Catalog (495)

Quirky Cizhou type, heavy, completely black glazed, waisted beaker from circa Ming Dynasty. Possibly this was used in a Chinese Apothecary, but this is just a best guess to its function. The hole on the bottom was made prior to firing and is part of the original design. Lovely thick glaze and aside from a couple of chips on the outside of the foot, in very good condition. H: 13cm/5.1in- width at base : 8.7cm/3.8in and width at mouthrim : 11cm/4.3in.

Beautiful black ovoid jar with some small russet speckles and streaks. This piece is in perfect condition with a near black glaze, from a Northern Kiln (most like Shanxi 山西 or Henan 河南), and dating to the Northern Song/Jin Dynasties. D: 14cm/5.5in and H: 10.5cm/4.1in.

Special Offer- Reduced from $1400 to $800. Stunning Northern Song black glazed jar with russet streaks in perfect original condition, from a Henan kiln. D: 10.3cm/4in and W: 6.8cm/2.7in. Stunning Northern Song black glazed jar with russet streaks in perfect original condition, from a Henan kiln. D: 10.3cm/4in and W: 6.8cm/2.7in.

Charming Cizhou style ceramic pillow as a cat, circa late Qing to Republic period in perfect condtion! Great expression- captures the way a cat can gaze so intently at something while appearing calm- as if it is about to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. The Victoria and Albert have one in their TT Tsui Gallery and the Tianjin Porcelain Museum has one on display as well. L: 31cm/12.2in, H: 15.5cm/6.1in and W: 11.5cm/4.5in

Beautiful large Cizhou type black glazed reddish clay, stoneware jar with vivid russet splashes, circa Yuan/Ming Dynasty 1100/1400CE. This has a strong iridescent paraffin surface patina. A few chips under the lip the mouthrim, and craquelure (these are surface glaze cracks only and do not go into the body0 please examine enlargements. H: 38cm/15in and D: 33cm/13in. Free shipping via surface mail.

Jin or Yuan Dynasty Cizhou type bowl with black and russet glaze, from a northern kiln. Broken and glued back together (obviously). This has a broad indented lip on the rim. D: 6.7cm/6.8in and H: 7.1cm/2.8in.

Northern Song vitreous glazed over white slip Cizhou jar. Nice ivory toned piece emulating Ding ware. There is a simple repair on one side of the body which is pointed out in photos and chip on mouth rim. Dimensions: 13cm/2.9in width and 9.5cm/3.7in height. This from a Northern Kiln most likely Henan, or Shanxi.

These books sell for $400. ea so I am offering both volumes for $400 only. Both in excellent condition. This is a tool book for researching and collecting Huaqian(a special kind of money which is not for circulation, it is of collection value today ), covering 3000 kinds of Huaqian from Han dynasty to the Republic of China period, most of which are from China, some are from China's neighboring countries. The book gives rating and price to each Huaqian, there are also some brief intr...

Vintage clear cloisonné lidded box, employing the plique-a-jour technique, lovely muted pastel colors with a “pierced” lid, most likely meant to be a potpourri to put scented herbs and flower petals in. This is a complicated and time consuming craft- please note that the bottom is cloisonné as well as having some curvature to the lid - it would have been much easier just to give it a copper bottom and making the lid flat. Excellent condition, with no damage or dents- this has some ...

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.

Special offer: 4 Tang Dynasty terra cotta statues, all have had repair i.e. heads glued back on- (two are not the original heads). The amber glazed figure has the original sancai glaze though not very shiny. Dimensions note in enlargement text.

Beautiful commemorative medal, designed by Martin Holtzhey for William IV, Prince of Orange (1711-1751) and Princess Anne (1709-1759), celebrating the birth of Prince William V of Orange, Silver Medalet, 1748, , conjoined busts right, rev angel with infant child, 24mm. Free Shipping.

Complete set of 16 volumes set. These sell for between $1000USD and $2000.USD online my price $600 Excellent condition. These will have to be sent in two shipments since combined weight exceeds the 30kg limit allowed by most countries- so EU countries only allow 20kg. Surface post would be aroubd $300. Depending where you live. ISBN: 9787030202550 This unparalleled reference work offers an overview of ceramics from China. The 16 volumes are arranged by region and contain high quality i...

Mixed lot of lovely ungraded undyed coral polished branches of angel skin, pink and red coral etc. I acquired these in a Hong Kong Auction from a jewelry factory going out of business. 96 grams and 130 pieces. See last enlargement for scale metric scale. Free shipping via Hong Kong Registered Mail. Some have holes but most don’t.

