Catalog: Antiques (372)

Very rare hard wood charger with incised and colored flower patterns in the center, from Cambodia circa first half 20th century. D: 28.5cm/11.2in and H: 4.5cm/1.8in. Excellent condition- signs of wear but no cracks or chips.

Rare “spirit calling” bell from the Yao Mien ethnic group of Guangxi, Vietnam, Laos. This would be used in Daoist ceremonies by Dao Guang priests and an example may be seen in Jess Pourret’s book: The Yao, plate 570, pg 207. The bell is attached to a bear’s tooth and has a "sweet" tone. This a genuinely old piece, circa late 19to early 20 the century. Please see last enlargement for scale. Free shipping.

Very rare man’s ceremonial tunic from the Chin ethnic group, probably Falam Township, Chin State Myanmar. I would consider this an antique heirloom blanket between 1910-1940 finely woven from hand spun cotton thread and natural dyes. This incorporates the classic Chin diamond twill weft pattern as well as double side embroidery. W: 128cm/50.5in and L; 189cm/74.5in. This only one from this Chin group I have ever managed to collect...

Eclectic strand of spherical wood, cylindrical bone and wild boar's incisor tooth beads, from the Naga or possibly Chin ethnic group in Myanmar. Some of the bone beads have been dyed to resemble pumtek heirloom beads, maybe using wax resist method. These were collected in the 1980s and had some age at the time so I will date around 1960. Total L: 71cm/28in. Free shipping via Hong Kong Registered Airmail.

A timely and quirky soy brown glazed Korean War era chopstick holder with political slogans. The left hand column translates as “support your family and the Chinese military”, the right hand “oppose America, support Korea” and the top characters “increase productivity”. Possibly used in a factory canteen this is the only ceramic I have ever seen from this brief period...

Collection of circa 1920s antique, mostly men’s cheongsams. Please see text below enlargements for dimensions. These are all hand sewn with good quality silk, with no tears or frays or deterioration of the fabric or thread. A couple have some light fading on the shoulders and minor staining. They may be worn by either sex. Anyway there are 14 pieces in all > additional close ups and condition reports available by request,

Colorful hand woven beaded shoulder cloth from the Batak people, Sumatra. This piece is quiet lively and complicated with gold treads, and large “Rasta” colored diamond patterned warp embroidered bands. The “Dame Madi Hita” is Batak language and is embroidered on both sides of the center which refers to a blessing bestowed by the giver to the recipient...

Lovely double gourd, Dehua porcelain small vase, circa late Qing or Republic Era.. Please note the third enlargement the surface appears to be smudged, this area originally had a handle that broke of and has been polished down. H: 11.3cm/4.4in and D: 6.8cm/2.9in. A simple well balanced elegant piece, suitable for a sing rose. Basic stand included.

Fine old Shan Burmese lacquer box, circa early 20th century with one tray and depicting monkeys playing in foliate background. This piece is a real classic beauty (IMHO). There are a couple of repairs at the edge of the rim noted in enlargements as well as craclature on the surface and nicks around the foot. H: 19.2cm/7.6in and D: 22cm/8in.

Very rare late 19th century small lacquer box with a bird in concentric circles on both concave top and bottoms unusual simple geometric designs on the side. For a box of this age, it is in very good condition some loss to lacquer on the edges and bottom of lid. For the specialist collector of Burmese lacquer ware. D: 10.1cm/4in and H: 7.1cm/2.8in.

Nice old Cambodian “siri” box. This piece predates the Khmer Rouge regime and circa 60 or 70 years old. In good condition, this has an unusual 4 carved bamboo bands- most only have 1 or 2, so it is quite ornate There is no significant damage other expected signs of use and wear. In recent years Khmer lacquerware is making a comeback, however most of this is used for “home décor” export items, as far as I know no one is currently resurrected items for common household use...

Set of 3 “Socialist Kitsch”, porcelain brush pots with green Jingdezhen “China” marks inside the “bi” shaped footrims, circa 1960s-1970s. These all have the same mark and same dimensions H: 12cm/4.8in and D: 8.4cm/3.2in. Relatively good Jingdezhen quality porcelain, and simple polychrome decorations with revolutionary slogans. These were meant for mass consumption but amazingly little of it remains today...

