Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese (86)

DUE TO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED CHANGES, AND FURTHER PROPOSED CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED OR PROMULGATED BY THE US GOVERNMENT, IT IS NOT CLEAR TO US AND MOST ANTIQUE IVORY DEALERS, EXACTLY WHERE (WHAT JURISDICTIONS), TO WHOM, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WHAT TYPE OF NEW PERMITS MIGHT BE REQUIRED FOR US TO CONTINUE MARKETING ANY OF OUR ANTIQUE IVORY PIECES FOR SALE...

(AT CUSTOMER REQUEST, WE ARE POSTING A NEW SERIES OF HIGHER QUALITY PHOTOS HERE OF THIS PIECE, AND IN A DIFFERENT LIGHTING ENVIRONMENT...

From our Chinese Monochrome Collection, a fine carved jade image of Guanyin, late 19th- early 20th century, depicting the deity with a wonderful serene expression in a variation of Royal Ease mudra while sitting upon a rockwork base, and cradling a ruyi sceptre in her right arm. The jade is of pale olive tone with russet colored highlights and is rather substantial in heft, weighing almost 1.4 pounds.

Size and Condition: 5 inches tall, 4 1/4 inches wide, 1 1/2 inches thick...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very fine Peking carpet, North China circa 1900-1920. This fine example features a mustard yellow main field decorated with floral sprays, flying birds, flower vases and Buddhist emblems, all well-executed in varying shades of blue, purple, light green, gray and beige...

DUE TO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED CHANGES, AND FURTHER PROPOSED CHANGES THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN FULLY IMPLEMENTED OR PROMULGATED BY THE US GOVERNMENT, IT IS NOT CLEAR TO US AND MOST ANTIQUE IVORY DEALERS, EXACTLY WHERE (WHAT JURISDICTIONS), TO WHOM, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, AND WHAT TYPE OF NEW PERMITS MIGHT BE REQUIRED FOR US TO CONTINUE MARKETING ANY OF OUR ANTIQUE IVORY PIECES FOR SALE...

From our Chinese Monochrome Collection, a fine and large lacquered carved wood stand, late 19th - early 20th century, elegantly constructed with four chilong / serpentine legs and carved with floral motifs.

Size and Condition: 30 inches tall, 22 inches across the widest span of the legs, 15 inches in diameter for the circular top...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very fine Peking carpet, North China circa 1890-1920. This particular example features a large open golden orange field, which varies wonderfully in intensity of color throughout the pile. It's sparsely but elegantly decorated in restrained Chinese taste, using only leafy vines set against the open field, and bordered with a rich and still quite vibrant inky blue / navy blue outer border...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a high quality Rose Medallion plate, 19th century either Tongzhi Period (1862-1874) or Guangxu Period (1875-1908). Executed in the typical palette of pinks, blues, greens, yellows, whites and gilt with four individual cartouches: Two contain various figures usually representing scenes from either The Romance of the Western Chamber or The Dream of Red Mansions, the other two contain birds and foliage...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a very high quality 19th century ginger jar done in the "1000 Antiques" design against a "cracked ice" ground, either Tongzhi (1862-1874) or Guangxu Period (1875-1908). One could be forgiven for thinking this piece is Kangxi (1662-1722) given the high quality of the paste, the high quality of the underglaze cobalt blue, and the proficiency of the painting. Indeed, if Kangxi, it should be two-three times our price...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very fine and large pair of Rose Medallion vases, mid-late 19th century, most likely late Daoguang to Tongzhi Period circa 1845-1874, certainly no later than Guangxu Period (1875-1908), executed in the typical palette of pinks, blues, greens, yellows, whites, and gilt, depicting four well-painted panels of figures alternating top to bottom with four other well-painted panels of birds, butterflies, and foliage, separated by a band of foliage with four car...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a high quality Rose Medallion plate, 19th century either Tongzhi Period (1862-1874) or Guangxu Period (1875-1908). Executed in the typical palette of pinks, blues, greens, yellows, whites and gilt with four individual cartouches: Two contain various figures usually representing scenes from either The Romance of the Western Chamber or The Dream of Red Mansions, the other two contain birds and foliage...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a good ginger jar with "double shu" design bestowing "double happiness," late 19th century, either Tongzhi (1862-1874) or Guangxu Period (1875-1908).

