Catalog (173)

Charming child's cotton collar from the Qing Dynasty, hand stitched with appliqued flower design. very good condition

This rare antique Chinese Child's hat has it all From the Yi Chinese Ethnic Minority... Each surface is decorated with intricate hand embroidery and several silver ornaments

Nicely detailed winter well worn Lotus shoes complete with heal flaps and straps...

This is a pair of old chinese handmade boots which were brought back to the US by an American missionary. In China, it was a woman's responsibility to make shoes for the entire family. This pair was made of cotton fabric, using traditional Chinese techniques. Being slightly padded, they were probably for winter use. They are in excellent condition...an authentic and interesting artifact of old China.

Small embroidery with central floral motif using seed stitch, on traditional dark blue silk fabric. May have been used on garment as inside pocket. Approx 6.5 inches on each side.

This is presumed to be central panel taken from 100 bird coat from the Bai Ling area. It has been bordered and backed by new fabric. The central panel is very tightly split-thread satin-stitched embroidery over a silk felted (non-woven) fabric. This piece is in pristine condition, and measures approximately 30" by 30"

This was the traditional jacket used by girls of the Yi Chinese ethnic Minority. Girls wore this style until they were married. This garment is small and was most likely worn by a child between 7-10 years old. Condition considered good...intricate batik work, original silver buttons,hand embroidered detailing around collar,front closure,sleeve and bottom borders... wonderful display item...

This traditional Chinese woman's headband was made and worn during the Qing Dynasty toward the end of the 19th century. It has an applique embroidered butterfly on each end and a large full kingfisher feathered medallion in the center. The lotus shaped kingfisher is 4 inches x 2 inches. The entire headband in 16 inches in length.

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.

This small elaborate Buddhist monk's medicine bottle is sewn into a larger pouch of burgundy homespun wool fabric with yellow/gold silk lining. When worn, the stopper would be securely held in the bottle by a system of handmade cords and bands. The medicine bottle would be worn outside the robes and suspended on the Monk's belt. These were used for both travel and ceremonies.

I was thrilled to acquire this rare Mongolian textile. Utilizing all couching embroidery technique on red wool fabric, it depicts 2 golden dragons chasing the sun. The condition of this piece is remarkably good condition for its age, showing 2 small areas of repair on the top corners. It measures 40" long by 18" from the top to the bottom tip of the tasseles

This old panel is thickly Dazi embroidered in a banded pattern to reflect the terraced mountains sides of the Miao homeland. The panel uses lovely soft pinks and grays which are not adequately represented in the pictures. A beautiful piece in beautiful condition. 80 years old from Ge Yi. approx 21" x 23"

This apron would be worn for festival by young woman, recently married and hoping to become pregnant or in the early stage of pregnancy. After the baby is born, the straps will be relocated so that the apron is converted to a baby carrier. The coin bottom border is show hope for good fortune for the baby. The 3 tassles on the end of the apron straps are show hope for eventually having 3 children. The butterfly is considered the mother of the Miao people.

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

According to the writing on the back, this small embroidered pencil holder in was made in 1897 by a Mrs Lee for M.J. Thomas who was a member of the Chinese Chicago Mission group. The embroidery stitches are tiny and some of the threads are frayed but it is a warm memento of friendship and an artifact from another era in relations between China and the US.

This antique Chinese silk dragon court vest is couched with silk thread embroidery designs of dragons, birds, flowers, clouds etc. and accents of gold bouillion thread. Vest shows some minimal wear and is in overall good condition.

The vest dates to the mid 19th century and has a front rank badge with bird facing the wearers left shoulder. This indicates that the original owner was the wife of a civil official. The bird on this rank badge is a made of matching embroidery and fabric sepa...

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 ...

Chinese Miao Ethnic Minority blanket panal from Huang Ping. Approx 35 years old and excellent condition. Home spun cotton fabric pieced and appliqued. panel size approx 35 inches x 48 inches...the original border/bed overhang fabric (plain black) has been cut down and sewn to form a frame for the panel.