Delightful Qing Dynasty café au lait glazed water dropper in the shape of a fish in a basket, it is quite heavy for its size and the brown glaze has a strong metallic patina possibly emulating bronze. Most likely from a Southern Kiln, in perfect condition! D: 5.7cm/2.2in and H: 7.2cm/2.8in.

Very long strand of made in Boshan, Shandong Province, Chinese wound glass trade beads 114cm/48in. Average D: 7mm/.25in. These were acquired in Northern Thailand in the 1980s, these should date to 1950 or earlier, the opaque white beads in the strand are Qing Dynasty. This type of bead was widely traded throughout Southeast Asia for centuries and amongst the Akha people considered to be heirlooms. Free shipping via Hong registered airmail. Great for bead designers.

Eight mysterious skull beads, these came out of China, and have a powdery white coating (I assume to give them the look of excavated items). These are individually made of glass and were purchased in Hong Kong about 20 years ago. Each bead is 15mm x 11mm. Free shipping.

Special Offer- free shipping! Lovely Japanese presentation or tea tray, made from a naturally hollowed out section of the bottom of a tree trunk “cat face”. This should be mid 20th century. I think it would make a stunning planter (see enlargement #9). D: 28cm/11in and H: 17cm/6.8in.

Lovely old Burmese lacquer box with a finely woven lattice work, insert lid (I assume to keep the flies off your “tiffin”) or used to sieve. Circa 60-90 years old, it is very thin and lightweight and the body is constructed of bamboo., I acquired this in a Pagan, lacquer shop about 20 years ago. Excellent original condition with minor lacquer loss at the bottom’s edge as to be expected from a genuinely old piece. D: 30.5cm/12in and H: 16cm/6.2in.

Very large Cambodian brown lacqered clothing box with beveled dome lid and rattan bindings. Nice old village construction circa 50 or 60 years old. Constructed from molded wood and in good condition except for minor loss to crenellated decoration around the base. D: 38cm/14.9in and H: 22cm/8.6in.

Beautiful old Nepali/Tibetan bamboo box with rattan bindings and metal chain. Bought this in Kathmandu in 1986 and it always been one of my favorite pieces. There are cracks on the outside of the bamboo, but none on the inside. H: 20cm/8in and 9.8cm/3.9in.

Wholesale lot of 100 pieces Jade Bi, vintage to antique Burmese jadeite. Diameters: 23mm to 17mm, hole diameter 6-7mm. These are untreated stones i.e., not dyed with original natural color. Total weight: 258 grams. These “stand alone” pieces and may be worn individually. Excellent for a “bricks and mortar” shop or jewelry designer,

Fine old Cambodian lacquered woven bamboo betel box. No damage or restoration other than natural wear, as to be expected. Any lacquer coming from Southeast Asia with no signs of use is a strong indicator that its new. Circa 60 to 90 years old. D: 21.5cm/8.5in and H: 9cm/3.5in

Exceptionally rare baby blanket from the Tujia weavers of Longshan County, Hunan Province, China. I have been looking for one of these for years and this is the first complete blanket I have ever found, albeit the lower two border panels come from a different piece. This incorporates the unique white tiger motif (see enlargement #3) which is believed to give the baby protection. For the Tujia the white Tiger is a totemic ancestor deity...

350.00 Wearable, rare Northern Chin, woman’s, ceremonial, embroidered skirt circa 50 to 80 years old, Chin State, Burma. All hand woven in two panels with a silk warp and cotton weft, and natural dye. There is some minor fading in a few places (doesn't look in real life as the photos indicate) but the condition and quality of the cloth is outstanding...

Classic heavy silk or cotton and silk blend fabric black cheongsam or qipao top with blue silk lining, circa mid 20the century. Perfect condition, and clean. Tailor made and all hand sewn. Dimensions in enlargements.