Jars such as this current example were often given as gifts containing foodstuffs with the lids glued shut. As a result, many lids were broken upon opening and subsequently lost to history, which is why so many are seen without their original lids...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very charming Rose Medallion tea ensemble for one, late 19th century, Guangxu Period (1875-1908), consisting of a teacup and saucer, an uncommon bell-shaped small teapot, and an attractive deep tray with canted corners, all executed in typical Rose Medallion palette of green, orange, rose pink, blue and gold...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a high quality Rose Medallion plate, 19th century either Tongzhi Period (1862-1874) or Guangxu Period (1875-1908). Executed in the typical palette of pinks, blues, greens, yellows, whites and gilt with four individual cartouches: Two contain various figures usually representing scenes from either The Romance of the Western Chamber or The Dream of Red Mansions, the other two contain birds and foliage...

These are photos of the last two panels comprising this magnificent eight-panel gilt lacquer export screen. These are panels number seven and eight that would continue off to the right of the six panels already photographed...

From our Chinese Monochrome Collection, a large carved ivory elephant bridge, late 19th century, depicting a procession of eight individual elephants of graduating size, nicely carved from a single tusk...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a stunning and large Chinese lacquered jumu cabinet, mid to late 19th century, featuring exquisitely painted birds and floral motifs on a rockwork base, executed in gilt and subtle polychromes that are contrasted against a rich red lacquer ground. The outer frame features medallions of split tail sea dragons, auspicious symbols, and textile motifs, while the sides feature depictions of stylized floral motifs...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very fine Rose Medallion punch bowl, mid-late 19th century, most likely late Daoguang to Tongzhi Period circa 1845-1874, and certainly no later than Guangxu Period (1875-1908)...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a beautiful pair of pith paintings, circa 1840-1860, each representing a lady of high stature, possibly royalty, being attended to by her servant. One is reclining upon an opium bed with a large screen while her servant lights her pipe; the second sits upon a throne in a dragon embossed robe, also backed by a large and well-painted screen, and is being presented a ruyi scepter by her servant. Both pieces are extremely well-painted and represent very fine e...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, an elegant 19th century porcelain baluster jar with cover, decorated with figures in a fenced garden setting with scholar’s rocks, butterflies, and floral sprays.

Some collectors tend to be a bit haughty when it comes to 19th century blue and white wares, as it is generally recognized that these blue and white pieces tend to fall off in quality as we get late into this period. As afficionados of Transitional Period through Qianlong Period war...

From our Chinese Monochrome Collection, a very fine late 18th century / early 19th century carved cinnabar lacquer vase of compressed baluster form. The vase sits upon a splayed foot with a trumpet form neck containing reserves of floral springs atop a collar of wave motifs. Below this there are two separate scenes contained within trapezoidal shaped cartouches framed by ruyi head motifs:

In the main scene, we see the famous Jin Dynasty calligrapher Wang Xizhi (303 AD - 361 AD) sittin...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a magnificent eight-panel gilt lacquer export screen, 19th century, exquisitely painted in finely detailed gilding on a black lacquer ground, depicting a wide array of festive scenes with figures in elaborate garden pavilions and riverside pagodas, with rolling mountains and hills in the distance, all set inside a floral and key-fret scroll border. The scenes portrayed exhibit a wonderful range from courtship scenes to musical ensembles to riverboat rides...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very rare and seldom seen Peranakan Chai Hup or ceremonial vegetable box, 19th century, used for food offerings to Tiangong, the God of Heaven, during traditional Baba Weddings.

The terms "Peranakan" or "Baba Nyonya" or "Straits Chinese" are often used interchangeably to describe the descendants of Ming Dynasty Chinese immigrants who settled along the Malay Peninsula, which encompasses parts of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. But the ethnograp...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a magnificent eight-panel gilt lacquer export screen, 19th century, exquisitely painted in finely detailed gilding on a black lacquer ground, depicting a wide array of festive scenes with figures in elaborate garden pavilions and riverside pagodas, with rolling mountains and hills in the distance, all set inside a floral and key-fret scroll border. The scenes portrayed exhibit a wonderful range from courtship scenes to musical ensembles to riverboat rides,...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a fine Famille Verte porcelain dish, Kangxi Period (1662-1722), well-painted with a figural scene of three people, two of which occupy an outdoor pavilion while a third looks on from the inside. Floral sprays, butterflies, and twin-fish are represented in the cavetto, while the border is executed in classic piecrust form.

While Kangxi era plates of this style and shape are by no means uncommon, this particular example was selected for the excell...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a charming little export ware teacup and saucer, late Kangxi to Yongzheng Period (1700- 1735), with loosely painted floral motifs both on saucer and tea bowl, all executed in an attractive blue.

