This set is made in Kyoto, Japan and is called “Kyo-armor”. Kyoto had been the capital of Japan for over 1000 years. The culture there was developed to serve the best for the emperor...

This fine and impressive pottery jar (hu) was made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). It is made from a fairly high-fired reddish pottery and coated in a particularly attractive glossy thick streaky green and finely-crackled glaze, the colour of which varies according to its thickness. Interestingly, the drips of glaze to the mouth rim and the pooling of glaze to the flat base show that this jar was fired upsid...

This tall pottery set comprising stand, jar and cover was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). Each part is made from a relatively high-fired grey pottery and "cold painted" in orange and white pigments, the decoration comprising geometric and floral (lotus) patterns. The stand has cut-out apertures and petals to represent a lotus flower. The cover has purpose-made holes in its upper part; it is painted with lotus lea...

This fine pottery head was made during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). It has been "cold painted" in a base coat of white pigment on top of which have been painted pink, red and black pigments to pick out the facial details.

Height 10.5 cm. It is in very good condition with expected surface wear but no repair or restoration.

Note: the black plastic base on which it stands in the first photo is a photographic p...

This very rare pottery model of a bird, either a duck or a goose, was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is "heavily-potted" and made from quite a high-fired grey pottery. The duck stands with its neck and wings stretched, as if in the act of preparing to fly. Note the detail, especially to the wings, with the tiger heads. The style and decoration suggest this model was based on a bronze example. On the...