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. Lasting only 10 years the Cultural Revolution was one of the most importa...

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. Having circumambulated the Jokhang on many occasions mainly to check out the B...

Unusual grey pottery jar from the syncretic Buddhist Dali Kingdom circa 982CE–1253CE, which was located in present day Yunnan. The Dali State was not fully absorbed into the Chinese Empire until the Ming Dynasty, although it did accept Mongol control and were by and large allowed to manage their own affairs as long as they contributed soldiers. This jar has mysterious animal appliqued faces well as Buddhist images set against peepul tree leaves (Bodhi Tree). This is in good condition wit...

Lovely Iban woman’s skirt from the Kapit region in Sarawak, circa 1940-1950. The broad center field is woven from handspun cotton and natural dyes. The red use in this is particularly rich. The narrow bands on the side are made of commercial thread and dye. This has a Bangit fruit pattern, which signifies “abundance”. There are a few minor frays and inevitable “pinholes”, but IMO the condition is good. L: 102cm/40in and W: 52cm/20.5in. Bought this about 20 years ago in Kuching. ...

Good antique storage basket from the Bidayuh people of Sarawak. The lid is made from the skin of a sambar deer while the basket plaiting is rattan and the inside is lined with bark. I purchased this Kuching, Sarawak in 1988, and it was old at the time, so it's 38 years older now. There is a hole in the lid as well as some loss to the bark lining- please examine enlargements. H: 5ocm/19in and D: 35.5cm/14in.

Women’s jacket from the Dong minority in Longsheng Terraces, Guangxi Zhuang, China. The black outer cloth is commercial denim, the lining is handmade indigo cotton with a beautiful purple hand embroidered panels on the back and upper sleeves. Some damage (please examine enlargements) but repairable or very wearable as is. Chest width 50cm/19.5in, total end to end arm length 153cm/61in and shoulder to bottom height 72cm/28.3in. Held to together by a hand woven ribbon it is a bit �...

Good Cizhou type high fired, well balanced, ovoid soy glazed with russet highlights jar from a northern kiln, circa- Five Dynasties to Northern Song. There is a possible chip on the outer mouthrim (see enlargement)- difficult to tell if this happened after firing or before. There are remnants of kiln supports on the concave foot. H: 9.6cm/3.8in and D: 10.3cm/4in.

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. The two crossed flags are quite unusual- on the left you have the standard PRC flag but the left is repr...

Painting signed Fang Zhaoling , (yes this is an emulation), dimensions are 85cm x51cm , with mounting L:225cm/88in and W:73cm/28.8in. Fang Zhaoling (Chinese: 方召麐, 17 January 1914 – 20 February 2006), also known as Lydia Fong, was a Chinese painter and calligrapher. She a led fascinating and turbulent life eventually settling in Hong Kong in 1948. Her daughter Anson Chan. The painting is well mounted on a traditional scroll.

Painting signed Fang Zhaoling , (yes this is an emulation), dimensions are 87cm x95cm , with mounting 215cm/84in and W: 112cm/44in Fang Zhaoling (Chinese: 方召麐, 17 January 1914 – 20 February 2006), also known as Lydia Fong, was a Chinese painter and calligrapher. She a led fascinating and turbulent life eventually settling in Hong Kong in 1948. Her daughter is Anson Chan. The painting is well mounted on a traditional scroll.

Impressive large standing wood sculpture of He Xiangu何仙姑- the only women in the pantheon of the Eight Chinese Immortals. This is at least Qing dynasty possibly earlier originally she would be holding a lotus in her hands. Once source describes her as being “the Patron Saint of Housewives”. Height: 97cm/38in and has a lovely benevolent expression. Condition as pictured, there is a dedication niche on back but the contents have been removed.

Finely detailed woman’s full length three paneled tube sarong from Ende, Flores Island, Indonesia. I bought this in 1988, this was used when I bought in Ende and has remained in storage since then. All natural dyes and handspun, hand woven cotton. Pristine condition with soft and comfortable weave. W: 150cm/59in and L: 1400cm/55in.

