Catalog: Antiques (488)

This small Mongolian hunters flint strike pouch still has flint stone inside. Also know as strike-a-light in American Indian cultures, this hunters folk art implement has bronze tooled fittings. Well aged and in excellent condition...measures 4 inches across the widest part of the striker plate

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.

These were made by a doting Chinese grandmother in the early 1900's...Absolutely charming set of matching hat and shoes for young child with lots of intricate embroidery details. I will not break up this set....

This Japanese pipe case, aka kiseruzusu, and matching sagemono, aka inro, are of burl wood and held together with ojime cord and a sliding bead coral

Beautifully patterned horn chop with its horn seal box. The remenants of red ink indicate that this seal was used for official documents. The box has a slide top which closes tightly.

This Tibetan shrine shaped gau (aka prayer box) is actually a religious shrine. When not being worn as an ornament during festivals, it would be kept in the prayer niche of the family home. The back of the box slides open. Frequently, a special prayer i.e. sutra pages would be placed inside. The small glass window at the front displays a Tsa tsa, which is a clay statue of a Buddhist Diety. These statues were made only by the monks and considered to be a holy relic...

This Tibetan Priest's rattle is carved from horn and has a bone cap on the end. It was used by the Monk during ceremonial rituals and would have been shaken to ward off evil spirits. This horn was hand carved with many Tibetan Buddist symbols. All the edges are worn smooth with use and repeated handling.

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.

Being of both simple and elegant design, this small religious shrine is so typical of Japanese aesthetics. It is made from Cedar wood and dated on the back as "Showa, 2nd year, March 17. Approximately 5" high and 3" wide.

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

Really nice Meiji period wooden Japanese woman's box with drawers and locking cabinet section (sorry no key). Box has parquet decoration on all exterior surfaces, and original hardware. 12.5 inches wide 10 inches high and 9 inches deep...

The outside of this antique perfume bottle, from Afghanistan, is covered with silver metal which has a detailed, etched and fire polished design. The bottom of the bottle reveals it lapis lazuli interior liner...bottle is approximately 4 inches tall

This antique Chinese box would have been used during the Qing dynasty, possibly by a scholar or shop keeper. The bottom of this box has covered compartments for seals, chops,calligraphy brush, ink sticks and a built in inkstone. There is an abacus built into the lid.

The original hinge pin was lost and has been replaced. The box was made with large dovetail joints and from a hard wood of unknown origins. The outside is dirty and I have not cleaned it...

This 18th century Samurai stirrup has intricate overall floral pattern with inlaid silver wire which is somewhat obscured by tarnish. The raised footpad is red Lacquer and has wear mark in the toe area. There is a small break (and hole) in near the rim of the foot pad, which are commsurate with age and use of a Japanese warriors stirrup.

This antique type of metal work was common in Nepal during the 1800's and into the early 1900's. The birds beak is carved from bone which is dyed to color. The "jewels" are colored glass i.e. enamel drops of orange, turquoise and dark brown. Beak to tail tip the bird measures 3.5 inches and stands 2 inches high. Very good condition with one "jewel" missing on the side.

This is a wonderfully detailed silver needle case which was worn hanging from the belt. It has it's original long leather thong and silk tassel. Each side of the silver case has a central stone bead...one coral, one turquoise. The sides of the case (not pictured) have incised cloud/wave pattern. When opened, the case has copper with fabric arm to hold the needles. For indigenous and nomadic people, needles were an essential and valuable tool for survival of daily life...

This is a beautifully detailed Japanese lacquer screen with exceptional quality Maki-e work used to highlight the details. The front depicts a landscape shore scene, complete with a crab stretching upward, a monkey after the fruit in the tree, and the makers signature. The rear has 3 cranes in flight.

Excellent condition, no loses. 7 inches high and 9.5 wide including the stand.

This is one of 4 small individual antique Chinese carvings which I am listing separately. I had always assumed them to be 4 of the eight immortals but upon close inspection, I am now not sure which gods, ancestors or legends they represent. Each character stands with its own faithful foo type dog and carries an implement of some kind. Each has a peg on the bottom which fits into the own homemade stand.

This character stands 5.75 inches x 3 inches wide and 1 inch thick...

This Korean brush would have been used for painting and/or large calligraphy. The handle is an old horn of rich brown tones and a soft matte patina from use. The bristles are long and soft and show some ink residue close to the ferrule. It is a wonderful brush to hold

Very rare, this oceanic artifact was brought back by from New Guinea by a pilot sometime in the 1950's. The dog teeth and boar tusks are held together by hand twisted stings woven and interlaced tightly around the widest ends.

This antique toggle was sourced from China. I suspect that was originally from Tibet. The carved circular markings on bottom of 2 of the sides of the toggle are more typical of the ethnic minorities.

