Catalog: Antiques (368)

Collection of four vintage/antique cloth printing blocks from Tamil Nadu, all in excellent condition, acquired in India 30 years ago. Large one: H: 26.3/10.4in x W: 16.4 cm/6.4in, elephant: H 12.2/4.8in x W: 14.7 cm/5.8in, round one D: 20.6 cm/10.2in and, small one H: 17.5/6.9in x W 8.3cm/3.2in.

Subtle nephrite “pebble” jade stone with original russet skin highlights, from Xinjiang. It has been polished on one side to achieve symmetry but other then that this is the original natural shape. This has a silver ring sp it may be hung on a chain. Untreated Hetian/Khotan jade is quite difficult to come across these days. Free shipping via Hong Kong Registered Airmail. L: 4.6cm/1.8in, W: 2.5cm/1in and thickness: 1.3cm/0.5in.

Magnificent lacquered basket with domed lid from the Karen ethnic group Northeast Thailand. The walls are constructed of strips of bamboo with rattan bindings and wooden base. The lid has one layer of woven bamboo with a tihck layer of natural lacquer while the lower half has a classic double layered wall with another coating of lacquer inside, which would have made this piece virtually water proof. Minor layers of lacquer loss in the interior, otherwise super fine condition...

Very finely detailed hand carved bone lime box from Timor, circa mid 20th century, with wooden stopper. L 10cm/4.1in. Included is anthropomorphic stopper from the Bataks near Lake Toba, Sumatra. They’re unrelated but somehow look like they belong together.

Good Qing Dynasty nephrite archer’s ring. This is a small size and may be worn on the finger as a normal ring. Excellent condition, no chips or cracks- one naturally occurring inclusion. Outer D: 2.8cm, inner D: 2cm, and H: 2.2cm. Free shipping.

54 old coconut disc shaped beads, mala. I acquired these beads in 1991 in the Barkhor Market in front of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. These have been restrung on elastic chord so it may be worn around the wrist. These are old hand made beads with beautiful natural patina. Each bead is Diameter: 14mm the entire strand is L: 225cm/8.8cm. free shipping.

Old wooden stand acquired from a US expat estate in 1987, this was made between 1950 and 1980. The legs are inserted. Minor natural “check” in the top, and this piece is sort of shaped like Australia (no extra charge). 14cm/5.5in x 10cm/4cm and 4cm/1.6in.

Women’s three paneled silk dress circa 1970 to 1990, hand woven from Bhutan. Minor fraying along one side where as well some pinholes and stains. L: 2.3m/90in and W: 1.43m/56in.

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

Very fine lacquer “siri” box from the Karen ethnic group in Northern Thailand. This has thick application of black lacquer and a fine naturally aged patina- circa 50 to 60 years old. There are two inner trays and is in good condition- there is one old repair at the bottom that may be noted in the last enlargement. H: 10.5cm4.1in and D: 9cm/3.5in.

6187 250.00 Very rare old Cambodian woven bamboo lacquered scroll box with a partial mother of pearl inlay design, circa early 20th CE. This is an unusually large piece in good original condition, some surface loss to the lacquer but no breakage on the woven walls. The body is still pliable, the lid is a bit scuffed- to be expected from an old item. H: 42cm/16.5in and D: 13cm/5.1.

Well made old storage basket, circa 1950s, acquired in Lombok, Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia in the 1980s this has been in storage since then. This has a slight trapezoidal shape to the lid and body. Excellent condition- no damage. Top- W: 24cm/9.5in x 21.5cm/8.4in and H: 9.5cm/3.8in.

Unusual Miao embroidered central panel, of a wedding apron costume. There is a coiled dragon in the center with two phoenixes above- surrounded with longevity characters, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures. It has a tattered calendered silk black border silk weft embroidered all the threads are handspun. The orange dye has bled into the white field some, so please see enlargements. H: 61.5cm/24.2in x D: 33cm/13in. Circa early-mid 20th century

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.

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...

Old embroidered jacket panel from the Miao/Dong ethnic group Southwest China, with abstract floral pattern. Avery lovely piece- the pattern seems to shimmer as if floating on a pond of water. See image for condition and size. Free Shipping

Rare complete lacquer tobacco box with trays from the Karen hilltribe ethnic group Northern Thailand. Next to nothing has written about this craft amongst the Karen people although they are known for their water tight baskets using lacquer to seal the weave. H: 9.5cm/3.8in and D: 8.6cm/3.3in.

