Catalog (603)

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.

This small sitting Buddha dates to the 16th century...The cast metal is somewhat deteriorated as would be expected. The names and borders of the countries of southeast Asia have changed and moved over the centuries which makes naming specific country of origin somewhat difficult....Thailand,Burma,Siam... This is a wonderful artifact of Southeast Asian religious culture. 4 inches tall...

This ancient "Boat Money", also called Lat money, is similar to Tiger Tongues and from the same area: Lan Chang Kingdom of Southeast Asia (Thailand & Laos today, back then Siam). Instead of the bumps seen on Tiger Tongues, boat money has a depression in the top and looks more like a boat, hence the name. Boat money was first issued in the 16th century. In 1707, Lan Chang divided into the two kingdoms of Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Both adopted the lat currency and continued to issue such in...

This rural Mongolian bucket is made from lemon wood and was used daily to draw water from the local village well. Truely an ethnographic relic with original iron fittings, and evidence of constant use and old repairs. It is both large and heavy. The diameter of the bucket is 18" and the bucket alone is 14" deep, add another 11" for the handle and iron toggle fitting. The weight is approx 15 lbs. Originally made about 250 yrs ago and probably used constantly for a couple of centuries.

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.

This Mongolian oil lamp was made in 3 sections, which were then "welded" together. From the 3 seam marks, it appears that the base was made from 3 parts which were joined and hammered into shape. The stem was a long square length of rod which was twisted during heating. Typically, these lamp stands would have a shallow bowl with a short dull spike for a candle, or a tripod oil bowl could also be placed on the top bowl according to the owners resources and preferences. This particular lamp s...

This old Japanese Noh theater mask has the expressive face of an old man. The mask is carved from paulownia wood and dates to middle Edo period, around 1750. The patina is wonderful.

Mask measures approx 8 inches high and 6 inches wide

This traditional Chinese antique tea container was made from bamboo. The outside has a carved rib design and was lacquered black. This tea caddy would have been used regularly by family and friends during the Qing dynasty. The inside lid is stamped with the manufacturers information.

The tea caddy is 10 inches tall and shows patinated wear marks and chips in the lacquer surface which would be expected on a piece of this age.

Diameter approximately 2.75 inches, this antique chinese mirror may have originally had silvered surface on reflective side...brought to the US 1920-1930 by missionary Rebecca Cloud-Stewart..deterioration of metal surfaces as expected.

Though the traditional practice of Tibetan "sky burial" is well known. But in some areas of Tibet the Buddhist practice of cremation is also used for some individuals, and The ashes are placed in a box made specifically for that purpose. This cremation box dates to the 18th century and has carved line decoration on the sides... It is made so that the top is keyed to the bottom and slides open from one end. Although the slide still works, with age etc, the top and bottom have warped so tha...

Made of iron, this antique Japanese mobile candle stand, known as a teshoku, dates from the Edo period. So typical of the old Japanese ethnographic objects, the design of this single candle holder is totally simple and wonderfully functional. With a lighted candle, this candlestand could be easily carried about the house by use of long very gently curved handle. When set in down, the placement of the 3 legs makes it very stable to minimize chances of it being accidentally knocked over. It is...

A Chinese doctor would use this stoneware clay pillow to support the wrist while taking the pulse of a patient.

The pillow was made using slab construction and all the surfaces are decorated with a star pattern and covered with a traditional glaze. There is a tiny vent hole on the bottom to facilitate firing. It measures 4.5x3 x 1.5 inches and is covered with traditional green glaze. The age estimate on this is very conservative...this is a rare artifact and possibly much older than liste...

White Marble from China was referred to as Chinese Alabaster because of its grain and translucent quality. This small simple inkstone is both beautiful to see and to touch. There is a very worn rim surrounding the grinding surface and inkwell and 4 very worn feet on the bottom of the ink stone to raise it slightly off the surface.

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...

These early Qing dynasty cups were carved from coconut shell, and lined with metal which was originally coated with silver. The Chinese believed that silver would tarnish when in contact with poison. Many wealthy Chinese liked to use silver lined cups and chopsticks tipped with silver fittings was an assurance against poisoning. There are 6 cups in all but each has a slightly different carving and they being sold separately with each to be pictured under this one listing.

They are all in...

This antique carved wooden temple Buddha retains much of his original gilded paint. He sits on a tall base covered with the old Mon Khmer script which had been formed by scratching through the golden paint. The Buddha's head is topped with a stupa-shaped "flame" called usnisa, which symbolizes the realization of Nirvana. Perhaps that explains the soft smile and meditative expression on his face. He appears to be a Buddha from the Tai Lue ethnic group in Burma, the country currently known as...

This antique lamp was sourced from an old Buddhist Temple in Mongolia. It would have been used as a light source, commonly using fat but also occasionally using oil for fuel. The surfaces are rusted and corroded from centuries of use and weather, which gives the piece character and shows it to be an ethnographic artifact of cultures past and passing. Approx 8 inches wide across the rim of the base and approx 12 inches high. Weight is approx 4.5 lbs

Both the wooden front and back covers of this Buddhist Sutra book are hand carved with different symbols. The numerous text pages are beautifully written with rich black ink with specific words written in red ink. The book still has its original leather binding strap.

This Tibetan sutra book approximately 12 inches wide, 4 inches tall, and 2 inches thick. Though the pages are in good condition, the covers show years of wear and use and is a wonderful artifact of an old culture.