Catalog (106)

This pair of traditional short boots were made and worn by the Miao women of Anshun. They are in very good condition but the upper boot areas have some soiling and the soles show signs of wear.

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...

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 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.

Sourced from an old estate, this pair of lotus shoes came with a hand written tag/label sewn to the back of one heel and a red paper the shape of the inner sole place inside on of the shoes. The paper is at the point flaking and disintegrating and the writing is in old Chinese and no longer readable. Because of the "tag and label, I suspect that these shoes were presented as a "gift" to a Western missionary, teacher or friend. The shoes are in wonderful condition with the exception of the front...

The quilted lower portion of the vamp indicates that this pair of shoes are from northern China, and the shape of the heel dates them to before 1910. Clearly somewhat used, they are a wonderful artifact of a time and cultural practice from the past.

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.

Antique Chinese silk satin stitch embroidery with Embroidered with hanging tassels and ornaments everywhere...This was a hat for the bride...out of my private collection...

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...

Each band of this pair of very fine silk embroideries have 2 sets mirror images: one set of floral motif and the other set of a couple celebrating. Both sets use satin stitch, french knot (aka forbidden stitch) and couching embroidery techniques. The embroideries are on a background fabric of fine patterned silk which measures 6" by 15". The floral embroidery is 1.5 x 2" and the couple embroidery is 1.5 x 5". Because of the sizes of the fabric and the sizes and arrangement of the embroiderie...

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.

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.

Made from ox horn, and shaped into a perfectly balanced shoehorn, this antique Chinese folk art artifact serves in both form and function. There is a delicately carved design on the back. The handle part of the horn has eyes carved so that the piece takes the shape of an animal and there is a hole carved so that the shoehorn can be hung from a cord. I vaguely remember hearing that the Chinese inventing the shoehorn, but have not been able to verify this as historic fact.

This pair of boots were made for the child of a wealthy Han family of the late Qing dynasty. They were made from a pale peach colored silk fabric and hand embroidered with silk thread using a satin stitch. The color on lower part of the boots, especially on the outside, has faded to a soft golden color. This would be due to sun exposure during use as the upper part of the boots would be covered by the childs pant legs. Considering the pristine condition, this child was carried about and did ...

This old Chinese silk hat would have been owned and worn by a gentleman of some financial means. The gold fretted trim was expensive and used on both mens and woman's clothing of the during late Qing dynasty. There is some blue trim fabric lost as shown in the pictures. The hat is lined with red cotton fabric and has writing in 2 of the 6 sections.

By the latter part of the 19th century the ruling Qings were obsessed with every last detail of dress. This antique top grain leather fan case could only have been owned by very wealthy Chinese woman.

This well worn pair of Woman's Lotus shoes for bound feet are from the later part of the Qing Dynasty about 1870-1880. The vamp fabric is red cotton with a matching floral embroidery pattern on each side. The delicate hand stitching detail clearly shows the pride taken by the owner/maker. The soles are short of the toe vamp which was done to give the wearer a more floating and sensual appearance when walking.

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.