Very fine, signed, men’s blanket from the Biboki, Feotle'u area West Timor, Indonesia. The the name of the weaver’s family, were woven into this. W: 114cm/44.8in and L: 186cm/73in, except for the yellow and blue lines this is woven from all naturally dyed handspun thread. Dating circa 1950 to 1960.

Rare early 20th century Yi minority lacquered box constructed from leather. I purchased this piece in a Bai minority, weekly market in Yunnan near Dali around 2002. I assume this is now an extinct craft no longer being done because of the availability of cheap plastic items as well as the migration of artisans to better paying jobs in the city. Very minor lacquer losses on the edge. Excellent condition. H: 5cm/2in

Two lidded jars with Qingbai and Jizhou glazes and terra cotta playing pieces. Not Song Dynasty but all hand made. The brown jar Jizhou jar has some discoloration. This white “stones” are 180 and there are 176 of the darker ones. D: 12cm/4.8in and H: 8cm/3.1in.

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.

Matched pair of late Qing Dynasty Beijing Milk Glass Bangles emulating Burmese Jade. These have an opalescent glow, with each having a tiny Jade green splash on the side. Made for the “poor folks” these are hand pulled- made from a straight piece, wound and quickly fused together. The glass has a lot of tiny bubbles (like a glass of champagne) and they are both in excellent condition. No chips, scratches or breaks. Outer diameter: 73mm, inner diameter: 55mm...

Vintage wooden stand made from boxwood .This was made circa 1950/1970. I acquired it from an expat estate in 1987. It was previously owned by an American executive who worked in Hong Kong from 1950s to 1970s. There is small bit of the tip missing- noted in 2nd enlargement, and the the upper part is a bit discolored due to being left in the sun for many years. L: 18cm/7in and H: 9cm/3.5in

Fine old Yao embroidery with Chinese characters, from the Kin Mun Lantien subgroup Yunnan/Vietnam. This piece is in excellent condition with no damage, but the indigo has “bled” and is circa early 20th century. It is made from all handspun cotton with an intense indigo dye. These are documented in the Jess Pourret book “The Yao”. Embroidered patch W: 14cm/5.5in and L: 20cm/7.9- with fringe 139cm/54in. Free shipping.

Lovely carved nephrite pendant with classic “cat on a leaf” motif. This piece has been re-carved to appear as the cat is sitting on a peapod (peapods being one of the myriad of Chinese symbols wishing one to have many children), but was really done to hide the damage on the sides of a larger leaf. This sill retains it’s essence of “kittyness” as she reposes languidly on the leaf. L: 7cm/2.8in. Free shipping.

Glass charm emulating white nephrite Jade inscribed with delicate Arabic verses from the Koran on both sides. This set is in silver with a copper loop to hold on a chord. I bought this in Hong Kong so original provenance is unknown- possibly from the Xinjiang, Turkic Uyghur speaking area. Jade was very popular during the Mughal period in India and I would date this piece circa 19th century. Excellent condition- no chips or cracks. L 5.3cm/2.1in and W: 3.4cm/1.3in. Free shipping.

Good Bhutan hand spun blanket. I bought this from a Bhutanese woman sitting at the bottom of the trail to original Tiger Nest, in 1995. Simple but stunning wool embroidered floral and foliate medallions. Made with soft wool (very warm), comprised of two panels, perfect condition. Width: 93cm/37.5in and Length: 158cm/62in.

Good early 20 the century Miao wedding blanket from Antai area, Guangxi Zhuang, China. The base is made from all handspun cotton with silk and cotton warp embroidered geometrical floral pattern and swastika meander at lower border, the entire piece is framed in a handspun indigo border (possibly original). There is one hole on the cotton border and minor fading in the center, seems to show up more in the photo than it does in real life...

Lovely Chinese basket most likely woven by the Zhuang or another of the many ethnic minorities in Guangxi Zhuang, China where I bought this over 20 years ago. This woven from split reed stalks and has a nice soft feel to it. This piece is quite old, 50 to 100 years (best guess). It has an unusual trapezoidal/oval shape and I like it for its sturdy simplicity. Minor unraveling of some of the weaves here and there but in very good condition given it age...

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

Finely woven Iban women’s kain skirt, circa 1940 with “eye of the green pigeon” and bamboo pattern, from the Kapit area, Sarawak, Malaysia. Fine and tight weaves like this, indicate that owner was from a high status. There is one repair noted in enlargements. This ikat is made from all handspun and natural dyes while the colored bands are commercial thread. L: 115cm/42.5in and W: 57cm/22.5in.

