Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (326)

A silver milk jug with coriander-leaf design and a cartouche in shield form, probably from Kutch. Unmarked, tested silver. Condition: small area with no design (photo no. 7), handle slightly bent. Dimension: 8.8 cm high, weight: 130 g.

A pierced fragment of an antique Tibetan or Nepalese torana, worked in copper repousse with remains of gilding and colors. Showing a caparisoned elephant with a snow lion on his back, lifting a deity riding on the mythical beast "sharabha". Condition: wear to gilding, slightly warped. Dimension: 36.5 cm high x 15 cm widw x 2.5 cm deep.

An antique heart-shaped midnight blue satin silk pouch finely embroidered on both sides with two stylized dragons around a "shou" character in Peking knot. Cotton lining, inner rim with paper residue. Condition: few loose threads and little traces of usage. Dimension: purse: 9 cm x 9 cm.

A pair Japanese hairpins in the fluttering style, worked in silver alloy and having attached metal strips. Showing beautiful peony flowers, one with tiny coral beads forming the center. Ending in a mimikaki (ear spoon). Condition: missing metal stripes, professional cleaning needed. Dimension: 16.9 cm long x 4.5 cm wide.

A carved female mask netsuke showing Okame. Unsigned. Back partially covered with black lacquer. Provenance: a gentleman's collection, Geneva - Switzerland. Condition: few tiny rim chips. Dimension: 4.1 cm x 3.6 cm.

A finely carved female mask netsuke, showing Otafuku or Okame. Unsigned. Provenance: a gentleman's collection, Geneva - Switzerland. Condition: fine. Dimension: 4.8 cm x 4.1 cm.

A pair antique lobed brass vases decorated with interlacing patterns, tendrils and Islamic calligraphy, inlaid in silver and copper. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: c. 29.1 cm high.

A rare writing box made of papier-maché with polychrome and gold decoration under a lacquer varnish showing different Hindu gods as Hanuman, Krishna etc. Condition: traces of usage, wear, lacquer and further small losses, some cracking. Dimension: c. 28.5 x 9.5 x 7.7 cm.

A Kashmir papier-mache vase with polychrome and gold lacquer decoration in the Mughal style. Showing couple of birds on a mille-fleurs ground or a golden feather pattern, framed by a mihrab border. The sides with two small handles in the shape of tiger heads. Condition: some chips and losses to the lacquer. Dimension: c. 22.8 cm high.

A small Japanese earthenware vase beautifully decorated with fruit basket and flowering branches in thick enamels and gold. Unsigned. Condition: tiny enamel loss (basket). Dimension: c. 14.3 cm high.

Nine small brass weights originating from the African Gold Coast. The top decorated with different geometric ornaments as spirals, waves, swastika - one in the shape of a pyramid. Used for weighing gold dust which for centuries was the currency of the region. Condition: fine. Dimension: pyramid: 2.7 cm x 2.8 cm x 2 cm.

Two small dress fabric fragments with stripes. The first one made of silk satin woven with tiny flowers. The other one with five differently colored stripes brocaded with silver wrapped threads. From Georges Redard's study collection (please visit http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/redard-georges), mainly comprising Persian textiles. Condition: partial wear and one stain. Please look at photos carefully, being part of condition report. Dimension: c. 25 cm x 25.5 cm, 21.5 cm x 18.5 cm.

A cover composed of several pieces, lined with green fabric. Blue ground with brocaded boteh pattern in metal wrapped threads. Provenance: a gentleman's collection, Geneva - Switzerland. Condition: wear - mostly only the yellow silk core left. Short parts of selvages undone, one small mend, two small holes, few thin areas . Dimension: 92 cm x 125 cm.

A bulbous holy water vessel for sacred Ganges water used by pilgrims. Made of brass and copper, decorated with six avatars (incarnations) of Vishnu. Made in the technique known as "ganga-jumna" referring to the two great rivers of North India. From a Swiss lady's private collection. Condition: small quite invisible dents. Dimension: 13.4 cm high.

An Iranian tinned copper plate, of saucer form. Chased decoration of calligraphic cartouches. Base with maker's mark. Condition: some traces of usage, rubbing to tinning, slightly warped. Dimension: diameter 26 cm, 4.2 cm high.

An assemblage of a figural Baluchari silk sari end panel fragment, showing two nobles on a strange vehicle, dating around 1800. Edged with a yellow Kashmiri or Persian wool shawl fragment, embroidered with boteh pattern. Once framed and possibly sold as souvenir. Mounted on cardboard. Condition: faded, some losses and stains. Dimension total: 25.4 x 20.2 cm.

A square composite panel made of antique embroideries from the Greek islands (Ottoman Empire). The basic fabrics are different plain cotton weaves, embroidered with silk or wool and metal wrapped threads. Traces of former mounting, maybe as a pillow cover. Condition: one hole (see photo no. 4), some slits, some missing threads, little faded. Dimension: 51 cm x 52.5 cm.

A Qajar sherbet spoon carved from light wood, made in two parts with pierced handle joined to the boat-shaped bowl-section by a socket. The rhomboid handle with dragons, nightingales and the sun motif, embellished with gold paint. Please visit the "Victoria & Albert Collections" for further information and examples. With (Swiss) collection label. Condition: fine, only bowl rim with a tiny chip. Dimension: 29.8 cm long x 6.4 cm wide.