Tibetan yak butter tea “po cha” or barley beer “chang” bowl carved from burlwood, possibly Rhododendron circa 50 to 100 years old. D:11.8cm/4.6in and H: 5cm/1.9in, there is one worn chip on the edge. A charming old piece- difficult to find these days. This was not turned on a lathe, but entirely carved by hand.

Nice heavy Jadeite Bi with subtle green and lavender highlights. There is a crack running all the way through it, an enterprising jeweler could cut this in half and have two usable attractive pieces. D: 5.1cm/2in and 91mm/36in thick. 66 grams. Free shipping via Hong Kong international registered mail.

Heavy porcelain crackle glazed bitong with simple cobalt blue and copper red underglaze pattern. Usual rectangular shape. Excellent condition. Republic period or earlier. H: 11.8cm/4.6in and W: 5.5cm/2.2in.

Special Offer: Reduced from $500 to $300. Rare and unusual 3 paneled piled blanket from the Rawang ethnic group in the Kachin State, Burma. The ground is woven from hemp, the reddish head ends are dog hair .There are a few areas that have a bright colored commercial yarn but other than that, all natural dyes. In the red field there are some bits of missing weft noted in enlargements. This piece is circa 1950 (plus or minus), definitely old an old piece...

Beautiful old classic Lao shoulder clothe, all natural dyes with hand spun silk threads. I picked this up on my first trip to Laos in the mid 1990s, at the Talat Sao Market, Vientiane and would date this to the 1970/80s. The fabric is incredibly soft and supple and may be worn (it is amazingly warm) as a scarf or hung as wall art. It has a few loose threads on the selvedge but otherwise in excellent condition with no holes or tears. W: 38cm/15in and L: 243cm/8ft...

Rare, very rugged leather tobacco box from the Bai ethnic group in Yunnan, China. This was purchased in rural Yunnan at a Bai market, near Dali over 20 years ago. One can assume this craft is no longer being done with the availability of cheap plastic items as well as the migration of artisans to better paying jobs in the city. There are some tiny lacquer losses to the surface. I W: 9.8cm/4.9in x H:5.5cm/2.2in & 8cm/3.1in x 6cm/2.4in. Free shipping.

Antique wedding blanket, circa late 19th CE/early 20th CE, from the Bouyi/Buyi (possibly Zhuang) China. This is tightly woven in three panels, from very fine handspun cotton thread with a silk floss yarn supplementary weft “well” pattern. The black cotton lattice gives the overall pattern depth. The wide woven-in border has a “wanzi” swastika meander pattern that seamlessly transitions from the black cotton to silk pastel...

Gorgeous old silk brocade supplementary weft embroidered on cotton backing from the Mulao ethnic group, circa first half 20th CE. The foundation is woven with handspun blue cotton threads and silk weft embroidered, phoenix, butterfly and floral images against a “key fret” background. L: 109cm/42in and W: 68cm/26in (with cotton border L: 128cm/50in and W: 83cm/32in). A couple of worn “threadbare” patches and small tear noted in last enlargement, but overall excellent condition an...

Good semi antique, Timor ikat textile (circa 1960’s) with two crisp “rooster” (which symbolizes masculinity) indigo and white bands running the length of the cloth. Excellent condition- no damage. Natural dyes and hand spun cotton threads. L: 194cm/76 (not including threads at the end) and W: 103cm/40.5in.

Ensemble of 6 breast panels from the Khami or Mro subgroup of the Chin ethnic group, Arrakan State Burma. Antique 1950s or older. Sizes- L: 66cm26in and W: 34cm/13.4in (more or less). Condition as pictured.

Old embroidered jacket panel from the Miao/Dong ethnic group Southwest China. See image for condition and size, with abstract phoenix and floral scroll. Free Shipping

Nice old Lahu bamboo woven basket (there is some rattan used in the bindings), from the Golden Triangle region in Northern Thailand. This is a genuine ethnic/tribal piece and not made for the tourist trade. There is a carrying strap that comes with this but it is not woven into the basket itself. The basket is in excellent condition while the strap has some brittleness where it folds. H: 22cm/8.5in and D: 23cm/9in.

