Catalog: Antiques (378)

19th century colonial glass trade beads from Venice, red “white hearts”. Lovely color, the images don’t do it justice. Originally sourced from Papua New Guinea. Note enlargements, for scale and condition.Total Length: 62cm/24.4in. 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.

Very rare lacquer box with geometrical pattern and convex shaped lid and bottom. The lacquer is quite thick on this piece with an unusual motif. I have only seen two boxes in this style which came out of Yunnan, China, so these may have been made as trade items to Yi minority who seem to make similar, though less sophisticated, patterned lacquer pieces. This was made in the first half of the 20th century, and except for a chip on the lid surface it is in excellent condition...

Mid 20th century textile from the Mulao ethnic group Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Province. This is a two paneled blanket with original border and supplementary weft silk embroidered pattern phoenix and flowers on a cotton field “key fret” pattern- all handspun threads. Good condition - no holes or missing embroidery threads. L: 110cm/43in and W: 66cm/cm/26in- with blue cotton border L: 153cm/59in and W: 110cm/43on.

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.

Wholesale lot of 50 vintage jadeite crosses (plus a few odd leftover bits). These were carved in the 60s through the 80s, and each cross consists of three pieces, meaning they will have to be remounted in would or metal. The jade is fairly good quality and is not dyed, some have small splashes of apple green. May be incorporated into secular jewelry, ideal for a jewelry maker. Lengths vary between 2.2cm and 5.cm

Rare woman’s pictorial shoulder cloth from a Chin subgroup (Khami, Khumi or Mro) living in the Rakhine and Chin states, west Myanmar. Please note that the pattern is hand embroidered on one side only and not woven in, also most of the geometric woven patterns are unique with only a couple of repetitions. The dimensions are L: 123cm/63in x W: 34cm/13.5in. I have three books and Burmese textiles and there are no depicted examples of pictorial weaves. Circa 50 to 60 years old.

Two rare Burmese/Shan small betel containers, 60 to 100 years old with “ku-nan kan byat” patterns and original inner trays. Genuine antique Burmese lacquer is almost impossible to find these days; I picked the larger one up in a small shop Luang Prabang, Laos in 1998. H: 8.7cm/3.4in and W: 10.2cm/4in, and the smaller one, H: 6.7cm/2.7in and D: 7.7cm/3in, in Chiang Mai this year. These have some old repairs, as well as a pleasing craclature typical of antique Burmese lacquer.

Unusual Jackwood paan (betel) tray with well carved Kandy style floral medallion in the center, this motif also emulates carvings on pillars in some ancient temple. The WHO advised the Sri Lankan government against the chewing of betel and it is now illegal- that is not to say that this really stops people from still doing it though. This an antique piece with one crack. W: 29.5cm/11.5in x W: 29.5cm/11.5in x H: 6cm/2.2in

Late 19th early 20th century blue satin silk woman’s wide sleeved upper garment (ao/shan). Excellent condition (appears to have never been worn) with glass buttons and greenish patterned lining. All hand sewn upper width: 118cm46in (sleeve end and to sleeve end), mid width 72cm/28in height 108cm/42in (top of collar to bottom)

Ma Quan was a female artist active in 17th and 18th centuries famous for her birds and flower paintings. This is a homage to her made in the 20th century, hand painted ink on paper traditionally mounted on a silk paper scroll. H: 126cm/50in and W: 63cm/24in- mounted dimensions H: 200cm/78in and W: 78cm/30in.

Good circa early 20th CE pair of miniature Lanna Northern Thai Buddhas. The small one on left is amulet sized (H: 5.2cm/2in) with traces of gold and black lacquer and the larger one is a small votive image (H: 7.2cm/2.8in). I believe these to be cast in zinc. Free shipping international shipping via Hong Kong Registered Airmail.

Very fine, complete (both original inner trays included) betel box in excellent condition circa first half 20 the century. Composed of red, black and green lacquer depicting monkeys against an abstract foliate background. Some surface craquelure as to be expected on old lacquerware. D: 18.5cm/7.2in and H: 10.5cm/4.1in.

Special offer- marked down from $600. Fine three panel wedding blanket from the Bouyi (Buyi) ethnic group Libo County, Guizhou, China. The Bouyi are a relatively small ethnic group- so embroideries from them have become quite scarce. The supplementary weft “well” patterned embroidery is silk except for the black medallions- the field is all handspun cotton. The black border is a later addition made from hand woven cotton. Circa mid 20th century very good condition...