The exterior chiselled and engraved, the neck with a band of nasta'liq inscription and the body with lattice containing flowerheads. Quatrefoil with owner's or maker's name. Condition: traces of usage, rubbing to tinning. Dimension: diameter: 28.5 cm, 15 cm high.

A repoussed Persian copper bowl of squatted round form. The etched and engraved decoration comprising calligraphy cartouches, a band with split palmettes and flower heads and figures at leisure. Condition: some traces of usage. Dimension: diameter: 13.5 cm, 7.4 cm high.

Indian demon chaser mask in bronze repousse from Karnataka in five parts: head, headband, ears and a tube within the head to permit the mounting on a pole. Backside with red paint. Please refer for a quite identical mask to: "Ritual Bronzes of Maharashtra and Karnataka" by Leo S. Figiel, M.D.: Fig. 7-65. Condition: traces of usage, back part of the head and headband with some dents. Dimension: 26.2 cm high.

A leather or skin bag with original wonderfully cast brass fittings, both ends of the chain in the form of a singha head, the mythical beast, totem for all Batak People. Shamans "datu" kept magical substances in these bags. Please compare to the "salipi" in the collection of the "Musee du Quai Branly" in Paris. Condition: wear to leather and few small holes. Dimension: leather bag: c. 30 high x 31 wide x 10.8 cm deep, chain: 2 x 44 cm long.

An elegant double-bell shaped Indian spitoon made of zinc alloy, decorated with poppy motifs, inlaid in silver. Condition: few inlay losses (see first and photo No. 11 and 12). Dimension: c. 15.3 cm high, diameter: c. 12.1 cm, weight: 1020 g.

A round shaped silver lingam box (ayigalu or shivadhara) with its original chain. A neck amulet once worn by a wealthier lay member of the Lingayat sect in South India. Markings. Here without jangama lingam. Condition: traces of usage. Dimension: amulet: c. 6 cm wide x 4.1 cm high, chain: total length: 54 cm, weight total: 97 g.

Four wonderfully executed oval Indian paintings of Mughal rulers in gouache and gold on paper. Framed behind glass in a gilt wooden frame, in France in the 19th century. The passe-partout with handwritten titles as: "Shah Ichan" (Jahan?), "Shah Alum" (Alam), "Azime Shah" and "Miran Shah". Reverses with the label of the framer. Condition: the frames with traces of usage and age and small losses, one frame damaged. Dimension: portraits: c. 9.5 x 7.5 cm, frames: 24 x 20 cm.

A small belt hook carved from pale celadon colored jade with white and grayish mottling. One side ending in a dragonhead with bulging eyes, the underside with an oval disk for attachment. Condition: one eye chipped. Dimension: 7.1 cm long, weight: 30 g.

Two small Chinese fine paintings in ink and colors on silk. One depicting a female warrior, maybe Mulan, the other with a Chinese Beauty. Mounted in gold lacquered wood frames. Condition: fine. Dimension image: 17.2 cm x 8.6 cm, frame: 23 cm x 15.3 cm.

Five 19th century Chinese School export paintings showing a torture, punishment or execution scene. Painted with watercolor on peepal leaf, fixed with an iridiscent glaze, individually framed in a later red lacquer frame. Condition: fine, few traces of usage. Dimension: frame: c. 19.3 x 16.5 cm, leaf: c. 14 cm high.

A curved brass box with hinged lid and a small locking clasp. Beautifully decorated with interlacing patterns, tendrils and Islamic calligraphy inscriptions, inlaid in silver and copper. The interior with wood lining. Condition: fine, few traces of usage. Dimension: c. 14.6 cm long x 8.5 cm high x 8.5 cm wide, weight: 570 g.

Four unmounted vintage albumen photographs dating from the 1880's in Burma (British India). Three showing historical buildings in Mandalay and one with two Burmese boats. Condition: some fading, one print with a small tear, wavy. Dimension: approx.: 18 cm x 26 cm.

Small Indian deity cast in bronze with a high copper content depicting the dancing god Krishna as a child holding in one hand a butter ball. Condition: patina, traces of usage, rubbed. Dimension: 8.3 cm high.

A pair of framed oval miniature Chinese School export oil paintings, each showing a Chinese boat at sea. Mounted in antique gilt wooden frames. Condition: fine, frames with Little wear. Dimension: paintings: 8.3 cm x 6.5 cm, frames: 25 cm x 22 cm.

A beautiful square cover embroidered in silk threads with botehs and volutes. The ground fabric is a block printed twill weave, edged with a silk velvet border. Cotton lining. Condition: few tiny thin areas, few missing and loose threads, Little faded, lining with stains. Dimension: c. 77.5 cm x 75 cm.

A Japanese sashi netsuke carved from stag antler, depicting the mythical Chinese fisherman Ashinaga with his long legs. Natural himotoshi (cord hole) between his right arm and chest. Condition: nice patina. Dimension: 13.5 cm long.

An assemblage of a figural Baluchari silk sari end panel fragment, showing three European men riding on a railway coach, dating around 1800. Edged with a Kashmiri wool shawl fragment. Once framed and possibly sold as souvenir. Mounted on cardboard. Condition: faded and few tiny stains, border with few small losses. Dimension total: 30.6 x 25.3 cm.

A small stemmed plate made of brown clay, painted with floral scrolls in enamels. Condition: a restored crack (see photo nos. 3 and 11), rim with enamel losses and a chip. Please look at the photos carefully they make part of the condition report. Dimension: diameter: 12.3, 4.8 cm high.