Traditional scroll painting of what I am assuming is the Chinese ideal of a courtesan putting her make up on in morning. This was painted in the year of the Fire Rat- 1936 or 1996. I would tend put this at the earlier date because the paper shows some age and this has been newly remounted, as well as the style is evoking feeling of a French boudoir. W: 33cm /13in x H: 72cm/28.5in- mounted W: 56cm/22in x H: 138cm/54.5in.

Early People’s Republic of China molded, green glass vase (emulating celadon jade) and in the style of a Han Dynasty Hu, circa 1960 to 1970. Although millions of decorative items were produced during this period very little has survived to this day, especially anything made of glass. This piece is “as new” condition, with the original label, no damage whatsoever. Today it is easier to find original Han Hu then one of these. H: 28cm/11in and D: 20cm/7.9in.

Old rattan/bamboo splitting knife used in basket making. The blade still carries a sharp edge and is still quite serviceable. L: 65cm/25.5 (blade is 18.5cm/7.5in). Good condition, the blade has some surface rust but is till sound and solid.

Beautiful pre Viet Nam War woman’s sarong from the Stieng/Xtiêng ethnic group Vietnam. Semi antique/vintage over 50 years old, all hand spun and woven. The center red and black panel is quite striking. Some minor old repairs on the selvedge and the stitches holding the panels together have unraveled in a couple of places, but otherwise no tears, holes or stains. L 135cm/53in and W: 66cm/26in.

Old embroidered jacket panel from the Miao/Dong ethnic group Southwest China. See image for condition and size, floral scroll. Free Shipping

Beautiful women’s apron style skirt from the Bahnar (Ba Na) ethnic group, Central Highlands of Vietnam. Woven from fine handspun cotton using all indigo and natural dyes. The weaving is very intricate and refined. This piece is has small tear at the corner (see last enlargement) and a couple of frays but otherwise excellent condition and dates to 1960 to 1970. Google Bahnar Bob Mc Kerrow to view photos of women wearing this kind of garment taken in the early 70s. Dimensions of belt without fri...

Superb antique lacquered bamboo woven box from the Lisu ethnic minority, Northern Thailand. This piece is in good condition with minute losses to lacquer but perfect woven body. Please view enlargements to appreciate the fine detail on this, also note that this double walled. L: 11.cm/4.2in, H: 5.5cm/2.3in and W: 6.5cm/2.5in.

Rare men’s loin cloth from the Northern Chin, Haka group Burma. Mantle of Merit: Barbara Fraser has a good write up on these, and has a couple of pieces dating to late 19th to early 20th century, she also writes these were rarely used after 1950 circa first half 20th century. The two end panels are different colors of which the lighter blue colored is original while the darker piece.. Made from hand spun cotton with silk patterns. A few small holes, the worst being noted in enlargeme...

Fine three paneled wedding blanket from the Zhuang ethnic group, Southern China. W: 90cm/35.5in and L: 148cm/58in (with border W: 134cm/52in and L: 190cm/74in. Woven from all hand spun cotton and silk embroidery threads. Classic diamond and star pattern with “wanzi” swastika meander patterns on the border, also incorporated into this pattern are a few “Wang” characters (Chinese for king), which may be seen in the lower left side of the cover image. The black border and backing ...

Early 20th century Gabbeh wide runner. All natural dyes about 6cm missing off the ends and one old repair. L: 262cm/103 and W: 103cm/40.5in. There is some simple Arabic script at the top, but I cannot translate it.

Classic long sleeved silk brocade cheongsam aka qipao. This is all hand tailored and hand sewn, definitely not off the rack. Beautiful floral pattern (lotus, chrysanthemum, and pomegranate blossoms) with foliate scrolls, this pattern can be traced back to Ming Dynasty blue and white porcelain. The zipper has come off the track other than that perfect condition. See enlargements for dimensions. Clean but could use a steam press. More dimensions can be provided for a serious buyer.