Super fine old wool pangden cloth- all hand spun wool and natural dyes. This piece is an exceptionally large piece consisting of 5 panels, circa 40 to 50 years old. I have had quite a few of these in the past and this is one of best I have seen.The weave is very tight and heavy and would make an excellent small blanket or throw rug. In the past these were worn by married women, but these days they are a fashion accoutrement for the modern Tibetan woman...

Rare and quirky Rawang/Nung small storage basket from the Rawang enthnic group, Kachin State, Northern Burma. Rough plaiting but quite charming, the top of the lid has worn through- only the second of this style of plaiting, I have encountered over many years. H: 28cm/10.2in and W: (at base) 16.2cm/6.5in. Very old.

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.

Two antique Indian charms from Tamil Nadu. The larger one is an Araimudi, in the shape of fig leaf and was by worn by young village girls to protect their “modesty”, the smaller one was probably worn as an amulet with a granulated image of a feminine deity. Free shipping via Hong Registered Airmail. Large is H: 6.3cm/ 2.4in x W: 5.3 cm/2in, the smaller one is H: 4.4cm/ 1.7in x W: 3.2 cm/1.2in. Big one is 31 grams and small one 15 grams

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.

Qing Dynasty, rare (no one I know has seen one before), silver amulet with a rat (definitely not a mouse). 2020 was the Chinese Lunar Calendar for the Metal Rat so this being a silver piece represents a full 60 year lunar cyclical completion this year. In Chinese society the Rat is considered clever, cultured, shrewd and intelligent although a bit manipulative (Mark Zuckerberg is a Rat). The reverse side wishes the owner “May you live 100 years”...

Hetian nephrite jade pendant with illegible archaic script incised on the surface. Cut from the edge of a jade boulder, this piece has a natural shape and “organic” feel. The russet highlights are attractive but artificially induced. H: 5.4cm/2.2in and W: 3.3cm/1.3in- 33 grams.

Beautiful small Qing Dynasty Ding censer with glaze emulating bronze, ideal for the scholar’s desk Perfect original condition, there are couple of small areas on a side handle where the glaze did not take- just minor firing imperfection. H: 5cm/2in and D: 5.7cm.

Quirky glass ring emulating agate. This piece came from China but possibly is a trade object. I acquired this in a lot of other ancient pieces. A conservative dating to this is Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and guarantees it to this period. There is one crack as well as some bubble burst pitting on the surface. Outer D: 2.8cm and inner D: 1.9cm.

Lovely spherical Ge type crackleware glazed Qing jar with very light celadon tone. There are some chips and cracks so please view enlargements. Authentic antique Ge wares have become very rare in the past 20 years, I was lucky to find this one. H: 7.5cm/2.9in and D: 9cm/3.5in.

Simply elegant wood panel depicting a bird perched on a rock beneath plum blossom in the background there are mountains and trees. The carving is in perfect condition with traces of original blue pigment- please note the delicacy in which the bird’s legs were carved as well as the bare trees beneath the mountains and bracken ferns at the bottom of the foothill (if you use your imagination they look like high rise apartments). W: 27cm/6.8in and H: 21cm/8.6in

Chinese ceramic Buddha, circa 1900-1930 (Qing – Early Republic). The iconography is quite unusual there is a seated Buddha image on the chest, standing Buddha image on the back, and another image of the Buddha in Parinirvana reclining pose. Overall a very intriguing piece, possibly meant for export to another Asian nation. Excellent original condition- no cracks, chips or frits. H: 15cm/6in and W: 9cm/3.5in.

Twin lotus pods on one stalk signify permanent and single minded love in old Chinese culture. This is Qing Dynasty natural Burmese Jadeite, the green color will not fade. Please note scale is metric. Free shipping.

Ruby red Beijing glass, Qing Dynasty snuff bottle. The neck has an old silver repair. H: 7.8cm/3in and W: 6cm/2.3in.Free shipping.

Unique clear glass Sino Tibetan image of a Dakini, most likely cast from a mold. Basically even with the usual clay images it is problematic dating them as the molds may be old but the item recently made, this piece has traces of compacted soil, surface pitting and wear, as well as small Ming Dynasty Buddhist and Taoist clear glass charms having been documented, I feel a circa 100 year plus is a conservative dating...