This is a charming traditional Chinese child's "wind hat" so called because of the protection the hat gives to the back of the neck. The silk threads of the satin stitched embroidery depict lots of flowers and butterflies. Hat is in good condition

This small purse was made by Miao girl to be given to "boyfriend"...If he accepts and wears the purse on his belt...he favors her. The embroidery stitch is called Daiz but westerners know it as Peking knot aka forbidden stitch. 5.5 x 3 excellant condition

A bride of the Yi Chinese Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province, would have worn the "cock" hat for her wedding day. The hat is made using layers of cotton fabric with a stiffiner between the layers to maintain the shape. Using colorful cotton thread, hat was extravagantly hand embroidered. A few traditional silver ornaments including the bubble, flower and butterfly were added.

Now, it is the very lucky Yi girl who can use her great grandmother's bridal hat for her own wedding. These hats a...

This lovely old vest of damask silk is lightly padded for winter wearing. There is some sun fading on both front and back silk but overall condition is very good...original frog closures..hand stitched...cotton lining...

This man's beaded hat aka skullcap is typical of the Pashtun people in the region of Southern Afganistan. Because of the extensive beading pattern, it is rather stiff and heavy.

Presumably, the interior layer of fabric was from pieced of fabric from other garments.

This antique Chinese civil rank badge has the golden goose representing 4th rank. Embroidered using brick stitch this badge is has a fret background,key border and is decorated with bats, turtles and flowers. Curiously the sun is missing but the badge is old and still has the remnants of a few threads which were used to sew it to the front of the robe. The badge has traditional blue silk lining and is in excellent condition. This badge was brought back from China by Rebecca Cloud-Stewart Mi...

This haori is made with a fabric of lush silk with subtle weave pattern design. In contrast, the silk lining has a bold floral design. This is one garment that can easily be worn with the "correct side" outside or inside out....

This traditional summer weight Manchu style (side closing)vest is from late Qing Dynasty. The lush deep blue silk fabric has a jacquard weave with an all over fret design. The lining is of deep maroon silk..the vest is entirely hand sewn, and fits a small to medium size woman.

This is a wonderful Qing Dynasty child's hat from Shui minority group in the Rong Jiang area. It is traditional looking Chinese cap style made with silk fabric and silk split thread embroidery, and top knot. This hat is over 100 years old, and has wonderfully soft patina, and shows some wear. Truely charming

Very nice old Maru Japanese Obi in excellent condition. Neutral colors throughout the delicate weave of repeat scenes of cart

Made by a woman of somewhat limited means, this pair of lotus shoes date to the late Qing Dynasty. The vamp has a contrast of lavender and purple cotton fabric. Each toe is decorated with a delicate floral embroidery. There is a round heal attached to the sole... The shoes measure 5 inches. They show a minimal amount of wear...

There are many hopes expressed in this baby carrier: red cotton background fabric for the joy of having the baby, the yellow golden embroidered thread patterned in sun symbols and swirling lines throughout the carrier are the wind blowing the bees and pollen around the fields for a sucessfull harvest. Carrier is divided by a strip of very fine needlepoint for added strength. The upper portion of the carrier covers the baby's head from elements and lower portion supports for baby's body. piece ...

This shoulder bag was made and used by the Hmoung women of northern Thailand. It would carry all the traditional items which would have been commonly found in a woman's purse. The bag fabric was hand loomed from the indigenous plants and then embroidered using traditional cross-stitched with geometric patterns. Beads, silver ornaments and tiny pompoms are added for decorative enhancement of the bagface. This piece is in good condition.

This Many Westerners have been told that the Miao et...

The charming old tribal womans purse is heavily embroidered on each side and is decorated with mirrors and cowrie shells. Condition is very good, no rips, no tears, just beautifully faded vegetable dyes.

This embroidery panel was originally the front flip of a money belt. The background fabric is a low cut velvet the embroidery stitches are mostly chain stitches. Charming scene of flowers and fish with traditional chinese key border Almost 12 inches across at the widest and 7.5 inches high.

Antique Chinese summer court hat complete with red silk tassels which extend down from the finial to cover the hat. Officials would use their "court" hat for non-formal ceremonies or daily businesses. The finial would be added to the hat during formal court ceremonies held by the Emperor. This translucent blue finial indicates that the owner was a third rank official. condition...not good...silk exterior is very dirty...the rim is worn and damaged and the interior wool faded and has a few ...

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 Miao Chinese ethnic minority jacket would have been worn by a teenage girl for festival. All the batik work was hand-painted and all stitches and embroidery was done by hand. The row of silver hemisphere's across the back represent the "bubble" in the Miao creation myth.

The jacket is approx 70 years old and is from Zhi Jin