Size and Condition: Saucer 5 1/2 inches in diameter, teacup 3 1/4 inches across, 2 inches tall. Small nick to lip of teacup

From our Shipwreck Porcelain Collection, a fine blue and white dish, ex-Christie’s, executed in the "Boatman Pattern" from the so-called "Nanking Cargo," which is the term applied to the porcelain recovered from the wreck of the Geldermalsen that sank on January 3rd, 1752. The Geldermalsen was a cargo ship belonging to the Dutch East India Company that struck a reef on its way back from Canton China, and sank off the coast of Indonesia in the Linnga archipelago. It took with it to the bottom ...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a large Qianlong Period (1736-1795) leaf-shaped platter in the so-called "Two Quail Pattern," featuring an elegant Lady and Gentleman exchanging flirtatious glances in a treed pastoral setting with two quail milling about in the foreground. This large and heavy porcelain platter of unusual form is painted in deep blue with brown iron oxide dressing to the outer rim edges. For a published example of dishes in this pattern, see Chris Gurton's book: "Th...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a fine Rose-Verte porcelain dish, Yongzheng Period (1723-1735), well-painted in the center depicting an elegant lady, a young boy, and a deer carrying peaches on its back signifying longevity. Bordered on the cavetto with floral sprays, and dressed on the rim with iron oxide.

Rose-Verte is a less commonly encountered version of the Famille Rose and Famille Verte palettes. It is often loosely grouped into the Famille Rose category, but is actu...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a very fine Kangxi (1662-1722) Mark and Period porcelain dish depicting a distinguished gentleman and an elegant lady exchanging glances under the willow tree of a fenced pavilion. Cross-hatched motifs decorate the border, along with four vignettes of peaches signifying longevity. The reverse is decorated with what appears to be stylized mountains on the outer rim, with the six character Kangxi mark of the period contained within double circles in th...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a lovely Kangxi Period (1662-1722) export dish with barbed rim, depicting a flowering tree in a fenced garden setting in the center medallion, with eight panels in smaller scale repeating the same pattern on the border, and with flowering branches and an auspicious buddhist symbol in double circles on the reverse, all painted in a deep and attractive Kangxi blue.

Size and Condition: 8 3/4 inches in diameter, 1 1/4 inches deep, one small chip to ...

From our Chinese Polychrome Collection, a very fine Qing Dynasty barber's bowl, Yongzheng Period (1723-1735), beautifully painted in soft famille rose enamels, depicting two elegant ladies in a fenced garden setting alongside a flowering tree with birds overhead. Floral sprays are on the outer rim and on the reverse. Batavia brown / iron oxide dressing to the rim edges.

Overall, this is an especially fine and decorative example, much better painted than most such pieces typically enco...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a very fine Kangxi (1662-1722) Mark and Period porcelain dish depicting two elegant ladies in a garden setting containing scholar’s rocks and banana leaf plants; one lady holds a fan while the other holds her hands clasped together. Cross-hatched motifs decorate the border along with four vignettes of peaches signifying longevity. The reverse is decorated with what appears to be a stylized “clouds and mountains” design on the outer rim, with the...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, an exceptionally rare Kangxi Period (1662-1722) porcelain dish made in the Transitional Period style, depicting a man and two boys in the center well, with the border executed in a facsimile of the Border IX Transitional Period kraakware design of 1635-1650. Maura Rinaldi discusses the Border IX design in "Kraak Porcelain, A Moment in the History of Trade" p. 112-115.

This dish is a highly obscure and esoteric item that is probably best suited on...

From our Shipwreck Porcelain Collection, a fine blue and white porcelain dish, ex-Christie's, executed in the "Boatman Pattern" from the so-called "Nanking Cargo," which is the term applied to the porcelain recovered from the wreck of the Geldermalsen that sank on January 3rd, 1752. The Geldermalsen was a cargo ship belonging to the Dutch East India Company that struck a reef on its way back from Canton China, and sank off the coast of Indonesia in the Linnga archipelago. It took with it to the ...

From our Chinese Blue and White Collection, a very fine and rare pair of Kangxi Mark and Period (1662 - 1722) aster dishes, ex- Christie's (see last photos for actual Christie's catalog listing), well-executed in a deep Mohammedan blue, with three aster blooms painted amidst a reserve of scrolling tendrils on shallow petal-lobed bodies. These are encircled by sixteen aster sprays symmetrically painted on the border and repeated on the reverse, along with the six character Kangxi Mark (and of the...