Asian ethnic minority artifacts textiles, tribal arts, primitive Asian Ethnic Artifacts
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1900 item #1107938 (stock #ZTC377)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
sold
This Qing Dynasty scroll is a kossu woven silk tapestry (kesi is the Japanese term) meticuliously depicts the famous Chinese painting scroll by Ding Yunpeng called The White Horse Carrying Sutras. The original painting was done in 1625 and illustrates the story of the 2 monks who traveled through Western China with a white horse carrying the Buddhas Scriptures. The original hangs in the National Palace Museum (Forbiddon City in TaiPei).

The kossu textile is in excellant condition. It is sur...

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1900 item #1189139 (stock #ZTC500)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
sold
Designed for travel, this old Chinese wooden hat stand comes apart to fit flat. Ethnographic item from the Qing dynasty, it has a good sculptural quality and is also good way to display your antique Chinese hat.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1900 item #1236048 (stock #TC520)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
A properly dressed Chinese woman would wear a pair of leggings to cover her lower legs from the bottom of her skirt to the top of her lotus shoes. The leggings would be tied into place with a hand woven sash made specifically for that purpose. These lotus shoe accessories are now rare and very hard to find. See my listing TC236 and ZTC233. This pair of leggings are of very fine red silk damask weave fabric with ribbon and silk embroidered trim at the cuffs.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1900 item #1371710 (stock #ZTC564)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
sold
During the Qing Dynasty, Chinese court gentlemen and ladies used elaborate hair styles. To assist in these construction of the "hairdo's", they used a wire form was covered with a mesh fabric. This particular "cap" was used to cover a bun of hair on the center of the head. The silver flat "hairpin" was used to hold the cap in place by pushing it through one side hole, between the hair bun and the scalp and through the other side hole. The inside of the cape clearly shows its age and use.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1900 item #1238449 (stock #ZT187)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
sold
This lovely antique bell is a traditional Ghanta, which is a Tibetan Buddhist ritual bell, sometimes called Dril, bu,and/or singing bell. Just over 6 inches tall, this Ghana is paired with the Dorje at the top of the handle, and the surface is decorated with an abundance of Tibetan symbols. This bell has the original clapper, has a lovely tone and beautiful patina. Bell is 6.5 inches (16.5 CM) tall

The Ghanta represents feminine power, wisdom, receptiveness, and the voice of the Buddha.

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1920 item #675836 (stock #EMT122)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$850.00
After hand-weaving their home spun yarn, the Miao women of Na Dan would use contrasting thread colors to create an intricate embroidery of geometric patterns on their precious baby carriers. These pieces were highly prized, used primarily for festival, and were handed down through succeeding generations.

The pouch at the top of the tassel most likely contains various herbs to bring health and good fortune to the baby. The 3 main tassels are actually subdivided into 3, which represented the ...