Toggle is almost 2 inches long and .5 inches x .5 inches.

The cabinet is dark brown lacquer possibly over-painted. There are mother of pearl inlay of very old Chinese calligraphy characters on the doors and drawer front... with no translation available. There is a copper/bronze decorative latch on the cabinet doors. This cabinet would have been used in a prayer niche and would have held religious objects 32 x 13 x 7 inches.

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 antique small iron mortar fits easily into the closed hand was used for grinding medicinal herbs. The pestle is attached with a hand made chain. Sourced from Maharasha, India...great aged patina.

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.

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...

Very old and very fine embroidered sleeve panels..satin and "forbidden stitch" (Peking knots) with antique trim border...some discoloration due to age... measures 11 x 22.5 inches

This rare Edo period antique Japanese round box has 3 tiers, lid and plate. There is a column of small Gosan kiri family crests down one side and another column of small family crests on the other side. The inside is of each piece is red orange lacquer. The box fits into the rim of a plate which was use for serving. The gold lacquer paintings designs are all very fine.

The box on the plate stands approx 9.5 inches tall. and is approx 5.5 inches in diameter...

Set of 3 Meiji Kanzashi, Japanese hair pin sticks, have deep black lacquer background with ornate swirls of red and black lacquer and inlays of abalone shells. 1 stick is 9 inches long 2 sticks are 7.75 inches long

An unidentified hard wood was used to carve this set of 4 matching wooden saucers. They would have been used for tea bowls and have traditional red/orange lacquer paint over a treebark carved pattern on the front surface. Each saucer was carved into a diamond shape with gently curved sides and are each was carved into a thin, shallow bowl shape. This is a rare and unusual set in very good condition.

Each piece measures 5 inches x 4 inches and 1 inch deep.

Ornately detailed Meiji period hard to find pair of imperial archers for palace display Girls Day Hina Dolls. 5.5 inches high to the top of the head...

Japanese Lady's Dressing Box Meiji Period. The front and lid are decorated with wood marquetry inlays.The doors have inlays of MOP and assorted stones depicting birds etc. Lots of drawers, original hardware..(sorry, no key) box is 17 x 14 x 7 inches. back and sides are painted black

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.

This Chinese pinafore style garment would have been worn by a small girl child of the Dong ethnic minority in Shui Kou. Fabric is handwoven from cotton fiber, hand stitched with intricate decorative applique work and hand woven snowflake pattern ribbon accents the border. No rips, no tears, and no holes...but this piece is old and has been worn and is a bit "dirty".... and still has its original ties. It is 14 inches wide and 21 inches long...great ethnographic textile for framing.

Carved from Rosewood, on one side, this Chinese toggle has a wooded scene with a horse and pair of deer. On the reverse side is the symbol for longevity. Toggle is 1.5 inches x 1.25 inches

This plain pot metal vessel was used to contain hair oil during the reign of Chinese Emperor Daoquang about 1850. Standing about 6 inches high and 3.5 inches diameter at the widest point, a woman would dip her comb into the oil before combing her hair. I do have an identical matched pair of these but am selling them separately.

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...

These antique Chinese hat stands are carved from an unknown wood. Their interlocking parts can be separated easily, so they may have been designed for traveling. They can be sold separately or in groups and used to "show off" your hat collection or as interesting artifacts of Qing dynasty culture.

The hat stand on the left side comes apart into 2 pieces and stands 11" high.

The stand on the right also comes apart into 3 sections with 2 pieces in each section. This stand is 12" tall.

During the Qing dynasty, carved wood blocks were used to produce the ancestor portraits which decorated the homes of many Chinese families. The Chinese translation of the term "ancestor Portraits" can be misleading to Westerners. These were not portraits of the particular family's ancestors. They were portraits of various Chinese officials, emperor, empress, etc. for whom the family wished to show respect and or allegiance...

This wonderful Edo period antique Japanese tobacco box is made of wood and covered with lacquer which is now seriously aged. In the middle of the lid is small sculptured detail. The box has the original cord and horn tip toggle, and still contains tobacco. Circa 1860's this box is 4.5" x 2.5" x 3" high. It is truly a piece of old ethnographic folk art from Japan's Edo period.

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...

This antique Chinese wooden carved pedestal stand with attached mirror dates is from the late Qing dynasty. This piece of furniture would have sat on a dresser or chest. The carving is high quality and begins at the base. The mid section carving displays a dragon and pagoda. The frame of the circular mirror has bats carved all around.

This piece has been held in storage by a Texas collector and is in excellent condition. The mirror is detachable and is held in place by tendons which slip...

