Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (482)

Delicately carved with a floral motif, is horn was used to give domestic animals medicine. It is Chinese ethnic minority probably from Inner Mongolia. Horn is about 6" long and has small chip at the end of the bowl. It is a wonderful ethnographic piece for the tribal arts collector

Sourced from an old estate, this pair of lotus shoes came with a hand written tag/label sewn to the back of one heel and a red paper the shape of the inner sole place inside on of the shoes. The paper is at the point flaking and disintegrating and the writing is in old Chinese and no longer readable. Because of the "tag and label, I suspect that these shoes were presented as a "gift" to a Western missionary, teacher or friend...

The quilted lower portion of the vamp indicates that this pair of shoes are from northern China, and the shape of the heel dates them to before 1910. Clearly somewhat used, they are a wonderful artifact of a time and cultural practice from the past.

This set of 3 dolls court dolls are each mounted on their original matching stands. Wonderful carved wooden faces with gofun finish. The hands and feet are also carved from wood. A charming set...each doll with the stand is about 6 inches tall.

this antique pair of lotus embroidered lotus shoes are most likely from northern china. the vamp is a quilted cotton fabric. Each shoe is embroidered with the same floral design on both sides. The shoes were used and show some soiling on the vamp and the soles are slightly worn and dirty.

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

Nice old traditional Chinese opium scale with travel case. The measuring stick is ivory and marked to indicate weights. Approximately 13 inches long, this piece is obviously old and shows signs of use but is in good condition.

Silver Japanese hinged cigarette case, made for export to the US... Excellent pierced work forms different kenji on front and rear of box.

In 1881 Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called "K. Hattori" in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the name Seikosha (精工舎), meaning roughly "House of Exquisite Workmanship" The beginnings of the Seiko watch company...

Hanging from the belt on a leather strap, the stylized milking hook was the essential item of ornamentation for any Tibetan woman properly dressed for a festival. Surrounding the hook surface is a heavy etched silver band. The bronze/brass hook has is etched with markings and is inset with 5 large beads, set in silver bezels. The original leather strap shows lots of wear.

These ceremonial hooks have become hard to obtain...

In China, older age was/is respected and valued... During the late Qing Dynasty, many wealthier Chinese used eyeglasses to appear older...sometimes clear glass lenses were used for those with good eyesight Personally, I never colored my hair before traveling to China.... This eyeglass case was carved from water buffalo horn...It has the original hand twisted string and a small movable stop.... and a few minor scratches from use and age

Tibetan woman wore their hair in long braids which were slipped into elaborately embroidered textile sleeves for festivals.

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.

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...

This intricate floral embroidery panel may have been part of a larger piece which probably predates the carved frame that now houses the panel. The background silk is a rich dark brown and the ornate floral display can be positioned either horizontally or vertically. During the framing process, sometime between 1900-1920, The fragment was glued to a cardboard backing...where it remains today... 10.5 inches x 23 inches includes frame

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

This traditional summer weight Manchu style (side closing)vest is from late Qing Dynasty. The lush deep blue silk fabric has a jacquard weave with an all over fret design. The lining is of deep maroon silk..the vest is entirely hand sewn, and fits a small to medium size woman.

This antique beaded headband is from Guang Dong province in China, and is typical of headgear worn by Chinese woman around the turn of the 19th-20th century. It would have been worn the narrow portion across the forehead, with the rounded flap portions covering the ears and fastened in the back of the head.

This pair of Chinese lotus shoes, aka bound feet shoes, have a soft golden color silk vamp. Each side of the shoes is embroidered with the same pattern, and uses satin stitch silk thread.

The embroidery pattern on these lotus shoes has always mystified me. There is a woman and an animal that is possibly intended to be a giraffe. I vaguely remember some bits of information. The Chinese first heard about the African giraffes from verbal and written descriptions...