Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (424)

This 19th-century bamboo carving represents an old sage leaning on a broom as if he has drifted into thought once he finished sweeping. He has been there long enough for one fresh leaf to fall. This figure evokes the well-known maxims for good living written by Zhu Bolu (1617-1688), which begin: Rise with daybreak; sweep the courtyard and clean the house thoroughly. . . . For every bowl of rice, think how hard it is to grow the grain...

This superb ivory carving of a Chinese legendary figure Tie Gui Li is a late 19th or early 20th century product. It is 11 ½” tall (including base); without the base it is 9 ¾” high, 2 ½” wide and 2” in depth. The statue presents a legendary Chinese character who is a member of the eight immortals. According to legend, one day he told his follower that his spirit was going to travel far away. He asked the young follower to watch over his body for seven days while he was away...

This very well designed and carved wood (boxwood) netsuke is 1 ¾” high, 2” wide and 1 ½” thick. It depicts three pods of a Japanese lantern plant (some people call it a Chinese lantern). Two big lanterns and one small lantern are arranged along a stem with a curly leaf which has a few insect bites. It is dated late 18th century and it is not signed. It is in excellent condition.

This carved hardwood cup is 5” high, 4 ½” wide, 3 3/4” thick (both measured from the top). It is an early 20th century product. It depicts three sages surrounded by a river scene. Two sages and their young servant are on a boat; one sage is standing on the river bank. A huge rock, an old pine tree and some unknown trees make the scene very peaceful. Aside from a few small crack lines due to the age of the wood, it is in great condition.

This Qing Dynasty Dao Guang Period (1821~1850) and marked Famille Rose wedding bowl is 2 ½ inches tall and 5 inches in diameter. It depicts scenes before and after a wedding ritual. One scene is a happy groom riding a white horse toward the bride’s house to ask her family to let him to take her to his home. The second scene is the newly wed couple bowing to each other during the ceremony...

This superb ivory carving of an aristocratic young woman holding a child is a mid or late Meiji period (1868~1911) product. The woman is formally dressed in a kimono decorated with patterns and floral designs. Her hair is elaborately coiffed. She holds a boy in her left arm and a parasol in her right hand. The child is holding a branch of chrysanthemum. The piece is very well executed and stands 10 ¼” high, 4” wide and 3 1/8” thick (measured from the bottom)...

This mid 19th century famille-rose ink pan (box) is 2 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter. On the top of the cover depicts two roosters fighting in the flower garden. The side is decorated with a floral design. It is in excellent condition.

This mid 19th century Chinese jade (nephrite) carving is 3 ½ inches long, 2 inches tall and 2 inches wide. It depicts two monkeys resting on a reclining horse. In Chinese culture, this is a very popular subject in that it is a visual representation of a pun. The pronunciation of monkey ¡°HOU¡± is the same with ¡°nobility¡± or ¡°officer¡±. ¡°On top of a horse¡± is pronounced ¡°MA SHANG¡± which is the same as ¡°right away¡± or ¡°immediately¡±...

This mid or late 19th century Chinese porcelain hexagon seal box is 1 ¼ inches tall and 2 ½ inches wide. There is an honorable Ming Dynasty Hung Wu mark on the bottom. The cover depicts a man holding a staff walking toward a hut. The building extends over a pond. Another man is resting in the hut. There are a bunch of small houses and trees beside the pond. Mountains dominate the background. It is in great condition.

These ivory statues were carved around the late 19th century or early 20th century. The eight immortals are Chinese legendary figures. From left to right, they are: Lan Cai-He, Cao Guo-Jiu, Lu Dong-Bin, Li Tie-Guai, Zhang Guo-Lao, Han Xiang-Zi, Han Zhong-Li and He Xian-Gu. The walnut base is 18 inches long, 2 ½ inches wide and 1 ½ inches high. The figures are 4 ½ inches tall. They are in good condition except for two small repairs...

This late 19th or early 20th century Japanese cloisonné vase is 11 3/4 inches high and 4 1/2 inches on the widest part. It depicts a rooster and hen in a bamboo grove. It is in excellent condition.

This Qing Dynasty Guang Xu period (1875~1908) carved bamboo brush holder is 6 ¾” high, 5” in diameter and ½” thick. It depicts Chinese sages’ daily life. Some are chatting with each other; some are reading in a hut; and some are walking across a bridge. The inscribed poem translates to “I asked the young boy (standing) under the pine tree, where did your master go? The young boy answered, master went to the mountain looking for herbs for medicine...

This mid 19th century famille-rose seal box is 1¾ inches tall and 3½ inches in diameter. It has Qian Long mark on the bottom. The mark is fictitious which is quite common. It is decorated with a floral design. Though the color is slightly worn and tiny chip appears inside the cover, it is in great condition.

This marked Tong Zhi Period (1862~1874) Famille-Rose ribbed rice bowl is 2 ¼ inches tall and 4 ¾ inches in diameter. It depicts two boys from good families playing in a garden. One is feeding a bird; the other is watching two flying bats. The bird, magpie and bat represent good luck in Chinese custom. The workmanship is precise and refined. It is in great condition.

This rare Japanese 19th century painted ivory snuff bottle is 3 ¾ inches tall, 2 inches wide and 3 quarters of an inch thick. The base inscribed with a four character Qian Long mark. Both sides depict ladies chatting in a garden. The workmanship is superb and it is in excellent shape except slight retouching on the bottom.

This is a late 19th century nephrite carving. It depicts a reclined lioness turning her head back to watch her baby trying to climb on her back. It is 1 ½” high, 2 ¾” long and 1 ¼” wide. It is in great condition.

This early 20th century Chinese celadon (Long Quan style) bird and bamboo vase is 8 ½” high (with fitted hard wood base it is 9 ¼” high), 5” wide and around 3” thick. It came with a gold and brown silk brocade box. Aside from a tiny repair on the bird’s beak, it is in great condition.

This late 19th century very well carved nephrite of a sage riding a horse is 9 inches high (with wood base is 10 ½ inches high), 8 ½ inches long and 4 ½ inches thick. It depicts an old sage holding a lantern while riding a horse. Though the nephrite has some natural blemishes, it is quite an eye catching piece. It is in great condition.