Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese: Folk Art (8)

DESCRIPTION: This wonderful Chinese bamboo basket is one of the nicest we've ever offered. Pleasing in form and expertly handcrafted, the entire basket is tightly woven from bamboo strips in various sizes, forming a pleasing design. Chinese characters are found inside the removable, cone-shaped lid. Three long bent bamboo strips form the handle. Very attractive and in excellent condition. DIMENSIONS: 24" high including handle (61 cm) x 18" diameter (45.7 cm).

DESCRIPTION: A fine, large Chinese boxwood toggle in the shape of a Chinese coin with four script characters on each side surrounding the square hole. Around the edge, various plant and animal forms are carved in high relief, including a flower, bird, squirrel and bat. The suspension cord, connecting it to an object such as a tobacco pouch, would have been strung through the openings under the bat's wings. Wonderful patina, excellent condition, and dating from the 1800's or earlier...

DESCRIPTION: An appealing Chinese toggle (guajian), carved from Huanghuali wood (a hardwood similar to Rosewood) in the form of a Buddhist lion seated on a plinth with one paw placed on top of a ball. With raised tail, textured fur on his back, and brass studs decorating the eyes and each limb, this foo dog would have been used as a counterweight for a tobacco pouch or other object suspended from a belt...

DESCRIPTION: An antique Chinese toggle (guajian), carved from boxwood in the form of a Buddha's hand fruit (or fingered citron), a symbol of happiness, longevity and good fortune in China. The fingered citron is unusually shaped with bright yellow fruit segmented into finger-like sections, resembling a human hand. Highly fragrant, it is used predominantly in China for perfuming rooms and personal items such as clothing...

DESCRIPTION: A fine Chinese boxwood water-well basket toggle, intricately carved in an acorn shape with a realistic and detailed basket weave pattern with carved wood rim. The arched overhead handle has a free-carved wood ring attached; the interior is hollowed out. Excellent condition, a beautiful toggle, 19th C. For a similar example see: Schuyler Cammann, Substance and Symbol in Chinese Toggles, #188, p.228. DIMENSIONS: 1-3/4” high.

DESCRIPTION: An antique Chinese boxwood toggle (Guajian) carved as a pair of men’s shoes resting side by side, a symbol of marital harmony and the wish for many sons. The shoes are elaborately carved with hollowed interior, relief banding, and incised designs on all sides including the soles. A hole running through the inner sides of each shoe forms the track used for threading cords from which this toggle would have been suspended as a counterweight to some other object...

DESCRIPTION: A Chinese peach toggle (guajian) crafted from a flat piece of burl wood with large spreading leaves, representing longevity in Chinese iconography. Two holes on either side of the stem were used for threading a cord from which this toggle would have been suspended as a counterweight to some other object, such as a tobacco pouch. A nice example of Chinese folk art dating from the mid 1800’s or earlier, this toggle is in overall fine condition with aged patina...

DESCRIPTION: A nice old Chinese toggle carved from a striated wood in the form of two peaches. The peach is a symbol of longevity, and this thick toggle has a wonderful aged patina that only comes from age and handling. Strung with a cord through the holes under the stems, it would have hung from a sash and been used as a counterweight to a tobacco pouch or other utilitarian object. A wonderful example of Chinese folk art, this toggle dates from the 1700’s...