Catalog (75)

For Girls Day Palace display 3 male attendants each approximately 4 inches tall

This short sword and matching scabbard from Bhutan is elaborately decorated. The knife handle or sword hilt has a leather cover which is detail with silver reposse and a coral bead. The wooden scabbard is covered with leather and is decorated with an elaborate silver reposse dragon. The knife blade is has a series of added symbols. The belt loop is also decorated with a series of silver objects.

This Bhutanese knife is unusually large, measuring 18 inches from the top of the handle to t...

This small elaborate Buddhist monk's medicine bottle is sewn into a larger pouch of burgundy homespun wool fabric with yellow/gold silk lining. When worn, the stopper would be securely held in the bottle by a system of handmade cords and bands. The medicine bottle would be worn outside the robes and suspended on the Monk's belt. These were used for both travel and ceremonies.

Finely carved and once elaborately painted, this antique figure was probably from a small shrine. Clearly used and handled over the years, piece still has some areas of original paint. Some residual of an inked signature on bottom. carving may be of a monk or other religious figure. Stands about 2 inches high.

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 Tibetan leather flint pouch (aka strike a light) is properly known as a "mechag" (me = fire , chag = iron) or fire iron. This Tibetan flint pouch is decorated with ornate silver and bronze ornamentation with an inset red bead which appears to be a replacement for the original bead. The pouch would have been secured to the wears belt with the attached leather strap.

This is large strike a light ...the strike plate spans 6.5 inches and the purse including handle is 5 inches high...an wide...

Ornate small pair of Japanese Girls Day display Emperor and Empress Dolls 4 inches tall... complete with hat, headress, fan etc...

This hand carved panel is from a Chinese Buddhist Temple erected around 1860. The panel is deeply carved with a scene which takes place at the foot of the sacred mountain. Bits of Mother of Pearl are inlaid into the mountain and is also used to highlight a few costume details.

This panel was used as an architectural element and has the mortise cuts in the top which were used to hold the panel in place. It is one of a pair of panels which were taken from the temple. The condition of this p...

Used by the bride for wedding this elaborate kingfisher feather crown is a very old and rare piece. The oldest kingfisher ornaments were made by glueing the feathers onto heavy paper. Metal wire was only used to attach pieces together. Both paper and the feathers are fragile, so not many of these old pieces have survived. This one is in average to good condition, some paper loss and some feather loss. It has its original long silk tassels and large glass beads though some of the small beads...

This small hand painted picture on cloth, called a Tsakli was used for Buddhist religious instruction and rituals in Tibet. The back of the card has Tibetan writing...Obvious condition issues...This card and others listed on this site were all antique cards when they were brought out of Tibet in the 60's...card is 3 x 3.5 inches

This Miao woman's jacket has hand embroiled detail collar, front lapel, and sleeve bands...background fabric of the body of the jacket feels like rayon but maybe silk...sleeves are heavy cotton... there is small hole 1/2 inch (looks like cigarette) on the back left side roughly 2-3 inches from hem... this jacket will fit a small woman... this style of woman's jacket is from the shidong area of Tia jiang. see drawing on page 55 According to the book "Clothing and Ornaments of China's Miao...

This antique carved wooden temple Buddha retains much of his original gilded paint. He sits on a tall base covered with the old Mon Khmer script which had been formed by scratching through the golden paint. The Buddha's head is topped with a stupa-shaped "flame" called usnisa, which symbolizes the realization of Nirvana. Perhaps that explains the soft smile and meditative expression on his face. He appears to be a Buddha from the Tai Lue ethnic group in Burma, the country currently known as...

This lovely antique bell is a traditional Ghanta, which is a Tibetan Buddhist ritual bell, sometimes called Dril, bu,and/or singing bell. Just over 6 inches tall, this Ghana is paired with the Dorje at the top of the handle, and the surface is decorated with an abundance of Tibetan symbols. This bell has the original clapper, has a lovely tone and beautiful patina. Bell is 6.5 inches (16.5 CM) tall

The Ghanta represents feminine power, wisdom, receptiveness, and the voice of the Buddha.

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 antique gau has a f...

This box would have been used to display sacred Buddhist Sutra or text book. The importance of the contents is indicated by the viewing windows on front, back, top and sides of the box. The exterior of the box is covered with black lacquer and over-painted with gold. It is painted red on the inside.

There is some minimal paint loss, which is to be expected in a piece of this age. 24 inches(60 cm) long 5 inches (12 cm) high

Henry Noel Humphreys, "Parables of our Lord" printed 1847, New York,D. Appleton edition. 2000 of these books were printed in 1947 and, of those, 1000 were printed with D. Appleton title page. Front and Back book covers are made of Paper-Mache boards covered with elaborately carved black plaster. 31 pages plus the title page are multi-colored chromolithographed, illuminated with each page having a different design. According to the inscription, this copy was a gift from Will, an "affectionat...

Old Chinese hand carved wooden mask depicting legendary king of old China. Face was gessoed and polychrome painted. 15 inches x 14 inches wide and 6 inches deep. some areas of chipped and worn paint consistent with age

Tibetan Buddhist monks Hand made folded paper with text and amulets. one side mostly with text and amulets on lower section. other side drawn amulet drawings with text This piece was from a collection gathered in Tibet in the late 60's..aged conservatively from the 1800's