Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (482)

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

This old Japanese hook would have been suspended over the hearth and used to hang cooking pots over the fire. Obviously used by a rural farm family, this pothook or jizai kagi would have been hung by a rope above the fireplace, and the hook has been "firepolished" from years of use.

This antique Burmese betel nut box contains matching serving tray and 4 small containers. The side of the box is circled with an excellent example of the Burmese schwezawa technique of gold leaf in a striking swirling chu-pan foliage design. The top has a lively chinthe, a traditional Burmese stylized "lion" figure with a vine and leaf foliage border.

The outer box is 7 inches in diameter and 4 inches high...

This antique Chinese rectangular serving tray is elaborately inlayed with Mother of Pearl. The ornate MOP design covers the surface of the tray and also goes about the exterior face of the narrow rim. Wood is most likely ebony and tray dates from mid 18th century.

Condition: All the MOP inlay is intact but there are numerous tiny nicks and chips in the surface finish on the inside and outside edges of the rim surround...

This is woodblock is carved on both sides so that it was used to print 2 different pages of a Tibetan Sutra book. ...Age and use are obvious and there are a few nicks and bruises but no serious loss... A true ethnographic relic measures 14 inches x 3 inches x 7/8th inch...

Barely used, this baby head cover was once attached to the upper part of a baby carrier so that it could be raised around the baby's head to protect it from the hot sun during a festival. Hand batiked with hand embroidered details, the border is decorated with rows of the tiniest hand stitching. measures 13.5 x 14.5 inches

Simply beautiful...describes this Japanese lacquer tray table which would have been used for serving sake. From the Meiji period, the deep rich black roiro-nuri lacquer background sets the scene for the emaki-e gold paint depicting a landscape of trees, flowing water and hills.

pristine condition....8 inches high 9.5 inches wide and 9.5 inches deep

This set of old Chinese bookmarks was sent home to the US by Baptist Missionary Rebecca Cloud-Stewart... Each bookmark has original string and is made with embossed paper with silver surround on image of rural China.... set comes with Original Paper cover very good condition...never used... size 6.5 x 2 inches the ties are not included in the measurements

The front of this Tibetan Flint Pouch is decorated with silver and bronze ornamentation and an inset coral bead. The back is decorated with bronze buttons to protect the leather from excessive wear. The pouch still has its original leather strap which would have been used to secure the pouch to the wearers belt.

Flint was an essential and valuable item for nomadic and indigenous cultures and as such was frequently carries in pouch specifically designed for its use.

This is the 3rd of 4 small individual antique Chinese carvings which I am listing separately. This one looks like Shou Lao the Chinese god of longevity, who was often represented along with the immortals. Each has a peg on the bottom which fits into the own homemade stand

This matching Japanese 5 piece set consists of 2 deeply footed shallow serving bowls and 3 small shallow bowls. The deep rich red/orange lacquer background serves to highlight the gold, black and gray landscape scene which graces the inside of each piece. Flying high overhead a gold crane surveys the pine tree and series of sacred mountains. The largest piece is 7 inches diameter, next piece is 6 inches diameter and the 3 pieces each have a 3.5 inch diameter.

This antique Chinese glass bead was used as a toggle during the 1800's. I measures 1.25 inches in diameter.

This small antique Chinese wooden storage container was used for calligraphy implements. Inksticks would have been held in the rear center compartment. Calligraphy brushes would have been held upright on the right and left side compartments. Seals or chops would have been stored in the lidded section. Originally painted with black lacquer, this piece has great age and wear patina.

Spectacles were only affordable for the very wealthy in China during the 1800's. The lenses were ground from crystal of various shades. Because of the cost, if a lens or frames were broken the remaining pieces would be refitted into a replacement set...as happened with this pair of antique Chinese eyeglasses. The vestiges of the original fitting remain on the left lens.

Many Chinese would "grind" a day's supply of ink in advance and store the liquid ink in a metal "inkbox". According to the calligraphy on the top of this inkbox, it was a gift in the year of the goat, to a medical inspector upon completion of his 3rd year of work in Yuncheng city, Shanxi province. The inkbox is 3 inches in diameter and has an dried ink in the bottom and a built in inkstone inside the lid.

This wonderful pair of lotus shoes are typical of boots from Shandong. They have a black cuff with hand-embroidered butterfly motif and the remanents of a thin pink woven band. The blue vamp is somewhat faded toward the front of the boot and has delicately embroidered butterfly on each side. The soles have worn leather heels. The inside silk lining is bright pink and in very good condition.

This late Qing Dynasty hat is in excellent condition. Made with silk fabric with silk thread satin stitch embroidery on both front and back, it has long tassels on each side.

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...