Catalog (490)

Fine old, three paneled, supplementary weft embroidered wedding blanket from the Zhuang ethnic group Guizhou Province China. Handspun and handwoven cotton thread foundation and silk for the embroidery. The central area is dominated by the “well” “#” pattern, while the border is a combination of the “well” pattern inside a “wanzi” swastika meander. There are few small faded areas but no holes or tears. W: 104cm/40in and L: 140cm/56in.

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 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 ...

Beautiful old Zhuang minority textile from Guangxi Zhuang/Guizhou province, China. Woven in two panels with silk embroidered “diamond and star” patterned border, "wanzi" swastika key fret and well symbols. There are small repairs noted in last enlargement minor fading on the left edge- all consistent with an old piece, some orange and brighter purple silk thread seem to be a later embellishment, indicating that this piece has been handed down several generations and highlights th...

Zanzibar paisa, 1299 AH (1882 AD), bronze coin- diameter 25mm. Zanzibar was the center of the of the East African slave trade, until it became a signatory of the Moresby Treaty- abolishing it in 1822. The trade continued to a lesser degree up to 1873 when Captain John Kirk told, the at that time, Sultan Barghash, a total blockade of Zanzibar was imminent, unless this practice was abandoned. It should be noted although that Zanzibar never became a British colony it did become a p...

Very rare small celadon Yueyao lugged jar from a Zhejiang Kiln, circa Five Dynasties/Early Northern Song. This type of ceramic was a precursor to Longquan ware. There is a firing crack and some fritting (caused by pockets of air trapped beneath the glaze during firing) on one side- noted in enlargements. D: 9cm/3.5in and H: 6cm/24in.

Old Chinese stone ware bottle. This shape is fairly generic and could date anywhere from Jin Dynasty to Ming, so I am taking the middle road and attributing it as Yuan. The mouth is chipped but it has a nice shape, note my photo editing software tend to truncate images, so this piece is more elegant in real life than the photos indicate. The glaze has traces of a paraffin patina. H: 24cm/9.5in and D: 18cm/7in.

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

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.

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...

Nice old Yao (also known as Mien) Taoist shaman “yen” chop, used to send messages to the Gods. Reference “The Yao” by Jess Pourret pgs 206 & 207. These came from the Sino/Lao Fansipan Mountains border area and date circa 80 to 90 years old. 3.6cm/1.4in x 3.6cm/1.4in x 3.6cm/1.4in. Free shipping.

Fine and rare Yao (also known as Mien) Taoist shaman “yen” chop, used to send messages to the Gods. Reference “The Yao” by Jess Pourret pgs 206 & 207. This came from the Sino/Lao Fansipan Mountains border area and date circa 80 to 90 years old. 3.6cm/1.4in x 3.6cm/1.4in x 3.6cm/1.4in. Free shipping.

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.

Fine and rare old Yao/Mien all hand spun and woven cotton wedding veil with silk thread embroidered geometrical design, circa 50 years old. This piece is from Kim Mien group and was originally collected in Northern Laos. The colors on this piece are subtle and restrained (please note the use of shades of brown and blue in enlargements) and the brown and white tassels. Except for a couple of tiny holes this piece is in excellent condition. W: 47cm/18.5in and L: 75cm/29.5in.

13 pieces of vintage jadeite- most have flaws, so examine the enlargements carefully. Please note the large oval plaque (probably originally meant for a belt buckle) and largest perforated disc (bi) are unpolished. Scale is in last enlargement, 109 grams in total. Ideal for a jewelry designer or clever bunny.

Simple Han inkstone, polished smooth one side and rough underneath. Signs of exavation and typical distinct petrichor smell. L: 20cm/7.9in x 6.3cm/2.5in. Note last image is from Chinese Inkstones- Simon Kwan, for reference.

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.

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.