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

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.

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.

Hand painted brush and ink Chinese painting, classically mounted on a scroll, depicting Bamboo and Rocks with apocryphal attribution to Zheng Xie鄭燮 This is a homage, painted in the 20th century, and is of an impressive size H: 165cm/64in and W: 68cm/24in. Mounted dimensions L: 2.4m/94in and W: 83cm/32.5in.

Lovely vintage reclining solid cast image of the Buddha lying on his deathbed about to enter Parinirvana, circa mid-20th century, from Japan or possibly Korea. He has serene expression and the multiple folds in his robe are particularly well done. L: 14.5cm/5.8in.

Lovely old Afghan Turkmen chuval/torba (door or floor cushion section) wool on wool weaving, all natural dyes circa 80 years old. Minor restoration around the edges but over all very good condition with an intricate pattern. Dimensions 120cm x 39cm.

Enigmatic and eclectic collection of 35 small repousse auspicious good luck tokens).These were collected in Dali, Yunnan, China in the late 1980s. No two are exactly alike and and are they seem to are classic Tantric Buddhism symbols such as endless knot, parasol, lotus throne, and temple banner motifs are represented in this lot as well as more traditional Chinese symbols such as bats and butterflies. These came from Yuxi Xingmeng, the last ethnic Mongolian village in Yunnan...

Quirky ceramic image of a boy and beast emulating lacquer and wood, circa late Qing Dynasty or Republic Period. This is the first time I have seen a ceramic glaze imitating lacquer (also note the bottom imitates wood). L: 10cm/4in and H: 7cm/2.8in. This has few small chips.

Good bamboo handled knife with hand forged blade from the Karen ethnic group Northern Thai/Burma border. Total length 31cm/12in with good sharp edge- small nick at the tip off the blade which could be honed out, about 60 years old.

Old song bird catcher from the Minang people of Central Sumatra. I bought this in Padang in 1988 and it was already old at the time, so I can date this to about 1950. A classic honey trap, right out of the KGB spy book. A hot and seductive female bird is placed in the back of the cage and when a dumb male bird comes along and lands on the perch in front this will trip a peg that will cause the net in the front to come down and now he is caught. See last two enlargements...

Quirky image of Ganesh accompanied by four rats as devotees and musicians. This is from the last half of the 20th century- possibly a tribal image. For the most part most of the iconography and i.e., accoutrements, mudras and association of rats accompanying him are correct. I acquired this from an estate of long term Hong Kong resident, other than that I don’t have any other information other than this a very cool...

Magnificent large Northern Thailand red and black lacquer box with foliate and floral scroll pattern, circa late 19th to early 20th century, most likely produced at a Chiang Mai workshop. Very light weight original top and bottom, best example I’ve seen in over 20 years. There is craquelure as is typical from antique Southeast Lacquer and very small color and lacquer loss due to use, please examine close ups. D: 26cm/10.1in and H: 10cm/4in.

Ensemble of seven small antique natural Burma Jade, circa Qing Dynasty “lucky charms", the green colors are original and will not fade. Scale is metric, see descriptions under enlargements. Free shipping.

Very rare, Gulong Miao children’s jacket from Guizhou. This is a side opening style, made from all hand woven cloth (except for the inner sleeve lining) with hand embroidered anthropomorphic figures, on a calendared greenish cotton ground. This pattern was only used on children’s clothing from this Miao subgroup. Excellent condition. Width: 75cm/29.5in (sleeve tip to sleeve tip) Length: 39cm/15.3in (collar to bottom). Free shipping.

Rare and unique (one of a kind), antique large Thai “parang” or “machete”, general purpose bush knife which was used in cutting and splitting rattan and bamboo. The handle is made of old, and nowadays rare, Thai Rosewood: Dalbergia cochinchinensis which has a nice chatoyance to the grain (sort of looks like Huanghuali to me 降香黄檀). The cutting edge is still sharp and usable; there are a couple of splits which is secured by a metal band. L: 64cm/25.2in.

