Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian (363)

Heirloom wedding blanket cover from the tiny Maonan ethnic minority of Guangxi, China. First half of the 20th century-made with natural undyed local cotton with the pattern with made from floss silk supplementary brocade weft symbols of phoenix, flowers and butterflies, and is in perfect condition with no holes or tears. Some of the more brightly colored purple aniline dyed silk threads have been rewoven into the patterns probably within the last 40 years but are certainly not new...

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...

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.

Very rare “letter” purse woven from bamboo from the Karen ethnic group along the Thai/Burma border. Before the advent of plastic bags and Velcro items such as these were treasured labor intensive daily necessities. This is an antique- circa 70 to 90 years old made from all natural materials and is designed to make it as waterproof as possible...

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...

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

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

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.

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.

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,

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.

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...

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...

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

Nice old Thai sticky rice “lunch box”, from the Karen ethnic group Northern Thailand. This is about 40 or 50 tears old with typical double wall construction. There are areas that have been lovingly repaired with some nylon cord. To the purist this may be seen as a distraction but I see time and an ethic where nothing was ever wasted- this was a valued very personal object. Next to it I have placed a contemporary one...

A timely and quirky soy brown glazed Korean War era chopstick holder with political slogans...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”. In Hinduism the, the Rat aka Anindya is the v...

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

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.

Excellent opium pipe stem cleaner, fine condition and all original parts. Bamboo sheath, iron cleaning rod and copper opium poppy pod shaped finial handle. Circa late Qing Dynasty. Total length 54cm/21.2in.

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.

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 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.

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.

Fine Cizhou image of boy carrying a lotus, this symbolizes the continued succession of sons. This piece is in pristine original condtion. High fired stoneware with very stable heavy glaze. H: 17.5cm/6.9in and W: 9cm/3.5in. Guaranteed to be at least Qing Dynasty but possibly Ming.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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. Personally I prefer Shan lacquer more than Burmese because the designs tend to...

Qing light celadon Ge type ware plate, circa 18th century. This has filled chip with gold leaf on the rim. #1 D: 22.5cm/8.8in and H: 4cm/1.5in.

Early 19th century lacquer box from the Gadu-Gadan region with domed top and bottom (philone gaunglone). There are 16 separate panels decorated with mythical beasts, dancers and quirky symbols on the side and bird pattern on the top and bottom. Please note last photo for reference which is dated 1850 (possibly earlier) from Lacquerware Journeys—Than Htun. The piece I have is actually far more intricate. It is extremely rare to see a piece of Burmese lacquer of this age outside of...

Nice Thai pottery votive plaque circa early Ayutthaya period. In the center is the Buddha with classic Bhumiparsa mudra, flanked by two pillars and Sukhothai style walking Buddhas. Good condition and guaranteed of the period. H: 6cm/2.4 and W: 5.1cm/2in. Free shipping.

Alabaster Shan Buddha circa 18th century. This has been left out in the sun and rain for the past 15years so the surface has begun to degrade (a good lesson in the Buddhist principle of Anicca ~ the impermanence of all things). The head has been reattached. The base is hollow- the only example I have ever seen with this. H: 27cm/10.6in and W: 11cm/4.2in.

Powerful Buddha image from the Tai Lue ethnic group from the Burma, Lao, Thai border region AKA “Golden Triangle”. Superficially these “folk images” lack the grace and serenity of the urban classical styles, but speak more from the heart of the people, as personal devotional merit making acts. This piece dates to around the 18th century; the “waisted” pedestal is typical of this period. Incorporated into the style is the much loved “bhumiparsha“ mudra, with stylized lotus lea...

Rare antique classical period Kandyan standing Buddha, carved from Jackwood, circa 18thCE. H: 18cm/7in, please note in enlargements outstretched hand in the abhaya mudra and unisha are missing.

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.

Small porcelain Vietnamese shipwreck recovery water dropper in the shape of an elephant. The glaze has dissolved after so long under the water but the body is intact. This is most likely from the Cau Ma shipwreck, circa 1775, discovered off the coast of Vietnam. No chips or damage. L: 6.2cm/3.2in and H: 5cm/2in.

Pair of Terra cotta antique, roof “end tile” depicting apsara from a Wat (Thai Buddhist Temple). 14cm/5.5in height, Ayutthaya Period (1351 to 1767), very decorative. Condition as pictured.

Good Qing Dynasty, Chinese nephrite jade carving of a lotus seed pod. In Chinese culture this symbolizes fertility and a desire to have many children on another level the lotus reflects purity, strength and rebirth- as it rises from the mud and blooms into something beautiful. H: 3.5cm/1.4in and W: 4.2cm/1.6in x 3.1cm/1.3in. Good condition- no chips or cracks. 61grams.

Two small Ming jarlets. Sort of wabi-sabi, but no major damage. There are some surface glaze firing cracks and fritting on the mouth rim on the larger jar. Larger jar D: 6.7cm/2.7in and H: 5.3cm/2.1in, smaller jar D: 5.8cm/2.3in and H: 5cm/1.9in.