Set of Qing Dynasty silver repoussé Chinese child’s hat ornaments. Very sweet little collection of 5 Budai and a lions face. Budai H: 2.9cm/1.1in and W: 2cm/o.8in and lion face D: 4.4cm/1.7in. The lion face has missing enamel on one ear. Free shipping via Hong Kong Registered Airmail.

Pretty little antique white Burmese jade pendant, adjustable cord and free shipping via Hong Registered Airmail. H: 31.8mm and W: 19.7mm. Carved with bat, coins and lingzhi with splash of apple green at the bottom. Free shipping.

Qing dynasty Burmese Jadeite cylinder shaped toggles/beads. I am unsure as to the their original use, possibly seals. One is a little bigger than the other. 2cmx 1.6cm and 2.1cm x 1.8cm, 27 grams. Free shipping.

Large textile from Laos with a “void” silhouette deer pattern . The colored threads are silk, while the field and border are all handspun cotton, the border may be some sort of bast fiber as it is quite coarse. This piece is approximately 30 to 40 year old- I picked up it up in 2000, Vientiane, Laos. The border and backing has some staining but the embroidered panel is clean. L: 128cm/50.5in x W: 57cm/22.5in (without border) and L: 177cm/69.5in and W: 90cm/30.in (with border)...

A collection of four well carved lime or tobacco containers with incised designs. H; 16.5cm/6.5in- 12.3cm/4.8in.

Classic semi antique Laotian textile from the Tai Daeng ethnic group. This was acquired in 1991, just when Lao was opening itself for tourism and was about 30 years old at the time so this would date pre Vietnam War era. It is mounted onto a commercial Chinese chintz cloth border (looks original), made from all hand spun cotton and silk thread in the embroidery (except for the black pattern). There is one small repair noted in enlargements. L: 148/58.2in x W: 144cm/17.2in (without border...

Nice old well worn Qing Dynasty Shekwan green and blue flambé glazed pillow. 19th century- very nice impressed floral scroll and coin pattern unglazed ends. L: 34cm/13.5in and W: 10cm/4in. Here is an “amusing” Youtube video on opium pillows and their history from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for your edification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zOVd9LEabo&t=182s

Old Chin tube skirt, circa 1950, from the Khumi subgroup in Burma. although deceptively simple is really extremely complex; please note in enlargements that the reverse side of this textile does not show any of the pattern on the front. This is made on a backstrap loom of very fine homespun cotton with a beaded fringe along the selvedge. Some stains and a few small holes. L: 180cm/71in and W: 44cm/17.2in

Superb 3 paneled weaving from the Zhuang ethnic group in Guangxi Zhuang, Southern China. The body is woven from very fine handmade cotton thread while the weft supplementary embroidery is done with silk floss threads (the small blue indigo medallions are done with cotton). Quite a heavy piece because of all the embroidery. L: 161cm/63in and W: 100cm/39in.circa first half of the 20th century.

Fine example of Chin weaving from Myanmar, probably from the Khami subgroup. Complete front breast panel from the Chin State. All hand spun cotton circa 50/70 years old. One repair and frayed on the top minor repair (may be seen in image of the back). L: 67cm/26.3in and W: 36cm/14.1in. Free shipping. airmail.

Unusual collection of 6 old “prayer cloths” from a Taoist Master’s ceremonial robe (see last enlargement). For generic purpose’s these should be considered to be from the Mien group as they came from Vietnam and are circa 50 to 60 years old- woven from handspun cotton. They all have the same basic pattern indicating they are probably from the same priest’s outfit. These used to be quite easy to get about 20 years ago but now almost impossible to find. Dimensions- the larges...

Good silk textile with tiger embroidery- all the threads are silk except the black. This was acquired in 1991 and has been sitting in a box ever since then. W: 69cm/27in x L: 149cm/58.5in

Beautiful hand-woven hem from a woman’s skirt from the Tai Moei ethnic group of Sam Neua Province, Laos. This piece is only about 30 years old but the colors in the silk threaded center field are absolutely gorgeous. This piece is still sewn together and in excellent condition. H: 43.cm/17in and W: 59cm/23in (x2). Free shipping.