Lovely Cambodian lacquer betel box with decorative herring bone woven bamboo wall. Good condition, wear as to be expected with an old piece, but no damage. This was made Pre Khmer Rouge (before 1975). Although lacquer craft has been resurrected for decorative export pieces, artisanal made for domestic use are no longer produced due to its time consumption and the availability of cheap plastic. D: 23.5cm/9.2in and H: 9.8cm/4in.

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.

A collection of 10 kihks from Lanna, Thailand. All are hand carved from wood (except two which are carved from buffalo horn- noted in enlargements) and incised auspicious Khom script, from Lanna Thailand. Contrary to how I see these often advertised they, have little to do with attracting women, but are worn by on the side by men for luck and prosperity or used by women to ward odd “evil men” and attract money. It’s not uncommon that they be put in cash register...

Traditional brush and ink Chinese painting of birds done in the style of Jin Cheng 金城. This homage was done in the 20th century and is very attractively mounted a silk scroll. Jin Cheng travelled internationally and was a founding member of the influential Chinese Painting Research Society (Zhongguo huaxue yanjiuhui) that became later known as the Hu Society (Hu she). The writing at the top right is an apocryphal dedication- gifted to Yu Po 1907...

Quirky jack wood kitchen vegetable cutting board. I acquired this in Sri Lanka but it could also be Tamil. Beautiful patina naturally smooth surface. . L: 46.5cm/17.9in and W: 29.5cm/11.6in, and H: 4.5cm/1.8in.

Ten pieces of old natural coral, acquired individually (piece by piece), over 20 years ago in Northern Thailand originating from various hill tribe ethnic groups. Excellent color and may be worn singly or as a group. 31 grams total. Scale noted in enlargements in metric. Free shipping.

Fine, old and rare Chang Naga, three paneled body “prestige” cloth with anthropomorphic cowry shell design. Made from very fine hand spun cotton weft and silk warp, the cowry shells have a fine toned aged patina. This is a genuinely old cloth circa 50 to 70 years old (not for the tourist market). This kind of cloth signifies the owner has given a series of feasts or in the past taken a head...

Exquisite Chinese satin silk hand embroidered and hand sewn jacket and pleated skirt with drawstring waistband. Pristine condition, circa 1930s or 1940s, see last enlargement for reference. Jacket dimensions- sleeve to sleeve width at shoulder: 127cm/50in, length shoulder to bottom : 68cm/26in and width in the middle: 92cm/36in. Skirt length: 82cm/32in (not including fringe) and waist: 72cm/28in. Still very wearable!

Rare Zo/Tedem "tawnok"- reference "The Art of the Zo: Philadelphia Museum of Art". The Tedum aka Tiddim are a subgroup of the Chin, who live mostly in Northern Burma, Chin State, as well India, and Bangladesh. This piece is circa 1950-1960, spun from commercial, hand dyed cotton thread with some single faced supplementary and diamond twill patterns. Please see enlargements to appreciate the complexity of this weave...

Very fine red lacquered saber (dao) scabbard fitting from the Nùng people Vietnam. They are well known for their sword making so it makes sense they would put the same effort into their accoutrements. This is an old semi antique piece circa 1950 excellent condition and intricate carving. L: 14cm/5.5in W: 5.9cm/2.3in and Thickness 2.4cm/1in.

Lovely old Burma betel/siri/pandan box-a rare find with complete and original trays circa 1940 to 1950, and no restoration. The lid is semi domed with 8 planets pattern and central peacock medallion, the side has dancers and an assortment of abstract mythical beasts. Minor losses to lacquer on the lid (please see enlargements). Signed in Burmese script Saya(Sir)Kyi ~Myingabar Quarter,Pagan. Please see last enlargement for reference. D: 19cm/7.5in and H: 17cm/6.8in.

Good first half of the 20th century hardwood hand carved image of a pig. I acquired this from Mossgreen's Auctions, Australia about 20 years ago, they attributed it to being 100 years old. L: 20.2cm/8in and H: 8.3cm/3.2in. There is a "check in the wood, that may be noted in last enlargement

Republic or a little later, black and red lacquered “Dou” offering stem bowl (usually fruit) for an ancestral altar table, with gilt garden and scholar’s theme. This from Guangdong and made for a Chaozhou family, aka Teo Chew, aka Chiu Chow. W: 21cm/8.2in and H: 13cm/5.1 in. There is some warpage, noted in enlargements but if just turn it the right way you won’t notice.

