Catalog (321)

This pair of sleeve bands is made of black cotton satin weave fabric with very delicately stitched floral motif embroidery. Each panel measures 6" x 26" with embroidered area measuring 3" x 9"

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...

This traditional Chinese antique tea container was made from bamboo. The outside has a carved rib design. This tea caddy would have been used regularly by family and friends during the Qing dynasty. Some minimal loss of finished surface on top ...to be expected with age and use...9.5 inches high

There are a total of eight signs, each with a different "saying" having to do with well wishes. Due to the age of the calligraphy, and the vagueres of the old Chinese language, accurate translations have not been possible for each sign. Each sign is carved out of wood with raised wooden characters and inlayed with MOP flakes. Each is 21 inches tall and roughly 4.5 inches wide. I have listed them separately, to allow for pictures of each

Leather products were rare and expensive during the Qing Dynasty in China. Fans were in common usage and a quality fan would have required a proper protective case. A wealthy woman could have afforded this suede fan case and would have considered it as the acceptable accessory to properly detail her finery.

The case is 9+ inches long with silk cord for drawstrings, elaborately knotted and tasseled.

This pair of low grade silver Chinese Bracelets are Miao Ethnic Minority. Low grade silver was used extensively throughout China during the 19th and early 20th century. To a Westerner the backs look like the bracelets are adjustable, this is a decorative element only and they are not adjustable. The fronts are deeply etched with animals. At the widest point in the front the bracelets measure 1.25 inches. They are oval in shape and very comfortable to wear...I prefer to sale them as a pair but ...

Charming Chinese small traditional child garment from the 1930's ...Expensive (from a wealthy family) deep blue silk damask fabric, with hand embroidered decorative central medallion on the front. The top is trimmed out with wonderful detailed pink, white, and tan trim, I think this trim was actually manufactured in France and imported to China during the 30's. There are cord Monkey fist and loop closures. Really good condition, 2 very light stains on the trim fabric just under the chin seen ...

This antique Chinese hand carved wooden bobbin still has a length of home spun thread which winds around the middle. The bobbin shows extensive use, with some areas of paint and finish heavily patinated and other areas just worn away.

This Chinese Door of Hope doll, along with several others, was brought back to the US during the 1920's by the American Baptist Missionary, Rebecca Cloud-Stewart. On one of her many trips back to the US to visit family and friends, she brought the collection of dolls as samples to sell and raise money for the Door of Hope orphanage. After many years in China, Miss Stewart returned permenently to her home in Georgia. During the 1940's and 50's, she would often go to the local schools, lecturing a...

This antique chinese hat would have been worn for festival by a Yi ethnic minority girl (woman) from the Honghe area. Worn for festival, the "cockssome cap" is elaborately decorated with faceted silver beads. Enlargement 5 shows cock hat as it would be worn. Hat comes with its own custom made stand.

Long lengths of treads or first braided into a "tape" and then the tape is tightly sewn to a background in elaborate pattern to depict various elements of Miao legends and myths.

This antique traditional Chinese pocket size opium scale comes in its original wooden case. Dating to the Qing Dynasty, the case contains all the original implements needed to weight gold and other precious metals and/or opium: a brass pan, a weight, and an ivory balance beam marked with 2 different weight calibration gauges. The wood case measures roughly 7 inches long and the ivory beam is 6 inches long.

Vintage Woman's Jacket from Miao Ethnic Minority of Southern China. Indigo Dye fabric, covered with intricate batik pattens. lower panel on back has rows of hand woven decorative tape... comfortable to wear or use as great wall decoration. 36 inches long x 21 inches across shoulders. Fits med size woman...field tested...

The variety and types of embroidery stitches on this antique Chinese hat are old typically Miao minority. Probably done by dotting grandmother. The silver ornaments, the butterfly, the bubbles are symbolic of the Miao myth regarding the birth of the human race. The hat shows some dirt but is otherwise in good condition.

Qing Dynasty ivory ring carved with dragons circling oval shaped pearl.

This is a charming one-of-a-kind hand-carved box. It has a crudely carved dog on top with wooden hinge that swings open. There are side openings for striker strip.

This late Qing Dynasty hat is in excellant condition. Made with silk fabric with silk thread embroidery on both front and back, it has long tassels on each side.

These old Chinese tinted eyeglasses date from the Qing Dynasty. There is a tiny bat on the nose bridge, and ornately detailed hinged temple and ear pieces.

This pair of Chinese lotus shoes, aka bound feet shoes, have a soft golden color silk vamp. Each side of the shoes is embroidered with the same pattern, and uses satin stitch silk thread.

