Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian (459)

This large Tea Caddy is made from a hollow Bamboo section. The cannister lid fits tightly in order to keep the tea fresh. This style caddy would have been used by a Chinese family of modest circumstances during the Qing Dynasty.

Great patina, darkened with age...a handsome piece that stands 10 inches high and 4 inches in diameter.

Early Japanese version of today's carpenters tool called a "chalk box". Carved from a block of wood, the well would hold cotton saturated with charcoal ash...this one has original wheel and string and shows that it has been well used....

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.

There are a total of eight signs, each with a different "saying" having to do with well wishes. Due to the age of the calligraphy, and the vagueres of the old Chinese language, accurate translations have not been possible for each sign. Each sign is carved out of wood with raised wooden characters and inlayed with MOP flakes. Each is 21 inches tall and roughly 4.5 inches wide. I have listed them separately, to allow for pictures of each

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...

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 long handled basket is out of Shanxi Province. There are the remnants of the original woven rattan "ring" on the handle which allowed the basket to be hung from a hook on the ceiling rafters...safe from rodents... Inside the rim of The outer basket, there is a smaller basket which allows for a separate food storage area... 25 inches tall and 10 inches wide at the bottom

This Chinese antique wood carving was possibly part of an architectural structure or possibly from a piece of furniture. The wood is approximately 1.3 inches thick and retains much of the original finish though it is obviously worn in some areas. The tradition carvings of 2 dragons chasing the pearl is very well done. The piece is about 5 inches high and 17 inches long.

This charming old Chinese headband was handmade for a small child sometime in the late Qing dynasty. It is one of the nicest animal headbands that I have seen, and it is in good condition. The cat's face would have been worn at the child's forehead and is 3 dimensional. Made with silk fabric, with silk thread for the elaborately embroidery, the face is complete with ears that flap, and side paws. Opened at the back seam for easy framing, it can easily be re-sewn to fit display stand.

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.

The black stone tile has mosaic inlay of mother of pearl Taj Mahal detailed with black pen ink lines. This Anglo Indian Victorian piece from the Raj era would have come from the Visagapatam region of India, which was known for its finely detailed black pen ink designs.

Pristine condition and very beautiful. Measured top to bottom and side to side 6 inches each way...measured point to point 6.5 inches

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...

This old Chinese Ethnic Minority inro is carved from animal horn and has 2 compartments. Each side is carved with a floral motif that is bordered with a key design. These symbols are especially meaningful to the Miao ethnic culture. The inro was worn suspended from the belt by a braided cord. It is a attractive ethnographic relic for the tribal arts collector. Condition is very good and the piece measures approximately 3.5" X 2

This antique molded gourd cricket case has a tight fitting rosewood lid. In China, during the Qing dynasty, crickets were considered household pets, and they were also used for fighting contests and, betting was a regular part of the fight scene.

This charming adult female Door of Hope doll is 11 inches tall. Her face is somewhat darkened with age and the lower fronts of her trouser legs are faded from sunlight. She has all of her original clothing layers. Her top tunic is a bit dirty in the front and has a small tear at the rear of the right sleeve. Yet, even with these "condition problems" she retains the quiet beauty which has made the door of hope dolls such a collectors treasure.

This antique pipe has burl wood bowl with silver filling (one ring missing) and a horn mouthpiece which has obviously been well used. There are a few short residual threads from what was probably originally a tassel. It is a wonderful ethnographic relic of folk art.

This pair of black silk lotus shoes date to the late Qing Dynasty. Back then, a woman's job was to make shoes for the members of her family. This woman was from a financially comfortable family with servants to do other household chores. Making this pair for herself, she choose a black silk satin fabric for the vamp and made an elegantly sloping sole which would accommodate separate inter changeable heels to be attached...

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...