Exceptionally rare small lacquered box from the Karen people of Burma. This is an antique piece circa early 20th century (possibly earlier). I have yet to find any other examples of pieces with the carved design on the bottom (either in the field or any published literature). There is some minor loss to lacquer to at the edge of the top. D: 9cm/3.6in and H: 8.8cm/3.5in. Free shipping.

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

Good Shiwan censer with beautiful and subtle white flambé moon white glaze circa late 19th or early 20th century - there is one hairline on the rim noted in enlargements. D: 15cm/5.8in and H: 9cm/3.5i

Beautiful pair of vintage open work (with twisted wire) floral, cloisonné vases circa 1980. Perfect condition, with stunning and subtle enamel work. I have visited enamel making workshops in China and the skill and patience it takes produce one piece is amazing. H: 12.5cm/4.9in and D: 7cm/2.8in.

Quirky pair of fishing bobs from the Mentawai Islanders off the coast of West Sumatera. These are probably multifunctional as I have seen them described variously as turtle net buoys, fishing bobs as well as net weavers. The larger one has a fishing hook fashioned from a nail as well as old stone bead. L: 49.5/19.5in and 53cm/20.8in.

Beautiful traditional Chinese brush painting of the Buddha mounted on a beige silk scroll, excellent condition. He is sitting on a lotus throne with his right hand raised in the Shuni mudra symbolizing patience and discipline. There is an apocryphal dating of 1845 Buddha’s Birthday, Daoguang reign and signature of Reqin. Mounted size is L: 203cm/80in and W: 78cm/31in- actual painting size is L:131cm/51in and W: 66cm/26in. Circa last quarter of 20th century.

Collection of three vintage/antique cloth printing blocks from Tamil Nadu, carved from hard wood (probably Jackwood) all in excellent condition, acquired in India 30 years ago. Very decorative- may be hung on as a wall art ensemble. Large one: H: 26.3/10.4in x W: 16.4 cm/6.4in, round one D: 20.6 cm/10.2in and, small one H: 17.5/6.9in x W 8.3cm/3.2in.

Pair lovely vintage bamboo brush pots circa 1960-1980 The surface has been stained a darker color but the patina is a hand polish with no varnish. Excellent condition, with no splits are cracks. H: 14.2cm/5.6in and D: 8.4cm/3.2in.

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

Vintage teak Buddha, carved around 1980/90, traces of pigment and signed at the bottom in Burmese script, in the classical Pagan style. H: 14cm/5.5in and base W: 9.5cm/3.9in. Sculpturally very well proportioned. Free shipping

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

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.

Pair of old hand carved spoons from the Island of Timor. 1#Classic intricately carved heirloom buffalo horn spoon. Length: 23.5cm/9.2in. 2# Anthropomorphic spoon carved from a coconut shell. L: 15.4cm/6in and W: 6.2cm2.5in. Both are circa mid-20th century and in very good condition.

Fine old all and spun and hand woven wedding blanket from the tiny Maonan minority group living in Guangxi and Guizhou province, circa 1940 to 1960. This piece is very crisply silk weft embroidered classic butterfly, phoenix and floral pattern. Excellent condition. The border is made of an outer hand spun cotton cloth will the red inner border is commercial cloth. L: 94cm/37in and W: 65cm/25.5in- total with border L: 149cm/58.6 and W: 94cm/37in.Free shipping

Good, first half of the 20th century hardwood hand carved bowl carved in the shape of a turtle. I acquired this from Mossgreen's Auctions, Australia about 20 years ago, they attributed it to being 100 years old. Please note the two legs in the back are damaged and is noted in last enlargement. L: 42cm/16.5in and W: 16cm/6.2in.

Nice old carved hardwood box from the Shan State, Myanmar with traces of original lacquer. This was collected around 1988 in Northern Thailand, and originally dates to early the 20th century...

Lovely hand silk embroidered alter “skirt” with the Eight Chinese Immortals and three double happiness roundels at the top. I recently acquired this with a group of other vintage textiles; this is in perfect condition with a lovely palate of colors. Late 20th century, this would have been hung in in front of a temple altar table’s legs. H: 100cm/40in x W: 94cm/37in. Appears never to have been used.

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.