This antique Mongolian belt evokes the image of Mongolian horseman galloping across the plains... The chain is heavily patinated from age and use. The deeply doomed central medallion retains the original stained dark finish and highlighted gold (unknown source) on the border and central decoration. This piece is heavy... the central medallion is 6+ inches across,3.5 inches wide, and 3+ inches deep.

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.

Hand carved heavy old wooden Quran (aka Koran) Muslin book reader out of Middle East, Central Asia. Reader folds flat when not in use and has extra arm separator for storage of additional pages. Good patina, some wear marks as expected in an item of this age

Out of Mongolia, this old leather tobacco pouch was made with a large button for hanging, long leather tassels, home made interesting decorative leather ornamentation...and hanging hook for removing old tobacco from pipe... Clearly old and well used: the leather is still playable. Great example of ethnographic folk art

Only a wealthy Chinese woman would have been able to own this rare antique silk headband. Decorating each side of the headband are mirror images of an ornament depicting a bird and using the prized Kingfisher bird feathers. Intergrated with each kingfisher bird ornament is a finely embroidered bird on a branch.

This Chinese golden colored Sha-green is large by shagreen standards...it spans almost 7 inches at the longest point front to back, and stands just over 3 inches high. The top clearly has some scuffs and loss to the hide, which for me enhance the beauty of the box. The box is hinged at the back and the inside is lined with leather.

This Chinese Double handled Cloisonné cup has its original blown cobalt blue glass insert... Old red wax seal on bottom from the 70's by Chinese gov official as being between 100 and 200 years old and therefore allowed to be taken out of China... see pic at bottom pic...1.75 inches x high 3 inches diameter of cup and 5 inches across includes both handles

This antique lidded container was made for jewelry or other small household items. Obviously hand made, probably by the original owner, it does have a few surface nicks from age and use. With a 5 inch diameter and standing approx 4 inches high, it is a charming artifact of Chinese folk art.

This lacquered leather pillow would have been owned by a wealthy family during the Qing dynasty. Each end has a hand painted floral design with Chinese "well wishing" saying.

This antique Japanese small drawstring fisherman's bag is woven from hand rolled cording using indigenous natural plant fibers. It would be used for carrying home the catch at the end of day. The bag shows some areas of staining and one small area near the bottom where a few fiber cords have split. these condition areas are to be expected of a folk art item of this age and use. ,,,,,

the bag is roughly 10 x 12 inches and has a generous amount of cording for adjustable straps.

This deep blue Japanese cloisonne vase is decorated with 4 panels. Two of the panels have a dragon against a rust colored goldstone background. The other 2 panels have a bird against a dark green goldstone background.

Vase is in very good condition, no chips, no dents, and no losses.

This antique Chinese lock has a nicely patinated surface and is is working order. Measures 3.8 inches across.

This 8" high wooden figure of the sitting Tenjin was carved during the Edo period, the mid 19th century (1850). Tenjin is the Japanese "god" name name given to the Japanese statesman and scholar, Sugawarea Michizane, the 9th century poet and writer of Chinese prose and verse.

Possibly carved from cryptomera wood and darkened with age, this carved figure has both a simplicity and elegance which are, for me, the major characteristics of Japanese asthetics.

This Chinese doll was made with a wire body covered with fabric padding and then silk clothing. His heads, lower arms and feet are made from some kind of composition material and then painted. Because of his wire construction, his arms, legs, and body etc can be carefully repositioned. The feet are wired together to provide a more stable base...it is a theory which frankly does not always work well.

This doll is approx 10 inches tall in standing position and is wearing a "raincoat" ...

Charming mythical creature from Nepal..head is separate and rotates in fitted sleeve...intricate metal work with raised enamel drops giving the appearance of stones...crature stands roughly 4 inches high...

This antique Dhokra depicts a large fish being ridden by 2 women and is probably representing some tribal legend or myth. Dhokras were made by the Kondh tribe of the state of Orissa India. The Dhokra, or small sculptures, were made as toys, ritual objects as well as gifts and talismans. They were much a part of tribal craftsmanship and culture during the 1700's and 1800's. Dhokras were made from a clay base with a net-like pattern and then cast in bronze using the lost wax technique. Be...

Floral embroidery in several shades of blue silk thread decorate this white silk sleeve band. Mostly embroidered with satin stitch, there is a rose embroidered with peking knots and high-lighted with gold couching. There is some slight discoloration on the white silk border which could easily be avoided in framing. Embroidered area measures 4" x 16 full panel measures 7" x 32

One of 3 pendants worn by bridegroom for wedding by Afganistan / Multan /Pakistan tribal group. The pendant is slightly domed and in very good condition. It is almost 4 inches across and 5.5 inches long including drops. I have hung the pendant on black cord for easy wearing as a necklace...