Catalog (106)

This pair of Chinese lotus shoes were made by a woman of limited finances. She bought what materials were needed for the vamp and supplemented with the use of rough home spun fabric scraps to cover the shaped heals and soles. The limited amount of expensive gold couching threads outlining the floral embroidery pattern on each side of the shoes indicates that this pair of lotus shoes would have used only for special occasions. Cleverly hidden inside each shoe is a heel cushion which would have...

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.

This well used pair of Chinese woman's Lotus shoes for bound feet has embroidered satin stitch floral motif on both sides of the toe. The soles have nice stitch detail

This traditional small leather purse would have been used as an ornament and hung from a belt by a Tibetan woman during festival. It is heavily decorated with silver metal, turquoise and coral beads. This is an old one and is in excellent condition.

This antique Chinese hat would have been worn by a child and probably made and embroidered by a grandparent. This hat is old and has unusual silver ornaments in the front. Condition is pristine with the exception that the large round silver ornament decoration is missing 2 small prongs, and the silk ribbon bordering the extension of the wind cover for protecting the back of the childs neck also has some deterioration areas.

This hat was brought back by a nurse who was in Tibet as part of a medical relief team sometime in the 80's. Hat appears to have not been worn and is in excellant condition.

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.

This antique Tibetan purse would have been used as a costume ornament during festival. It is decorated with silver and bronze fittings and coral and turquoise stones. Passed from generation to generation, and used extensively, this piece shows it age. Such purses would have held precious coins and the occasional flint but would not be considered as a Tibetan "strike a light" because of the lack of the striker plate.

During the Qing dynasty, an essential part of the Chinese woman's costume was the doodoo, which was worn covering the chest. This one is fine silk with lovely embroidery and is lined with traditional blue silk. It measures 16 inches across and 17 inches high. excellant condition

According to traditional Chinese culture, shoes were considered to be a symbol of good luck, and shoes and a gift of token shoes would have been given as a sign of well wishing.

This tiny pair of wooden shoes are meticulously carved, with pierced work on both sides and the soles of each shoe...scarcely 2 inches long...excellant condition

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.

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

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

Clearly made by an adoring grandmother, this antique Dong Minority hat is covered with a variety of ornate embroidery stitches including both wrapped thread and couching techniques. The hat is topped with silver half beads representing bubbles and a large top knot.. It is a bid dirty which would be expected in a childs hat of this age and use.

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 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.

This old Chinese Miao ethnic minority child's hat is thickly padded for winter wearing. The red silk fabric with silk thread satin stitch embroidery really stands out. One silver butterfly ornament decorates the back of the hat and provides noise to protect the child from evil spirits. a bit dirty but hat is in very good condition.

This antique hat from Afghanistan is heavily decorated with variety of old Middle Eastern coins.