Beautiful, unopened, three paneled, semi antique, woman’s sarong from Flores Island (probably Ende), Indonesia. Circa 1950 +/-. All hand spun and woven cotton and natural dyes. Very soft and in perfect condition. The incorporation of indigo dyes is quite subtle giving it the depth. L: 142cm/56in and W: 158cm/60in. Free Shipping

Charming votive folk embroidery, from the Saurashtra area of Gujarat, made by the Kanbi farmers caste, circa 50/60 years old. The two ply field is woven from all hand spun rough cotton thread; hand dyed silk thread and small glass mirrors. Ganesh is flanked by two female consorts and his “vehicle” of mice beneath him. These are brought out during religious and auspicious festivals, he traditionally has been viewed as the remover obstacles. Excellent condition. W: 54cm/21.1in and H: 56cm/22in...

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.

Lovely vintage ge type glazed wine cup, circa mid 20th century (not new, but not too old), most likely from Fujian or Guangdong. D: 9.5cm/3.8in and H: 5cm/2in.

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.

Thai gold and silver foil repousséd Buddha, circa 14th-16thCE late Sukhothai or early Ayutthaya. Some restoration- please view enlargements. H: 7cm/2.8in x W: (base) 4.3m/1.6in. Provenance: Bonham’s, Sidney Australia, Dec 7, 2022, lot 136, previously Soo Tze Orientique, Melbourne, Sept. 6, 1991. Free shipping.

Delicate small porcelain Buddha with gilt glaze and a beautiful expression on his face- produced in the 2nd half of the 20th century from Jingdezhen- there is an apocryphal Qianlong mark in seal script on the back, perfect condition! H: 9cm/3.5in and W: 5.5cm/2.in.

Late 20th century emulation of a Song Dynasty of Guan Yao glazed vase. If you don’t have $2000,000 for an original this the nest best thing. Excellent condition with fine celadon glaze and well potted. H: 21cm/8.2in and D: 14cm/5.5in.

Large Chinese traditional mounted silk scroll, temple stone wall rubbing of a “Thousand Armed Guanyin” Goddess of Mercy. Mounted H: 236cm/92in and W: 111cm/43in, actual painting. H: 178cm/70in x W: 96cm/38in.

Very rare pair of pottery bears. The meaning of bears of during Han Dynasty is somewhat enigmatic, as they are “everywhere” in their material culture i.e., bronze, jade and pottery, but what they signify remains unexplained. Usually they are depicted in a friendly almost cute Winnie the Pooh (ish) fashion, lacking in ferocity like dragons and tigers. Only during the Han did they reach such ubiquity. Both have an amber colored vitreous glaze and appeared to be mostly hand carved. Ther...

Rare pair of three legged, brown glazed pottery barbeque grills. The Han Dynasty was unique in making replicas for cooking in the afterlife. These two pieces are in excellent condition with very minor fritting and no damage; please note that there is still a bit of the original soil it was excavated in stuck to the surface, with a bit of patience this can be cleaned off. The food items on the grill are cicadas and fish. I don’t know if they actually cooked and ate cicadas, but they have al...

Elegantly simple burnished high fired pottery cup from Warring States to Early Han Dynasty. There is one crack and a couple of chips noted in last enlargements. Pretty much to be expected from an over 2000 year old pottery piece. D:9.9cm/3.9in and H: 7cm/2.7in.

Small bronze spoon from the Han Dynasty, these were usually found with miniature bronze cooking stoves, good study piece for fans of ancient Chinese bronze. There is crack that may be seen last enlargement. L: 9cm/3.5in. Free shipping.

Special Offer: “Fixer Upper”- Han ceramic well with dragon head roof, and classic lead green glaze and silver patina. This is broken into three pieces and would need to be repaired (I would recommend two part epoxy) please note that in the cover image it is just being held together with gravity. I would prefer to sell “as is” but can offer a repair but cannot guarantee it will arrive in one piece. H: 40cm/15.8in.

Classic green glazed Han Dynasty grain storage silo. This item has been repaired (by me), please examine enlargements for condition. This has an excellent lead glazed silver patina and well executed little bears for legs. H: 27cm/10.6in and D: 20cm/7.9in (at the roof).

Special Offer: Marked down from $250- now $200. Green mottled glazed censer with classic little bears as legs, some loss of glaze in the back noted in enlargements and a few chips on the mouth rim and legs. D: 21cm/8.2in and H: 13.2cm/5.2in.

Classic Han Hu shaped jar with beautiful lead spinach green glaze with much sought after silver patina. Excellent condition. Note: spur marks and supports on rim and foot. H:12.6cm/4.9in and D: 11.1cm/4.3in.

