Catalog (113)

This antique Tibetan neckace bronze pendent has a cast bronze pendent with coral and turquoise beads. The pendent is suspended from a hand made chain.

This small Chinese traditional oil lamp is complete with the original hand-blown globe and cover. The base has several rows of ornate grillwork. The cover is engraved on one side with a couple. The other side has a poem. The chinese is old in both character and language and difficult to translate.

The lamp is only 5 inches tall and of higher silver content than usual for China at that time, which indicates an owner of wealth. I have cleaned off some of the tarnish in order to be able to s...

The only differences between this matching pair of Japanese woman's hair combs are the very slight details in the hand-painted design and the size and spacing of the tines. The finely detailed lacquer design was painted in 3 shades of gold. Unfortunately the minute details, flower petals and tree knots are hard to see in the photos.

Lovely antique copper pot with ornate reposse silver decoration from Tibet. Probably used for butter tea...Roughly 13 inches high...heavy gauge copper with a few minor surface dents commensurate with age...Rare and gorgeous

This Chinese ethnic minority hair comb was hand carved with scalloped edge detail on both sides. Many ethnic minority women would save the hair from ancestors and add it to their own hair for additional bulk...some groups would add bits of wool also to make the hair appear thicker. Combs were used both for combing and for hair ornaments. Carved from walnut wood and 9 inches long at the bottom

Such figures (twins beaded) were reserved for high status "royal" tribal leaders for protection. Heavily decorated with beads, bone and cowrie shells, this pair is 80 years old and have some kind of marking on the bottom. sourced out of Fumbane (foumban), approximately 12 inches high

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.

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...

Antique matching pair of bracelets, decorated with wonderful granulation work. The intricate post section has tiny "jewels". interior (around wrist) measures app 7.5 inches 7/8 inches high...not including clasp posts .5 inches thick One side of the post twists open to allow for easy on and off...I prefer to sell as pair...but will sell separately... $325 for the pair...or $175 each

very nice old beaded choker/armband in good condition. measures 2.25 x 13.5 inches

This shoulder bag was made and used by the Hmoung women of northern Thailand. It would carry all the traditional items which would have been commonly found in a woman's purse. The bag fabric was hand loomed from the indigenous plants and then embroidered using traditional cross-stitched with geometric patterns. Beads, silver ornaments and tiny pompoms are added for decorative enhancement of the bagface. This piece is in good condition.

This Many Westerners have been told that the Miao et...

This Chinese hair comb was hand carved from a beautifully "grained" translucent animal horn. Obtained from an ethnic minority person, the pair of ducks carved into the handle were commonly used by mainstream Han Chinese as a symbol of a long and happy marriage. Items with this symbol would often be gifted for an anniversary.

This elaborate woman's dress bodice is from Afghanistan, formerly Baluchistan. The fabric was first elaborately embroidered with an applique of thin strands of braids. Then it was heavily decorated with coins and beads.

This vintage/antique lapis lazuli beaded necklace has lapis stones which are both variagated in color and graduated in size. At each end of the necklace is a silver ball next to the barrel clasp. This strand of perfectly matched graduated beads measures 20 inches long.

Women of the Miao Chinese minority did not cut their hat...when the hair was worn "bun Style" on the top of the head, the comb would be positioned horizontally, with the tynes pushed under the "bun"...and the silver dangles would hang down...the actual "comb" is hand carved and covered with silver for decoration...

This antique Tibetan purse would have been used as a costume ornament during festival. It is decorated with silver and bronze fittings and coral and turquoise stones. Passed from generation to generation, and used extensively, this piece shows it age. Such purses would have held precious coins and the occasional flint but would not be considered as a Tibetan "strike a light" because of the lack of the striker plate.

This Yao necklace and matching pair of earrings have added beads and long silk tassels. Both are light weight and easy to wear. The earrings are hollow with the same repeated design pattern on the backside. The wire loop may be a bit thick as they were made to accommodate the large ear holes which are traditional for the Chinese minority groups. These loops could easily be changed out for posts or a thinner wire hoop.

For women of indigenous cultures, sewing needles were often hard to come by and considered valuable tools. Commonly, among such groups, cases were specifically designed to protect and safeguard the sewing. This particular antique silver needle case is from the Chinese Miao ethnic minority group and would have been worn by the women as a decorative costume ornament during festival.