The embroidery pattern on these lotus shoes has always mystified me. There is a woman and an animal that is possibly intended to be a giraffe. I vaguely remember some bits of information. The Chinese first heard about the African giraffes from verbal and written descriptions. They were fascinated wit...

This antique beaded headband is from Guang Dong province in China, and is typical of headgear worn by Chinese woman around the turn of the 19th-20th century. It would have been worn the narrow portion across the forehead, with the rounded flap portions covering the ears and fastened in the back of the head.

During the late 1800's and early 1900's eyeglasses became an important accessory for the Chinese. Upon seeing eyeglasses on visiting Western dignitaries and businessmen, the Chinese perceived and admired these "spectacles" as age enhancing. Not only did the eyeglasses improve eyesight...but they added age and dignity to the face of the wearer. Equating age with wisdom and respect, many Chinese took up the custom of wearing eyeglasses. Those Chinese with good eyesight...used clear lens with no...

This unusual hat stand is made of 2 very thin interlocking pieces which were black lacquered and painted with a floral and peach motif.

Fleece-lined and hand-made using the old fashioned traditional Chinese methods, only the mid 20th century fabric of the lining and ears identify these shoes as a later made at a later time period. They were probably made by a dotting grandmother and were well worn by a young child.

This charming adult female Door of Hope doll is 11 inches tall. Her face is somewhat darkened with age and the lower fronts of her trouser legs are faded from sunlight. She has all of her original clothing layers. Her top tunic is a bit dirty in the front and has a small tear at the rear of the right sleeve. Yet, even with these "condition problems" she retains the quiet beauty which has made the door of hope dolls such a collectors treasure.

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...

This antique Chinese silk wall hanging is embroidered with mounted soldiers carrying banners across a mountainous terrain. Silk background fabric with a wide silk border, the tapestry is approx 60 inches tall and 28 inches wide. The fabric is in very good condition. This tapestry conservatively dates to the mid 1800's. While the detail of the embroidery is clearly visible, some of the embroidered threads are abraided and worn, which is typical of a textile of this technique and age.

This lovely small woman's purse was made from silk satin fabric and embroidered with silk thread useing the satin stitch. The purse still has the original silk ribbon attached to the bottom, and belt loop attached at the top.

This antique Chinese offering cup would have been filled with water for Buddha and left at the temple alter. It dates from WanLi Reign during the Ming Dynasty.

The cup is black lacquer, peach shaped for long life, has a footed bottom, and ornate finger stops on each side. It has several nicks and chips as is appropriate for its age. The cup is 1.25 inches high and 3 inches across at the widest point.

The Chinese people smoked both opium (thanks to the British) and tobacco. This antique pipe was made and used by the ethnic minority of the mountain region of SW China.

This ingenious antique Chinese sundial can be carried in the pocket. When needed, the cover is removed, the pointer is raised and held in place by the notch in the raised semi circle arm. Direction is established by the small compass on one side of the pointer. The small fixed circular dial on the other side of the pointer uses Chinese characters. I was told this was used by Feng Shui practitioners...Though bought in mainland China, the combination of Roman numerals and Chinese characters...Ho...

This Chinese ethnic child's hat has wrapped thread embroidery technique which was used by the Miao the Miao minority. The set of silver ornaments across the from are Buddha images. the The ornament in the back is a stylized butterfly of Miao Legend...the dangle of bells at the back is to scare off evil spirits who would attack the child from the rear..This hat is old and in surprisingly good condition

Bamboo Vests were used as undershirts under silk garments. They served the duel purpose of allowing some air circulation and protected the silk garments from body oils. These vest were fragile and they have become very rare and hard to find. They were made with small pieces of bamboo which are literally strung together to form a garment. This bamboo vest is a particularly nice one. It was constructed of very small bamboo pieces, the edges of the garment are bound with a thin band of linen fab...

This small wooden box has a charming scene with 2 happy dragons carved into the sliding top. All 4 sides are carved. Late Qing period, box is in good condition, and measures 5" x 3" x 1.5

This box is covered with unusually fine cloisonne work. the four sides and top all have the same design motif. Nicely hinged at the back and sits on 4 separate ball feet. excellent condition, measured 4.5 inches x 2.5 inches x 1.5 inches.

this antique pair of lotus embroidered lotus shoes are most likely from northern china. the vamp is a quilted cotton fabric. Each shoe is embroidered with the same floral design on both sides. The shoes were used and show some soiling on the vamp and the soles are slightly worn and dirty.

This hand carved wooden comb belonged to a Miao Chinese minority women with limited means. Comb would have been worn horizontally between the top of the woman's head and under the twisted bun of her hair. Comb is decorated with symbols which a burned into the wood. comb is 5 x 4 inches