tinted eyeglasses date from the Qing Dynasty. There is a tiny bat on the nose bridge, and ornately detailed hinged temple and ear pieces.

Using these Chinese lotus-shaped lacquer tea saucers simplified passing and serving hot tea. Traditional Chinese symbols are delicately painted with copper color over a black lacquer background. There is a double happiness symbol at each end along with clouds, water waves and lucky bat symbol in the center. The back side is traditional Chinese red.

These antique Chinese hat stands are carved from an unknown wood. Their interlocking parts can be separated easily, so they may have been designed for traveling. They can be sold separately or in groups and used to "show off" your hat collection or as interesting artifacts of Qing dynasty culture.

The hat stand on the left side comes apart into 2 pieces and stands 11" high.

The stand on the right also comes apart into 3 sections with 2 pieces in each section. This stand is 12" tall.

Antique Chinese silk satin stitch embroidery with Embroidered with hanging tassels and ornaments everywhere...This was a hat for the bride...out of my private collection...

Sometimes assumed by Westerners as "medical models" these are Chinese fertility dolls. As ritual items, they rarely come onto the market. Used by several Chinese ethnic minority cultures, including the Miao, Yao and Naxi, the old fertility dolls were hand carved, anatomically correct and with pegged and jointed limbs. The hair styles and head gear would vary depending on the minority group...

Lovely antique copper pot with ornate reposse silver decoration from Tibet. Probably used for butter tea...Roughly 13 inches high...heavy gauge copper with a few minor surface dents commensurate with age...Rare and gorgeous

This assortment of cosmetic brushes along with the small container was originally part of a large cosmetic set which would have been commissioned for the a wealthy Japanese bridal trousseaux. Many layers of the rich black roiro-nuri lacquer was applied and polished to achieve the deep lusterious tone. The brushes are accented with a 2 and 3 tone golden floral motif. None of the brushes show any signs of use...

This old Chinese ethnic minority needle case is hand carved with geometric marking from end to end. Needle cases were essential tools for all indigenous cultures and frequently became important objects of decorated folk art.

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.

Being of both simple and elegant design, this small religious shrine is so typical of Japanese aesthetics. It is made from Cedar wood and dated on the back as "Showa, 2nd year, March 17. Approximately 5" high and 3" wide.

This lovely antique bell is a traditional Ghanta, which is a Tibetan Buddhist ritual bell, sometimes called Dril, bu,and/or singing bell. Just over 6 inches tall, this Ghana is paired with the Dorje at the top of the handle, and the surface is decorated with an abundance of Tibetan symbols. This bell has the original clapper, has a lovely tone and beautiful patina. Bell is 6.5 inches (16.5 CM) tall

The Ghanta represents feminine power, wisdom, receptiveness, and the voice of the Buddha.

This large Chinese scale has metal balance beams and shallow metal bowls. The scale fits into an ornately carved red and black lacquer wooden case which is slightly domed and has its original copper band closure. There is some wood chip loss around what was the hole for the string which allowed the case to be hung up for storage. Dating from the 1800's the braided cords which attach the shallow bowls to the metal balance beam appear to be replacement cords. The hand-twisted and knotted cord...

This antique Chinese offering cup would have been filled with water for Buddha and left at the temple alter. It dates from WanLi Reign during the Ming Dynasty.

The cup is black lacquer, peach shaped for long life, has a footed bottom, and ornate finger stops on each side. It has several nicks and chips as is appropriate for its age. The cup is 1.25 inches high and 3 inches across at the widest point.

This antique pair of Chinese lotus shoes were worn by a woman in He Bei Province during the end of the 1800's. Small bits of Leather are nailed to the heals because the women of that time liked the sound of the heal hitting the floor as they walked. A delicate floral motif was carefully embroidered to both sides of each shoe.

there are no rips and no tears but clearly these shoes were worn numerous times.

Suspended from a small leather belt loop, this old Mongolian pipe pouch has trekked a long way. This ethnographic relic was clearly hand-made, with a simple closure of leather thongs tied into a traditional knot, and a few beads add a decorative element. For pipe cleaning, there is added piece of twisted metal wire decorated with green thread. Approx 12" long and about 3" at the widest point. It is a relic from a nomadic ethnic culture and its condition... well used with the patina that ...

very nice old beaded choker/armband in good condition. measures 2.25 x 13.5 inches

This small strand of Buddhist prayer beads would have been kept in a pocket or looped on a belt. Bought in China from a Tibetan, the strand of tiny dark beads is broken up with coral beads to assist in counting. The 3 fabric triangles, from departed monks robes, are amulets containing various protective prayers. When used for ritual prayers, the fabric talisman would be held in the closed fist while the fingers count the beads. An Ancestors tooth, not bone, hangs from one of the talismans to...

This large antique Japanese would have been used in rural villages by the peasants who would go into the fields and hills to collect various herbs. Hand woven from grape vine bark, the basket has rope handle which also goes through loops at the bottom of the basket to provide added support for the weight.

Really rare ethnographic item in unusually good condition. the basket alone measures roughly 18 inches x 12 inches x 3+ inches...

nice old one...brass corners for stability... probably owned and used by storekeeper

Toward the late Qing and early Republic periods, footbinding in urban centers became less common. But women were still concerned with fashionable footwear. This pair of beaded strips are actually shoes parts which would have been sewn with other matching beaded fabric parts to form a pair of beaded shoes.

This lacquered leather pillow would have been owned by a wealthy family during the Qing dynasty. Each end has a hand painted floral design with Chinese "well wishing" saying.

Though sourced from northern China, this antique powder flask is most likely Chinese ethnic minority from the southern regions. There are 3 flasks for carrying gun powder. Used rifle cartridges are used both as stoppers and bullets are held in the shaped spacers between the powder flasks. It was made by shaping and then sewing 2 pieces of heavy leather (probably elephant hide)together.

The Chinese ethnic minority Miao are very fond of silver and would use any festival to display their ornate silver jewelry. This dragon necklace was used by a young girl child from one of the many Miao villages around the hills of Kali. The pendent is 6.5 inches wide, childs' size, but the decorative chain is long enough for an adult to wear. Because the pendent is hollow, it is comfortable to wear. As one moves, the necklace makes a soft tinkling sound.

Asian buffalo Horn with Silver over copper mounts with turquoise stones... This type of drinking horn was a common household item used throughout Mongolia...each family member had his (or her) own drinking horn and they were kept on a wooden rack which was made for that purpose... Condition 2 beads missing...silver is worn through in several area,exposing copper base...which is commensurate with normal use and aging

Carved out of Bamboo this Buddha is 13.5 inches high,5 inches wide and 4 inches deep. He is a wonderfully carved example of folk art tradition with very gentle countenance.