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Scholar Art : Pre 1910 item #1281068 (stock #TC535)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$325.00
This finely carved small 3 hole flower (plant) antique Ikebana type vase was sourced in China but design quality is very Japanese...Deeply carved dark dense,finely grained hardwood, possibly walnut, or zitan...feels wonderfully smooth...approximately 5.5 inches x 5.5 inches x 1.5 inches....
All Items : Vintage Arts : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1930 item #1409837 (stock #EMT170)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$275.00
Meticulously embroidered panel for baby carrier that never got finished.. and was packed away to be finished later...probably by a loving grandmother, and then backed and border probably her daughter for sale. Miao people in the region of Zhi Jin including border ...measures 20 x 23.5 inches the last 2 pics are of the back side of the embroidery
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1800 item #684293 (stock #J111)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This is a charming stoneware Japanese bowl censor from 1750. It fits perfectly into the hand carved wooden stand which was probably made for the incense burner around 1900. There are no makers marks on either the bowl on the stand for identification. Covered with a thick matte gray white glaze with iron flecks and decorated solely with 3 button tabs below the rim, the censor is a wonderful early example of Japanese mingei stoneware ceramics.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1900 item #1155377 (stock #T177)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This antique type of metal work was common in Nepal during the 1800's and into the early 1900's. The birds beak is carved from bone which is dyed to color. The "jewels" are colored glass i.e. enamel drops of orange, turquoise and dark brown. Beak to tail tip the bird measures 3.5 inches and stands 2 inches high. Very good condition with one "jewel" missing on the side.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1900 item #1253876 (stock #T190)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$275.00
Very Nice patina on this old Tibetan Dorje. It is 7 inches long. The Tibetan Dorje is the equivalent of the India Buddhist symbol of Vajra or Thunderbolt which represents the masculine force....
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Jewelry : Pre 1920 item #863248 (stock #Jlry131)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This rare ceremonial Chinese "lock" necklace is Hmong ethnic minority. Made from pure bouillon silver, it over weighs 4.5 lbs. The Hmong Ethnic Minority group range from southern China into Northern Thailand. This piece was sourced out of China to a dealer sometime between 1920-1930. In both Chinese and ethnic minority cultures, the lock necklace acts as a talisman and symbolically "protects" the wearer from ill fortune, much as a lock on a piece of furniture will protect the contents inside...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Americas : American Indian : Handiwork : Pre 1910 item #1426013 (stock #Misc206)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$125.00
very nice old beaded choker/armband in good condition. measures 2.25 x 13.5 inches
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1920 item #627880 (stock #EMT118)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$575.00
This blanket shaped Miao ethnic minority baby carrier is from Jian He and is a good example of the whorl pattern which was so significant to the Chinese Minority. Made from hand-loomed plant fibers (maybe cotton, maybe bast fibers) the surface is heavily decorated with appliques edged with chain stitching. This carrier is in good condition showing a minimum of wear and dirt and it 80+ years old
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1900 item #1297975 (stock #T197)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Lovely antique copper pot with ornate reposse silver decoration from Tibet. Probably used for butter tea...Roughly 13 inches high...heavy gauge copper with a few minor surface dents commensurate with age...Rare and gorgeous
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Scholar Art : Pre 1900 item #858237 (stock #TC249)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$187.00
Beautifully patterned horn chop with its horn seal box. The remenants of red ink indicate that this seal was used for official documents. The box has a slide top which closes tightly.
All Items : Vintage Arts : Regional Art : Oceanic : Artifacts : Pre 1950 item #1013538 (stock #Oc112)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$750.00
From the Abelam tribe of Sepik River Papua, New Guinea, this traditional Kara'wut (also spelled kara ut,karaout and karahut)is made from woven plant fiber and decorated with boar tusks and nasa shells. Usually worn around the neck by the men only, on the chest or back, when facing battle the kara'ut would be clenched in the teeth, dangling from the mouth to impress the enemy with one's fierceness. For the collectors of tribal arts and ethnographic items this would quickly become a prized posse...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Scholar Art : Pre 1900 item #1119916 (stock #TC378)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Dr Fu Qing Zhu "published" his book on Women's Health Issues in 1816. Originally hand copied until the 1860's, publications after that were made using hand carved woodblocks. This particular copy appears to be from 1885. It has all 4 volumes and the original cloth binding cover. There are hand written prescriptions on the front of 2 volumes. The condition of this set reflects its age and useage.

Copies of this book have been used by traditional Chinese doctors from its first publication...

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Wood : Pre 1920 item #1298862 (stock #TC547)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
On Hold
He is charming...well detailed leaning on a pillows ...a few nicks and bruises to the finish as to be expected at this age...roughly 4 inches tall and 6 inches wide...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Scholar Art : Pre 1900 item #1216210 (stock #TC504)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This beautiful mottled gray/green color stone There is a carved with dragon which is deeply undercut so that he is suspended across the top of the stone. The ink reservoir has a matching stone cover. The ink stone is carved from a thick slab of stone, 10 inches across the back, 6+ inches back to front, and over one inch thick. It is heavy. It has been held in a private collection for about 20 years....conservatively dates from early 1800's. There is some damage to the rim of the ink reserve...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Jewelry : Pre 1900 item #1480424 (stock #EMT)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Price on Request
This large Yi Minority Hair Comb would have been worn for most probably a wedding or other important festival. the comb was hand carved wood and covered with silver decoration...so only the wood tines are visible. 8 inches wide, 2.5 inches deep and 6+ inches high not including the chain and end pins...
All Items : Vintage Arts : Regional Art : African : Artifacts : Pre 1980 item #1244745 (stock #Af135)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$145.00
Made using hid with shell decoration this girls pubic protector would have been worn by a young girl of the African pygmy Kalahari Bushman tribe...an interesting ethnographic artifact and can easily be framed for display
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1920 item #837440 (stock #EMT131)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
The Zhuang are one of the larger of the Chinese Ethnic Minority groups. This is a rare old baby carrier from Yunnan Province. Because silk was not readily available in the rural areas, the use of silk as the background fabric indicates that this carrier came from a wealthy family. The central panel uses several colors of fabric appliqued into a large stylized lotus flower. Silk thread is used for the delicate satin stitched embroidery of butterflies and flowers. The upper border uses multip...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Folk Art : Pre 1900 item #818353 (stock #TC238)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$145.00
During the Qing Dynasty, hair combs like this were commonly used. The structure is bone and the tines are of wood. A few tines have gone missing with age and use. The comb is about 5 inches x 2 inches.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1910 item #1012290 (stock #T151)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$650.00
Originally part of a full sized Tibetan adult costume, this piece was cut down to complete a childs festival costume. Decorated with turquoise, coins, tassels and silver ornaments, this type of textile accessory would often be attached to the elaborate headdress or hat and drape down the back to complete the wearers costume. The Tibetan people are not wastefull and items of festival garments in any condition are hard to acquire. I have had it hanging on my wall for a number of years. Today, ...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : India : Pre 1900 item #1097659 (stock #Misc160)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
This antique Dhokra depicts a large fish being ridden by 2 women and is probably representing some tribal legend or myth. Dhokras were made by the Kondh tribe of the state of Orissa India. The Dhokra, or small sculptures, were made as toys, ritual objects as well as gifts and talismans. They were much a part of tribal craftsmanship and culture during the 1700's and 1800's. Dhokras were made from a clay base with a net-like pattern and then cast in bronze using the lost wax technique. Be...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1920 item #1287164 (stock #ZJ197)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
SOLD
This unusual Japanese lacquer clam shell is from Wakasa, a center for exceptional lacquer craftsmanship which began during the Edo period. At that time the lacquerers of the Obama clan, near Wakasa Bay, began decorating their work with designs depicting elements of the ocean floor, For techniques, the Wakasa craftsmen developed a process of repeated lacquer coatings of several colors and rubbing down the lacquer coated surface. This process produced a random decorative pattern. The clam shell s...
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Indian Subcontinent : Himalayas : Pre 1900 item #1310775 (stock #T198)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Lovely hinged old metal box with top depicting central figure of seated Quan Yin flanked with flying angels. All 4 sides of the box also have ornate filigree and stone work. Measures 7 x 3.5 x 1.25 inches. All metal work and stone work is intact but there are a few dents on the bottom of the box
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Pre 1900 item #1094526 (stock #TC368)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$225.00
This antique pair of Chinese lotus shoes were worn by a woman in He Bei Province during the end of the 1800's. Small bits of Leather are nailed to the heals because the women of that time liked the sound of the heal hitting the floor as they walked. A delicate floral motif was carefully embroidered to both sides of each shoe.

