A beautiful rendering of a Lohan Monk, Ming Dynasty or slightly earlier, 13th.-15th. century AD.

An excarvated head carved in very hard and dense black stone, in the round with oversized ears and pronounced arched eyebrows and downcast eyes. The head superbly polished, still with traces of the ancient carving methods and a deeply encrusted or embedded earthern patina.

The head is mounted on a modern and very attractive black marple base.

Size: 23 cm...

No two faces are the same on this incredible Toyoraku ceramic stacking box covered in gold and silver Maki-e lacquer dating from the 19th century. Inside is typical Oribe style green over crackled cream colored glaze with floral designs in iron. Outside lightning strikes in silver separate the multitude of intense lattice designs in fine gold lines on black lacquer. Stacked they are 15 x 13 x 17 cm, each vessel 15 x 13 x 4.5cm tall, and in excellent condition...

Interesting cylinder seal, probably in faience, engraved with symethric patterns, Mesopotamia, Jemdet Nasr, 3300-2900 BC.

Size: 30 mm. tall and 10 mm. wide.

Condition: Very fine.

Comes with the original collection Id-card and imprint.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections...

A rare type dated in newer research to the Neolithic period of Eastern Anatolia / Northern Mesopotamia, 7th.-6th. mill. BC.

Drop or leaf shaped amuletic seal with tiny gritt patterns and loop at the top.

Size: 24 mm. long and 11 mm...

Interesting early scaraboid stamp seal, shaped as a stylized Egyptian Scarab, North-Eastern Anatolia / Western Mesopotamia, c. 3rd. mill. BC.

Size: 18 x 16 mm.

Condition: Nice very fine, lovely deep relief.

Comes with the original collection Id-card and imprint.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections...

Interesting seal or gaming token perhaps with an elaborate carving of a Sun symbol, probably 1st. millenium BC.

Rare piece carved in either a very durable bone or steatite (?), beautiful patina.

Size: 18 mm. in diameter.

Condition: Extremely fine.

Provenance: Gustav Oberländer (1926-2012), Oberländer aquired his massive and important collection between 1985 - 2000s, bought at reputable dealers and from old collections...

Chinese transitional period compressed ovoid form jar decorated in underglaze blue with birds and insects flying among bamboo and flowering plants emerging from rockery set against a white porcelain ground. The upright glazed neck is decorated with downward pointed leaves. Glazed interior and flat slightly recessed unglazed base. 17th century. Measures nearly 12" high. Very good overall condition. There is a fine old brown chicken foot crack in the interior (see image)...

Three antique heavy copper inscribed Yantras. Undated, estimated to be19th century or earlier. Sizes from left 21x18 cm 21.5 Dia 21x20.5 cm Can be viewed in central London and shipped worldwide with insurance and tracking.

An interesting and scarce stamp seal, carved and finely polished in white stone, perhaps marple, and engraved in the base with globules, Uruk period, 4th.-3rd. millenium BC.

Size: c. 16 mm...

An interesting and rare motif of a coiled on a Ubaid period stamp seal of the round gable type, Mesopotamia c. 5th.-4th. millenium BC.

Size: c. 20 mm...

1900's Chinese Famille Rose Porcelain Plate with Flowers & Insects Marked

It is 1.85 inches (4.7 cm) tall 6.3 inches (16 cm) wide...

A sage admires pine boughs billowing out over the waves from his seat upon a stone carved into this fine bamboo tea container capped with a wooden lid opposite the archaic characters Seishin (Pure heart) signed Chikuzan on the bottom and enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Take-sei Chatsubo (Bamboo tea container). The fine kiri-wood box has been decorated on all surfaces with a landscape of Mu-chi style forested hills and a long verse by Chikuzan. Dating from the early 20th centu...

A very unusual basket made of pine cones bound together on edge enclosed in the original wooden box dated New Years of Showa Six (1931) titled Chiyo no Matsukasa (Cones of the Ancient Pine). The basket is 20 cm (8 inches) diameter, 33.5 cm (13-1/4 inches) tall and comes with the original bamboo insert. It is in overall fine condition. I have never seen another like it.

Chinese Qing / 19th Century Blue & White Porcelain Dish - Shou & Crabs

This porcelain dish was made during the 19th century and, according to the old paper label stuck to its reverse, was found in the Philippines. We are sure this is accurate as this type of dish is found around south-east Asia so was very likely made for export. The underglaze blue design features in its centre the "Shou" character (meaning longevity / long life), surrounded by three crabs, the crab representing prosperity ...

Japanese 19th Century Blue & White Porcelain Dish (with mark)

This porcelain dish is heavily-potted and attractively decorated in underglaze blue. The central design features a bird standing on a rock overlooking a mountainous landscape. Surrounding this, and to the underside, are village buildings within a mountainous landscape, viewed from a "bird's eye" perspective. Within the footrim on the underside is a four-character mark, together with typical small firing spur marks.

Diameter 18...

Large Chinese Ming Dynasty Blue & White Porcelain Dish - Binh Thuan Shipwreck - Ex. Christie's

This blue & white "Swatow" porcelain dish was made during the Wanli Reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty. It is coated in a thick crackled glaze and decorated in underglaze cobalt blue that, unusually, due to firing conditions, has fired to a colour more like black than blue. The decoration is the "double phoenix" pattern, two phoenixes standing facing each other, presumably male and female, sur...

Large Chinese Ming Dynasty Blue & White Porcelain Dish - Binh Thuan Shipwreck

This blue & white "Swatow" porcelain dish was made during the Wanli Reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty. It is coated in a thick crackled glaze and decorated in underglaze cobalt blue of very good colour. The decoration is the "double phoenix" pattern, two phoenixes standing facing each other, presumably male and female, surrounded by foliage and peony blossoms. Swatow, or Zhangzhou ceramics, were often exporte...

Fine Large Chinese Ming Dynasty Blue & White Porcelain Dish

This blue & white "Swatow" porcelain dish, or shallow bowl, was made during the Wanli Reign (1573 - 1620) of the Ming Dynasty. It is coated in a thick glaze and decorated in underglaze cobalt blue. The decoration features a pheasant in a garden. The inner wall is undecorated and around the flat rim there are six roundels containing floral patterns surrounded by a repeating diaper pattern. The underside is sparsely decorated with jus...