Catalog (603)

This assortment of cosmetic brushes along with the small container was originally part of a large cosmetic set which would have been commissioned for the a wealthy Japanese bridal trousseaux. Many layers of the rich black roiro-nuri lacquer was applied and polished to achieve the deep lusterious tone. The brushes are accented with a 2 and 3 tone golden floral motif. None of the brushes show any signs of use. Though such sets were common among high-born Japanese women of the Edo and Meiji p...

The Chinese ethnic minority Miao are very fond of silver and would use any festival to display their ornate silver jewelry. This dragon necklace was used by a young girl child from one of the many Miao villages around the hills of Kali. The pendent is 6.5 inches wide, childs' size, but the decorative chain is long enough for an adult to wear. Because the pendent is hollow, it is comfortable to wear. As one moves, the necklace makes a soft tinkling sound.

This Tibetan talisman has a sealed leather herb bag hanging on each side of a small bronze sitting Buddha which is also displayed in a leather casing. The Buddha is depicted as holding a small bottle. All 3 pieces are hanging from a matching leather strap so that it could be worn around the neck of the individual.

The Zhuang are one of the larger of the Chinese Ethnic Minority groups. This is a rare old baby carrier from Yunnan Province. Because silk was not readily available in the rural areas, the use of silk as the background fabric indicates that this carrier came from a wealthy family. The central panel uses several colors of fabric appliqued into a large stylized lotus flower. Silk thread is used for the delicate satin stitched embroidery of butterflies and flowers. The upper border uses multip...

According to many Indians, this old juicer would also doubled as a pasta maker. With the carved animal heads on each side, and great aged patina, it makes an interesting sculptural artifact of India's culture.

Measures 12 high, 10 inches wide and 6 inches deep.

This adult female puppet is clothed in traditional Thai costume with a open shirt. All parts are hand-carved, tied and strung together, which gives the puppeteer lots of choices of movement. The face has eyes which can open and close independent of each other and the mouth can also be opened and closed. Head to toe, she measures is 21 inches tall and with the strings the total lenght is 34 inches. She is absolutely charming, and can hang quietly on a wall as an symbol of Thailand ethnographi...

From the Yi ethnic minority group, this antique Chinese container would have been used to store tobacco. The decorative cinnabar paint color draws attention to the gentle dome shapes of the lid and bottom sections, which fit together with a deep overlap. The worn areas of the cinnabar expose the black lacquer undercoat. As a folk art object, this tobacco container combines both the pleasing aesthetic craftsmanship and utilitarian need which shaped the daily lives of many indigenous ethnic gro...

This baby carrier is from the Miao ethnic minority of Qui Yang. Characteristic of the antique Miao baby carriers from this area, the surface decoration is composed of very tiny cross stitches which form geometric embroidery pattern which, to Western eyes, resemble snowflakes. Because of the time required to produce and the attractive appearance of this style baby carrier, they were used mostly for festivals and are now highly prized by both Westerners and Chinese.

This baby carriers is in ...

There are 3 pairs of serving trays in this boxed set of Japanese sushi trays. Each pair is a different size and color combination. Each tray displays the family mon or emblem on the front. There are 2 red trays, 2 red and black trays, and 2 all black trays. Being Japanese, the pairs of trays nest together a specific order to be stored in the carrying box.

The kiri wood box has a strip of wood on each side to act as a carrying handle. The box is 14.25 inches (36 cm) square by 28.25 (72 cm)...

This antique Burmese betel nut box contains matching serving tray and 4 small containers. The side of the box is circled with an excellent example of the Burmese schwezawa technique of gold leaf in a striking swirling chu-pan foliage design. The top has a lively chinthe, a traditional Burmese stylized "lion" figure with a vine and leaf foliage border.

The outer box is 7 inches in diameter and 4 inches high. Only the surface of the lid of the box shows signs of age from normal exposure to ...

This matching Japanese 5 piece set consists of 2 deeply footed shallow serving bowls and 3 small shallow bowls. The deep rich red/orange lacquer background serves to highlight the gold, black and gray landscape scene which graces the inside of each piece. Flying high overhead a gold crane surveys the pine tree and series of sacred mountains. The largest piece is 7 inches diameter, next piece is 6 inches diameter and the 3 pieces each have a 3.5 inch diameter.

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 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.

Needles were a valued woman's sewing tool and were carefully secured in a special case hanging from the belt. This Chinese silver needle case has 6 sides, each with a delicate repousse floral design. The bottom is weighted with a small turquoise and larger amber bead.

These antique Razors were brought back from China by the Baptist Missionary Rebecca Cloud Stewart. The blades are rusty but they are still sharp. One has a wood handle and the other has a horn handle.

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.

This rare ceremonial Chinese "lock" necklace is Hmong ethnic minority. Made from pure bouillon silver, it over weighs 4.5 lbs. The Hmong Ethnic Minority group range from southern China into Northern Thailand. This piece was sourced out of China to a dealer sometime between 1920-1930. In both Chinese and ethnic minority cultures, the lock necklace acts as a talisman and symbolically "protects" the wearer from ill fortune, much as a lock on a piece of furniture will protect the contents inside...