Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese (219)

Good large Ming sancai ceramic wedding bed. These were interred in tombs of wealthy individuals to serve them in the afterlife. Nowadays they burn paper replicas instead. This piece has ornate eves in green and amber glaze, no cracks but some minor fritting. It is a large and heavy piece so free international shipping is offered via surface mail, if you would like a faster service than the buyer will pay the additional costs. Personally I have always thought these were ancestor shrines...

230.00 Unusual gray stoneware jar found of the West Coast of Sri Lanka. Impossible to accurately identify it’s origin, I am assuming it is from East or Southeast Asia possibly even Japanese. This was acquired in Kandy, Sri Lanka over 20 years ago. I would date this to about 10th to 12th century. The mouthrim is unique, stopper would be inserted and covered than it tied down with a cord. H: 22cm/8.6in x D 17cm/6.8in. Very attractive piece, just a shallow chip on the mouth rim.

This is a 20th century hand painted on silk and traditionally scroll mounted homage the artist, Miao Jiahui a female painter who was the official personal artist to the Qing Dynasty Empress Dowager Cixi, Depicting chrysanthemums in vases and flower pots, there is a poem in the upper left hand corner translates roughly as “The late king likes to sleep in the garden of the chrysanthemums/ The tall vase is shaped by its surroundings/ Common eyes fear not because the autumn wind and sickness/...

Good dark soy brown glazed ovoid jar Tang Dynasty from a northern kiln, nice size- H: 12.5cm/5in and D: 16.5cm6.5in. Some kiln flaws i.e., bubble pops and minor chip on side- please examine enlargements.

Very rare pottery bowl and eclectic with Taoist imagery. This is made from a high fired light gray pottery, with traces of a white slip and depictions of musicians, dancers and “demon” masks. This is a funerary piece; the symbology suggests the transition from this world to the afterlife. D: 14cm/5.5in and H: 5.2cm/2in. No cracks original pigments with some kiln warpage

Very rare Tang Dynasty (618CE to 907CE) terra cotta wall tile depicting the face of a Zhemushou, a fierce guardian earth spirit meant to ward off evil. It is a trapezoidal shape with much of original red and black pigments intact. Some loss to the lower lip (please see enlargements). Lower W: 19cm/7.8in, upper W: 16cm/6.1in and H: 20cm/9in.

Old nephrite chord fastener, this shape and style are usually associated with horse tack and bridles. This archaic style has been found in the Tang and Liao periods. L: 2.7cm/1.1in, W: 2.1cm/o.8in and 1cm/0.4in thick. 12 grams.

Tang/Five Dynasties, stoneware jar with light olive green glaze and reddish clay body. The foot is rimless and concave. There is a “Jun” type glaze run on the body noted in enlargements- probably unintentional but interesting nonetheless. I have done simple repair on the mouth by filling a shallow chip and applying a layer of gold leaf. H: 12cm/4.8in and D: 9cm/3.5in.

Tang Dynasty, high fired, white clay, statue of a court advisor. H: 25cm/9.8in. Good condition. FREE SHIPPING!

Good Tang Dynasty gray clay brick/tile depicting “Atlas” type, Yakshi figure seated on a lotus blossom. I was in Taxila, (cradle of Gandharan Civilization) and saw a similar figure. This illustrates the Greco/Roman influence in Tang art. The lotus shows indicates an obvious Buddhist connection. The left side of the face is molded a bit obscure, but no damage. An unusual piece, in that it is smaller than the other ones I have had- ergo cheaper shipping...

Beautiful image of Tang Dyansty noble woman or lady-in-waiting. Good condition no damage or repair. She is standing in relaxed natural pose, with a sweet face and complicated to coiled double chignon. H: 27cm/10.6in.

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.

Ensemble of 3 old Chinese furniture maker’s planes. See text in last three enlargements for details,

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.

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.

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...

Nice old Tibetan or Baotou saddle carpet, with floral medallions and scroll pattern. There are some repairs and restorations which I have highlighted in enlargement two. Early 20th century, the colors are still vibrant with some abrash but none of the garish aniline dyes used later in the 50s and 60s. L: 120cm/47.2in ad W: 60cm/23.6in.

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...

Quirky shallow bowls enclosed in pewter. The original blank dishes were imported from Japan and then decorated in Hong Kong. By the 1980s this trade died out due to rising property costs as well as the transitioning of the Hong Kong manufacturing sector to China. This pair is in excellent condition and perfectly matched with floral panels and medallions. These are also the only examples I have seen jacketed in pewter. D: 17cm/6.9in and H: 4cm/1.6in. Dated to 1970’s.

A pair of old Burmese jade cigarette holders, they stopped making these about 40 years ago, since they have went out of fashion. The white jade has holder (L: 12.2cm/4.9in) has a few scratches and the darker one (L: 6.2cm/2.4in) has naturally occurring inclusions.

antique china jade 48 carved Burmese Jade pendants. Total weight 407 grams, please examine enlargements for scale and quality- shipping included.

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.

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.

Very rare large “Swatow” bowl from the Zhangzhou kiln, Fujian Province, China. This is a Binh Tuan shipwreck recovery piece, discovered off the coast of Vietnam in 2001...

Very rare Warring States jar with ribbed pattern. I’ve seen these in publications, but this is the first one I have seen in person. There is one chip on the mouthrim, as can be seen in enlargements, but otherwise in excellent condition. Very sharply carved with decorated lugs. H: 13cm/5.1in and D: 16cm/6.2in.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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.

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.

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...