Catalog: Antiques (488)

Beautiful old wooden Japanese serving tray with irises carved into the border. Meiji Period. 12" x 22"

This ornately hand carved hard wooden frame comes with antique Chines lithograph of the summer palace. The frame is approx 8.5 x 13 inches...

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 vamps of this lovely pair of Chinese Lotus shoes, aka bound feet shoes, are embroidered all around with butterflies and flowers. The soles are covered with fabric and leather...the heels are covered with leather which is nailed into place to call attention to the wearers movements when walking. Very condition ... one small rip in fabric at the back of one heel. Measures barely 4 inches.

This antique copper reposse gau houses a picture instead of a clay tsa tsa which was common for a family gau. when the family could afford to do so, the picture would be replaced by a clay tsatsa. Curiously, this gau also houses 2 amulets, which were typically provided by a monk. The paper is very old and I am told it is bad Karma to unfold the amulet...

During the Qing Dynasty, the feathers of the kingfisher bird were used to create ornaments for woman to attach to clothing and/or wear in their hair... Through the 1800's These ornaments were made and formed with heavy paper (light weight cardboard...) They had large areas of feathers and the edges of the paper form were bordered with gold paint...and the ornaments were often domed By the early 1900's the bird were becoming rare almost extinct ...so intricate and smaller sections of fea...

This antique Chinese cribbage board has bone possibly ivory insets for scoring and additional small carved insets for added decoration on a wooden board richly carved with ornate fauna decoration...evidence of 4 legs (missing) on the underside of the board

For centuries, before there was electricity, throughout Asia, Puppetry Arts were a popular form of traveling entertainment... A platform with a cloth screen, lit from the back by candlelight, provided the stage.... The shadow images were black against the white "background". Hence, the puppets had a minimum of color and only the necessary intricate cut outs for personality as they were sometimes presented to the audience with the "handlers" after a performance...

This old Tibetan pouch would have been worn for festival both for decoration and coins...it is not a flint strike...clearly it has been used (probably passed from generation to generation)...decorated with coral and turquoise...a few metal enhavcements are missiog...

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...

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

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

This pair of Chinese lotus shoes, aka bound feet shoes, have a soft golden color silk vamp. Each side of the shoes is embroidered with the same pattern, and uses satin stitch silk thread.

The embroidery pattern on these lotus shoes has always mystified me. There is a woman and an animal that is possibly intended to be a giraffe. I vaguely remember some bits of information. The Chinese first heard about the African giraffes from verbal and written descriptions...

According to my Miao friends, these coin purses were often made by a girl as a gift to a prospective boyfriend...and depending on where and how he wore the purse, it would indicate his feeling for her... they can be sold separately or in multiples 1 piece  $175 plus shipping  2 pieces $325 plus shipping 3 pieces $450 plus shipping 4 pieces $525 plus shipping

I was thrilled to acquire this rare Mongolian textile. Utilizing all couching embroidery technique on red wool fabric, it depicts 2 golden dragons chasing the sun. The condition of this piece is remarkably good condition for its age, showing 2 small areas of repair on the top corners. It measures 40" long by 18" from the top to the bottom tip of the tasseles

This small Chinese inro style container would have been worn suspended from the wearer's belt. It was hand carved from wood and detailed on each side with delicate decorative carvings of birds, flowers and a phoenix.

The piece is 2.5 inches high and 2 inches at the widest point. Because of its small size and shape, it was most likely used as an opium container. The inside has been carefully cleaned to avoid dog encounters at the airports.

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.

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.