Clay “tsa tsa”, over 100 years old, with six tantric deities- there is one repair, noted in enlargements. H: 5.8cm/2.2in and W: 5.3cm/2.1in. Free shipping.

Fine and rare, large copper repousse and chased copper plate depicting a religious scene or narrative. This was acquired in Sri Lanka in the 1990s, the vendor said this was showing the life of Buddha, but the iconography suggests it is most likely Hindu as the central image is shown facing the left, sitting on a tiger pelt, set against a foliate scroll background. This could be representing Shiva with his consort Parvati and son Ganesh. Superb workmanship, circa 19th century...

Nice circa 18t/19th century high fired terra cotta Akshobhya Buddha in bhumiparsa mudra and holding a vajra in his lap with traces of original blue, white and gold pigments. This piece appears to have been excavated and the head has been reattached. H: 11cm/4.2in and W: 7.5cm/3in.

Genuine antique Shan lacquer box circa late 19thCE. Most Burmese lacquer being offered on the internet purported to be antique are vintage at best and new at worst. I acquired this in Yunnan, China along the Burmese border but of Shan (nationality in China). Although there is some damage the craftsmanship is exquisite which is why I put a grain of sand in a couple of the images to put the work into perspective...

Clay “tsa tsa” of a Lama, with traces of red pigment. Over 100 years old. H: 5.5cm/2.2in and W: 5cm/2in. Free shipping.

Mixed collection of old beads… as follows the silver beads are old Sri Lanka beads as are the two cut cobalt blue crystal glass, two Khotan nephrite natural pebbles, one bowenite bead and two old banded agates. Scale is metric in enlargements. Free shipping.

Qing Dynasty Jadeite fastener, stung on a macramé cord. L:4.6c7/1.8in, W: 2.8cm/1.2in, and thickness .5cm/.2in. Nice simple old piece, probably dyed (of the period) to emulate an earlier Nephrite piece. Some “flea bites”. Free registered airmail shipping.

Good Mandalay period Nat circa last half 19th century, carved from alabaster with traces of original pigment, this ha very expressive face. Nats are spirits were historic characters that became deified or associated with places and elements of nature. Their veneration predates the acceptance of Buddhism but eventually was absorbed into mainstream Burmese Theravada Buddhism. H: 22cm. there are few shallow scuffs but otherwise good condition. Please note last image is for reference: Myanma...

Late Qing Dynasty, most likely Guangxu Period porcelain vase with wonderful mountain and garden scene and two scholars playing weiqi. The mouth rim is cracked and is noted in close-ups. 23cm/9in height and 15cm/5.9 diameter.

Pair of matched naturally stressed wooden plaques with “couplet”, encouraging harmony and peace. Traditionally Chinese write to right to left so the meaning of the board on the right encourages one to “admit your mistakes to avoid trouble in the world” while the one on the left, encourages one to “be tolerant, to live in peace”. It has been suggested to me that these may be have been hung in an old Kung Fu studio as this would express the spirit of martial arts. The calligr...

Exquisite antique silver necklace, circa 19th century. Each tiny bead is hand folded into a geometrical shape, some of them still have traces of gold wash I doubt if this kind of craftsmanship can be done today. The hexagonal pendant opens up into a “secret” lime box, and the clam shell bead is actually a bell. Included is an ancient excavated garnet bead. Total Length: 87cm/34.3in. Small bead diameters are: 1mm-2mm/.04in-.08in. Total weight 60 grams. Free shipping.

Good Tamil, carved wood temple panel of the Hindu God Shiva manifested as Virabhadra, he is brandishing a sword and holds a shield. This was acquired in the late 1990s from a well-known Sri Lanka dealer and collector, from Kandy. This is a heavy (1.7kg), possibly Jack Fruit woodcarving. Very good condition, carved from a single piece of wood, the front of this piece has been lacquered but the back is untreated and has some bug damage and decomposition, but having said this it is stable...

Good Joseon Dynasty, 19th century stoneware cup/bowl with high footrim and pale greenish gray glaze and gray stoneware , this is a simple regional folk ware but has a pleasing almost celadon feel to it that needs to be held to be appreciated. There is some kiln grit in the cavetto as well as three minor hairline stress cracks. H: 8.7cm/3.5in and D: 13.1cm//5.2in.

Qing light colored celadon, crackle glaze plate circa 18th century. This has a filled chip with gold leaf. Nice cracquelure. The original owner had incised their name on the glaze, which I have highlighted with a bit of baby powder. D: 22.7cm/8.9in and H: 4.3cm/1.7in.