Asian ethnic minority artifacts textiles, tribal arts, primitive Asian Ethnic Artifacts
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1837 VR item #929887 (stock #T148)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$655.00
Both the wooden front and back covers of this Buddhist Sutra book are hand carved with different symbols. The numerous text pages are beautifully written with rich black ink with specific words written in red ink. The book still has its original leather binding strap.

This Tibetan sutra book approximately 12 inches wide, 4 inches tall, and 2 inches thick. Though the pages are in good condition, the covers show years of wear and use and is a wonderful artifact of an old culture.

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Folk Art : Pre 1910 item #928734 (stock #TC282)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$240.00
This old Chinese container would have been used by a poor farmer or fisherman to carry his lunch, and tea while he was off working for the day. The main container has 2 sections and there is an additional rimmed tray which fits just inside below the tightly fitted lid. All 3 pieces are made from very tightly woven from 2 different types of plant materials.

Roughly 9 inches x 9 inches x 4 inches, with a richly patinated surface, this container is a wonderful ethnographic artifact from anot...

All Items : Vintage Arts : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Folk Art : Pre 1940 item #928507 (stock #M159)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This Miao silver drinking horn would have used for special occasions i.e. prospective in-laws visiting etc. The horn is small 6.5 inches from tip to far rim. The reposse design of dragon and fish is mirrored on each side of the horn.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1910 item #918607 (stock #TC279)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This small silk jacket was made and worn by the child of a wealthy traditional Han Chinese family. The dark blue silk fabric is embroidered on the front and back with a floral arrangement. There are additional decorative elements of tassels and border trim. The jacket spans 15 inches across the chest.

The jacket is in very good condition with only a slightly visible stain on the front embroidery, which would be expected of a childs jacket of this age.

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Folk Art : Pre 1837 VR item #916152 (stock #T146)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This antique lamp was sourced from an old Buddhist Temple in Mongolia. It would have been used as a light source, commonly using fat but also occasionally using oil for fuel. The surfaces are rusted and corroded from centuries of use and weather, which gives the piece character and shows it to be an ethnographic artifact of cultures past and passing. Approx 8 inches wide across the rim of the base and approx 12 inches high. Weight is approx 4.5 lbs
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1920 item #914695 (stock #TC277)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
By the early 1900's, foot binding fell somewhat out of fashion with the upper social classes of Han Chinese women, especially in the north. With various degrees of success and a lot of pain, a few brave women chose to have their feet re-broken and reset into a more natural size and shape. This pair of boots belonged to one such woman.

Hand made using black silk fabric, and the old traditional methods, these boots are detail with embroidery on each side of the vamp with butterflies toward the...

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Ethnic : Far Eastern : Pre 1960 item #914282 (stock #Jlry148)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This Yao necklace and matching pair of earrings have added beads and long silk tassels. Both are light weight and easy to wear. The earrings are hollow with the same repeated design pattern on the backside. The wire loop may be a bit thick as they were made to accommodate the large ear holes which are traditional for the Chinese minority groups. These loops could easily be changed out for posts or a thinner wire hoop.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Metalwork : Pre 1900 item #913520 (stock #M147)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$290.00
For women of indigenous cultures, sewing needles were often hard to come by and considered valuable tools. Commonly, among such groups, cases were specifically designed to protect and safeguard the sewing. This particular antique silver needle case is from the Chinese Miao ethnic minority group and would have been worn by the women as a decorative costume ornament during festival.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : India : Pre 1920 item #913236 (stock #ZMisc140)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
sold
This elaborate antique embroidery panel is from Gujrat India and would have been used as a dowery quilt. It is backed with soft aged (now muted) cotton fabric, leaving a 4 inch border surrounding the embroidery. The gold and silver metallic threads are also somewhat subdued and blended giving the panel a soft and somewhat muted appearance which is very pleasing. It is rare to find these old textiles from India intact as many of them where cut up into smaller sections and sold to textile colle...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Folk Art : Pre 1910 item #912069 (stock #TC276)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$147.00
Carved from Rosewood, on one side, this Chinese toggle has a wooded scene with a horse and pair of deer. On the reverse side is the symbol for longevity. Toggle is 1.5 inches x 1.25 inches
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1900 item #905962 (stock #TC272)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
These Chinese woman's Lotus shoes are from Shanxi province and are from the mid 1800's. In Chinese culture, to have, wear or use something from an ancestor (parent, grandparent,etc) was considered as a talisman and gave an element of protection to the user. This pair of lotus shoes was passed to a younger generation whose embroidery skills were, well, not as advanced as the original maker. But clearly the child left her mark on the shoes with the added embroidery of the birds etc.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1900 item #904947 (stock #T145)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This face-sized antique mask of a shaman or Buddhist priest is from Tibet. The hand carving is both delicate and simple, with chisel marks showing on the back of the mask.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Folk Art : Pre 1900 item #903513 (stock #TC271)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
All along the four edges of this bone toggle, there is a carved circular pattern design. This pattern is very similiar to a Yao Ethnic Minority pattern and would be unusual in a Han piece.

The last picture enlargement shows how the toggle would have been used to secure the cords of a hat. The bead would be moved up the cords so that the toggle would be tight under the chin. This system would hold the hat on the head while miniumizing preasure and discomfort to the skin.

Visible in the pic...

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Oceanic : Artifacts : Pre 1920 item #902544 (stock #Oc107)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This shell necklace is an ornament from one of the indigenous tribal groups from West Papua New Guinea. Shells were often used as both adornment and currency with these groups. The string/rope is handmade from a plant fiber. As with many items from the tribal groups of New Guinea, it is difficult to put an age on this piece. It is an interesting ethnographic artifact and can be used for display and can also be worn as a necklace. The diameter of the opening is just over 8 inches. The neckl...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Enamel : Pre 1910 item #901443 (stock #J143)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$447.00
This deep blue Japanese cloisonne vase is decorated with 4 panels. Two of the panels have a dragon against a rust colored goldstone background. The other 2 panels have a bird against a dark green goldstone background.

Vase is in very good condition, no chips, no dents, and no losses.

All Items : Estate Jewelry : Ethnic : Far Eastern : Pre 1920 item #897628 (stock #M146)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This wide cuff Chinese bracelet has deeply repousse design composed of detailed symbols related to Miao Ethic Minority myths and legends. Such bracelets would have been worn in matched pairs, one on each wrist, by the women of the "short skirt" Miao of Dan Zhai, and the bracelets would have been handed down from mother to daughter for generations.

The cuff is almost 3 inches at the widest point in the front because of its large size and rolled edge it easily slips onto most wrists.

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Enamel : Pre 1900 item #895423 (stock #TC268)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This is a charming old cloisonne teapot from the later part of the Qing Dynasty in China. During this time period the traditions and culture of tea making and drinking had evolved to include the appreciation of tea articles as art objects in addition to their utilitarian purposes. This well crafted miniture teapot would have been sought after for its sculptural form.

Each side of the body of the teapot has a different floral motif with a background pattern of clouds traditional Ruyi. The h...

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Southeast Asian : Folk Art : Pre 1920 item #886856 (stock #Misc138)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$243.00
This Indonesian container would have been carried by a man using the handmade string as a shoulder strap. The "purse" was hand carved out of a local hardwood and both the top and bottom have decorative details.

The container sits stably on it base but can also be hung on the wall as an interesting sculpture artifact.

Approximately 9 inches high, 7.5 inches across and 4 inches deep.