Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Chinese (225)

Rare image of a Qilin Chinese "unicorn" with stunning deep aquamarine Qingbai glaze. This is a fragment of a much larger piece, possibly a finial off a censer. H: 9.5cm/3.9in, W: 7cm/2.8in x 4.5cm/1.8in. The sculpture is in excellent condition, there is a film of hardpacked soil in the crevices which can be (see enlargements), this can be removed with a small blade with a bit of effort, soaking it in water for a week or so will help. I am leaving it on as it speaks to the age of this piece...

Pair of Tiele (Chinese Ironwood) Weiqi boxes, carved from solid wood. Weiqi was the forerunner of the Japanese board game of Go, and one of the Four Arts, that someone from the "gentleman class" were supposed to know. These boxes are used to put the stone pieces in. There is cyclical date which probably doesn’t go further back than 1972 therefore they could be 1984, 1996, 2008, 2000, 2012...

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)...

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.

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...

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

Nice old well worn Qing Dynasty Shekwan green and blue flambé glazed pillow. 19th century- very nice impressed floral scroll and coin pattern unglazed ends. L: 34cm/13.5in and W: 10cm/4in. Here is an “amusing” Youtube video on opium pillows and their history from the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for your edification https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zOVd9LEabo&t=182s

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.

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.