there are no rips and no tears but clearly these shoes were worn numerous times.

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Ivory : Pre 1900 item #771284 (stock #TC222)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$225.00
This antique toggle was sourced from China. I suspect that was originally from Tibet. The carved circular markings on bottom of 2 of the sides of the toggle are more typical of the ethnic minorities.

Toggle is almost 2 inches long and .5 inches x .5 inches.

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Middle Eastern : Metalwork : Pre 1837 VR item #817094 (stock #ZMisc124)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
sold
This lovely antique Indo Persian box is covered with silver and bronze elaborate damascene work on the top and 4 sides. The box lid is slightly domed and the inside is lined with wood. Made in what was Persia, now Bidar India, this box dates to the early part of the 19th century, and is an fine example of Damascene metal work. In excellent condition, the box is 6.5 inches x 3.5 inches x 2 inches high.

Known in India as "Bidri", damascene metalwork was developed by the Persian court silversm...

All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : African : Weapons : Pre 1920 item #1373118 (stock #AF131)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$155.00
This antique traditional tribal dagger was made and used by the Manding people who are indigenous to the Western Sudan region of Africa. The dagger is 10 inches long and has a leather covered pommel. The blade is dulled and rusted with a small bend at the tip. The original matching scabbard has traditionally woven worked leather decoration with belt loop and tassel.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1920 item #1125219 (stock #TC382)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Toward the late Qing and early Republic periods, footbinding in urban centers became less common. But women were still concerned with fashionable footwear. This pair of beaded strips are actually shoes parts which would have been sewn with other matching beaded fabric parts to form a pair of beaded shoes
All Items : Estate Jewelry : Ethnic : Far Eastern : Pre 1920 item #1188568 (stock #JLRY164)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Originally, this was the largest of a set of 3 graduated matching silver necklaces. They were worn as a set for festival by the Miao Chinese Ethnic Minority women. The necklace was skillfully hand-formed from a sheet of silver into a curving tapered tube with a reposse pattern of 2 dragons chasing pearl. It spans 10.5 inches across.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Southeast Asian : Folk Art : Pre 1920 item #1101055 (stock #SEA145)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
Several of the Southeast Asian hilltribes from the "Golden Triangle" region would practice tattooing as body art and religious ritual. This Burmese tattoo tool with the figure head was used to scratch the skin surface and apply the dye.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Chinese : Textiles : Pre 1910 item #871813 (stock #TC258)
Asian Ethnic Artifacts
$240.00
This Chinese lady's purse was made with silk satin fabric and hand embroidered with silk thread using a satin embroidery stitch. The edges are bound with carefully aligned silk threads. Each side opens to a separate storage compartment and there is a third compartment which is accessed from the top of the purse.

Made and used during the late Qing Dynasty, the quality of the materials and workmanship clearly show that this purse was used by a woman of means. Unfortunately, this use has left...