Catalog (75)

This elaborate beaded breastplate would have been worn for festivals by a wealthy Tibetan woman. The main section has 3 ornate silver and turquoise ornaments surrounded by a raised beaded coil which is bordered with cowrie shells. The neckline rolled and padded.

It is 13 inches across at the widest point and can be tied around the neck using the attached fabric ties. As is obvious in the pictures, there are a couple areas of lose on the turquoise ornaments.

This Burmese antique offering plate was the result of work by dedicated and skillful craftsman. Beautifully woven of bamboo strips, the finished shape would be first painted with repeated layers of black lacquer followed by layers of red lacquer... obvious wear to red paint from repeated handeling through the decades of worshipers allows the under black lacquer to show through in varous areas... measures roughly 5 inches high (12.5 cm) by 10 inches wide (24.9 cm)

This rare ceremonial Chinese "lock" necklace is Hmong ethnic minority. Made from pure bouillon silver, it over weighs 4.5 lbs. The Hmong Ethnic Minority group range from southern China into Northern Thailand. This piece was sourced out of China to a dealer sometime between 1920-1930. In both Chinese and ethnic minority cultures, the lock necklace acts as a talisman and symbolically "protects" the wearer from ill fortune, much as a lock on a piece of furniture will protect the contents inside...

This face-sized antique mask of a shaman or Buddhist priest is from Tibet. The hand carving is both delicate and simple, with chisel marks showing on the back of the mask.

This antique lamp was sourced from an old Buddhist Temple in Mongolia. It would have been used as a light source, commonly using fat but also occasionally using oil for fuel. The surfaces are rusted and corroded from centuries of use and weather, which gives the piece character and shows it to be an ethnographic artifact of cultures past and passing. Approx 8 inches wide across the rim of the base and approx 12 inches high. Weight is approx 4.5 lbs

This Miao silver drinking horn would have used for special occasions i.e. prospective in-laws visiting etc. The horn is small 6.5 inches from tip to far rim. The reposse design of dragon and fish is mirrored on each side of the horn.

This short sword and matching scabbard from Bhutan is elaborately decorated. The knife handle or sword hilt has a leather cover which is detail with silver reposse and a coral bead. The wooden scabbard is covered with leather and is decorated with an elaborate silver reposse dragon. The knife blade is has a series of added symbols. The belt loop is also decorated with a series of silver objects.

This Bhutanese knife is unusually large, measuring 18 inches from the top of the handle to t...

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.

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

This antique chinese hat would have been worn for festival by a Yi ethnic minority girl (woman) from the Honghe area. Worn for festival, the "cockssome cap" is elaborately decorated with faceted silver beads. Enlargement 5 shows cock hat as it would be worn. Hat comes with its own custom made stand.

Finely carved and once elaborately painted, this antique figure was probably from a small shrine. Clearly used and handled over the years, piece still has some areas of original paint. Some residual of an inked signature on bottom. carving may be of a monk or other religious figure. Stands about 2 inches high.

Old Chinese hand carved wooden mask depicting legendary king of old China. Face was gessoed and polychrome painted. 15 inches x 14 inches wide and 6 inches deep. some areas of chipped and worn paint consistent with age

This traditional small leather purse would have been used as an ornament and hung from a belt by a Tibetan woman during festival. It is heavily decorated with silver metal, turquoise and coral beads. This is an old one and is in excellent condition.

This antique Tibetan purse would have been used as a costume ornament during festival. It is decorated with silver and bronze fittings and coral and turquoise stones. Passed from generation to generation, and used extensively, this piece shows it age. Such purses would have held precious coins and the occasional flint but would not be considered as a Tibetan "strike a light" because of the lack of the striker plate.

This Buddhist figure was cast in bronze and sewn into a leather case. It would have been carried in a pocket or worn hanging about the neck by the leather thong...a personal amulet or talisman meant for protection. Good condition, 4 the case in 4 inches high and 3 inches across at the widest point.

This small sitting Buddha dates to the 16th century...The cast metal is somewhat deteriorated as would be expected. The names and borders of the countries of southeast Asia have changed and moved over the centuries which makes naming specific country of origin somewhat difficult....Thailand,Burma,Siam... This is a wonderful artifact of Southeast Asian religious culture. 4 inches tall...

This antique copper gau would have been kept in a prayer niche in the home and would be worn as an ornament for festival. In place of the Tsatsa (clay figure), there is a Tsakli. It was common practice to use a tsakli (small picture card) to represent the religious item which would be placed in the gau, when time and money became available. The original written talisman remains inside the gau also.

Gaus like this were commonly used by the Tibetans living inside China and those livi...

This antique copper reposse gau houses a picture instead of a clay tsa tsa which was common for a family gau. when the family could afford to do so, the picture would be replaced by a clay tsatsa. Curiously, this gau also houses 2 amulets, which were typically provided by a monk. The paper is very old and I am told it is bad Karma to unfold the amulet.

The Tibetan Buddhists used the gau as a prayer shrine usually placed on a special shelf in the home along with any other religious relics o...