Pair of large Han Dynasty “ear cups”- er’bei. These are have an outstanding rich green lead glaze, with paraffin patina and high relief wave pattern on the sides. Please note last two enlargements- there are two professional quality repairs. L: 13cm/5.1in, W: 12cm.5/4.8in and H: 4cm/1.6in.

Rare early “si zhi” (four straight lines) style inkstone carved from an old fired brick. The characters on the brick are in an archaic style, no longer in use today. The square shaped flat bottomed inkstone with sloping grinding surface did not become popular until the Song Dynasty, so it is possible this was made into a inkstone long after it was a brick. Chinese are very fond of creating ink stones out of “found objects” such as roof tiles etc. Please examine enlargement for co...

Nice Han pottery jar with traces of original reddish pigment, lovely shape with wide flaring mouthrim, please note the mouthrim has been repaired-highlighted in enlargements. H: 28cm/11in x D: 26cm/10.2in

Green lead glazed oil lamp or candle stand from the Han Dynasty. In excellent condition with no damage, there are still traces of the classic silver patina as may be seen in enlargements. H: 13.5cm/5.3in and D: 10.5cm/4.2in.

Rare grey pottery recumbent dog, circa Han Dynasty. Traces of original white pigments- very friendly looking “doggo”. Excellent condition. L: 25cm/9.8in and W: (midpoint) 8cm/3.1in.

Lovely pottery small lead glazed stove from the Eastern Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE). There is original flaw in one of the pots on top and a minor glaze chip on the upper edge but otherwise excellent condition with a lot of lead glazed silver paraffin patina on the whitish surface. See last enlargement for reference from He Li’s Chinese Ceramics. L: 25.cm/9.8in, W: 18.5m/7.2in and H: 9.5cm/3.8 in. Excellent example of how people cooked 2000 years ago in China.

Rubbing taken from a Han Dynasty tomb vault wall depicting an elegant royal mounted entourage being greeted by courtiers. Excellent detail, horizontally mounted as a scroll with textured silk border. The calligraphy translates “Outstanding old scene” signed Zhao Jianchang. L: 197cm/76in x H: 58cm/23in, with mounting-L: 243cm/95in and W: 68cm/27in.

Lovely pottery small lead glazed stove from the Eastern Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE). Minor fritting and a couple of chips on the upper corners, but overall, in very good condition for a two thousand year old piece. There are still random traces of the silver patina on the surface. I scraped off a small section the surface layer and a beautiful silver patina is revealed (see enlargement #5), up to the buyer of they want to clean the whole piece. See last enlargement for reference from...

Medieval hammered silver penny, Henry the III, circa 1272-1272CE, “short cross” version. Diameter 19mm, weight 2 grams. Free shipping.

Medieval English silver hammered, 1/2 groat, coin Henry the the Seventh, Canterbury Mint, crowned facing bust. 1485-1509CE. Diameter 15mm. Free shipping.

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.

Vintage brass “puja kalash” water or milk container used in ritual Hindu ceremonies from Southern India, H: 13cm/5.1in x D: 12cm/4.8in. Very finely turned in a simple but elegant shape and quite heavy, near 1kg- and signed (noted in enlargements), appears to be unused but with some patina- made circa mid 20th century.

This is a great “field guide” for East and Southeast Asia swords, probably the best (and possibly only one) ever written with text in Portuguese and English. Sell’s for $300 (if you can find one). Gang Tie Wen Ming: Dong Ya Gu Bing Qi = Historia Do Aco Na Asia Oriental : Uma Visao Do Desenvolvimento Da Armaria = History Of Steel In East Asia : A View On the Development Of Weaponry Macau: Macau Art Museum, 2007. An important monograph and catalogue of the use of steel in ea...

XF silver coin from Hungary under Ferdinand I - Holy Roman Emperor. 1537CE. Depicting Madonna and child and coat of arms. Diameter: 15mm and 0.6gram. Free shipping.

Original psychedelic painting by Bucklee Bell titled “Hung Up”- acrylic on canvas, 40 x 40cm. 2007. About the Artist: Bucklee Bell was born and raised in the state of Florida, USA. His first awareness of personally meaningful art was discovering the works of Surrealists, in particular Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, Man Ray and Yves Tanguy. In 1966 he moved to San Francisco, California and from 1967-1970 was involved in the Underground Comix movement in San Francisco and Berkeley, Califo...

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.

Collection of four hardwood “tun tun” pig trap markers made by the Iban people of Sarawak, East Malaysia, circa last half of 20th century. All in good condition. The longest one is L: 59cm/23.2in