Mythical Animals

In Asian cultures, mythical animals fulfill cultural, spiritual and practical functions as motifs in art and in spiritual, decorative and utilitarian items such as architecture, furniture, textiles, jewelry, decorative items, musical instruments and ceramics. Their origin reflects legends, myths and religious and animistic beliefs and they are often associated with deities. They often symbolize spiritual goals, good fortune and averting evil. Common mythical beasts are Buddhist or fu lions, dragons, nagas, bats, birds, Hǒus, oxen/bulls, taotie, and combination of animal and human forms.

Showing 13–24 of 41 results

  • Sale!

    Antique Lacquered Wood Pair Fu Lions, China (16735BSE) $595

    Original price was: $595.00.Current price is: $505.75.
    H: 4.25″  W: 2″  D: 0.75″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    During the Ming and Qing dynasties, small fu lion pairs were popular indoor and out door accessories. As protectors of Buddhism, fu lions are both menacing and friendly and this remarkably fanciful pair of crouching beasts joyously reflects both traits, with floppy ears, smiling open mouthed faces with tongues hanging out, and curled tails versus bushy eyebrows, bulging eyes and long pointed nails. Originally decorations on furniture with flat rear sides, they can stand alone as decorative accessories or even be a great pair of bookends. However they are used, they are guaranteed to bring a smile to those who are fortunate to see them on a regular basis.

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    Antique Lakshmi Oil Lamp, India (9508D-PBE) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $245.00.Current price is: $208.25.
    H: 5″  W: 3.25″  D:3.875″  | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This brass oil lamp diya is decorated with an image on front and back of Lakshmi seated on a lotus, full-breasted and broad hipped, beneficently smiling and being lustrated (showered by water) by elephants, symbolizing rain clouds bringing water and life to the land and that unwavering effort to adhere to spiritual teachings and governed by wisdom and purity leads to both material and spiritual prosperity.

     

     

     

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    Antique Lion (Chinthe) Ox Cart Ornament, Burma/Myanmar (11306FSE) $325

    Original price was: $325.00.Current price is: $276.25.
    H: 14.5”  W: 17.75”  D: 3.375” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    Finely carved figures were attached to ox cart yokes to protect farmers from malevolent spirits who inhabited all seen/unseen sectors of their world. . This beautifully carved ox cart yolk image is a chinthe, a mythical Burmese lion/dragon creature commonly decorating many everyday items. A propitious spiritual and protective guardian, the animalsymbolizes power, courage, and strength. This carving displays the common traits of a lions with a long face, large eyes, a long sharp nose, a lion-like beard, and a flame-like shape on the top of his head. Masterfully carved with careful attention to details, see the deeply incised hairs that cover his body. The 2-part piece is held together with a wooden plug. Though for daily use, Burmese craftsmen created beautiful objects and finished them with the best materials they could afford.

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    Antique Mazu the Taoist Empress of Heaven in Horseshoe Chair, China (6003A-BCK) 1050

    Original price was: $1,050.00.Current price is: $892.50.
    H: 15.375” W: 8.625” D: 7.5” | FOR a  SHIPPING quote CONTACT US AT 213-568-3030 or email [email protected]

    This Mazu, the protector of sea farers, is portrayed as the imperially sanctioned “Empress of Heaven” seated on an elaborate horseshoe shaped dragon throne, hands clasped symbolically holding a hu tablet, adorned with elegant dragon robes, an official’s girdle, a flat-topped Empress headdress and small feet resting on a pair of gilt fu lions. Meant to be seen from all sides this beautiful carving is decorated on front and back.

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    Antique Miniature Pair of Carved Tigers, China (16075BME) $250

    Original price was: $250.00.Current price is: $212.50.

    Ht: 4.25 W: 6” D: 3” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!/h6>

    Although tiger images are said to expel evil, protect Chinese and be a male yang symbol of and representing courage, these folk art chubby tigers have a friendly demeanor with smiling mouths, eyes staring upward, and ears close to the face. Crouching on a pedestal with scalloped borders, they grasp a round orb in their pudgy front paws. Curly tails extend upwards from behind covered with carved indentations have radiating striations. This pair would be an endearing, fanciful, quirky, and delightful addition to any environment.

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    Antique Pair of Stone Fu Lions, China (17044BOE) $695

    Original price was: $695.00.Current price is: $590.75.
    H: 8” W: 5.5” D: 3.25” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This is a really great pair of stone small fu lions with lots of character, humor, and detailed carving. Each of these very joyous creatures has open mouthed smiling faces with radiant eyebrows and tufts below their chins, scalloped manes and bushy tails. Carved from one piece of a blackish hard stone they could easily withstand additional wear of the elements in a garden. Pairs of fu lions like this belong in the home of people who appreciate spirituality and wish for happiness and fortune along with a touch of wit and whimsy.

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    Antique Polychrome Mazu “Holy Mother in Heaven,” China (3429AEM) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $1,450.00.Current price is: $1,232.50.
    H: 19.25″  W: 10″  D: 8.75″ |CALL 213-568-3030 OR EMAIL [email protected] FOR SHIPPING COST

    Seated imperiously on a horseshoe chair with legs on a turquoise embossed pedestal on a base with carved  characters of her title “Holy Mother in Heaven,” this majestic Mazu is depicted in the imperial style, wearing a regal flat topped headdress and elaborate robes with dragons and an officials girdle at the waist highlighted in red and covered with gilt. This wonderful carving is in excellent condition after years of use.

     

     

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    Antique Puppet Head of Queen Mother of the West, China (16800BCE) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $950.00.Current price is: $807.50.
    Ht: 17” W: 4.25” D: 4.5” | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.

    Chinese puppet theatre thrived, educated and entertained people with puppets that usually had detachable heads. A very popular figure, the Queen Mother of the West is the highest ranking female Taoist deities venerated by women as a powerful, independent deity embodying yin (female energy) who they prayed to for health and long life. Her complex elaborate headdress includes a large outstretched tortoise atop her iconic symbol, the phoenix, all flanked by two nagas under an arch bordered with a scale like finish, a truly unique and impressive image. She is mounted on a modern contemporary frosted acrylic base.

     

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    Antique Shen Nong, Founder of Natural Medicine, China (16530BCEM)

    Original price was: $4,600.00.Current price is: $3,910.00.
    H: 30.5″ W: 19.5″ D: 11.75″ | EMAIL [email protected] OR CALL US AT 213-568-3030 SHIPPING INFORMATION

    As one of the most revered Chinese cultural deities, Shen Non is the Taoist mythological Earth God credited with being the father of both Natural Medicine and Agriculture, author of the Canon of Internal Medicine, first Chinese medical classic covering medical physiology, anatomy and acupuncture and the Divine Husbandman’s Materia Medica, the earliest Chinese work on medicines derived from minerals, plants and animals. This exquisite massive image seated on a cloud was mean to be seen in the round with leaves draped down his back. Brilliantly carved and extremely rare, this statue would be a prized image for anyone in the medical,  pharmaceutical or agriculture profession.As indicated by the back cavity, it was consecrated by a Taoist priest

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    Antique Stone Fu Lion, China (16394JLM)

    Original price was: $195.00.Current price is: $165.75.
    H: 4.5″  Dia: 3.25″ | FREE SHIPPING WITHIN CONTINENTAL U.S.!

    This hand carved antique stone flu lion is a fun loving benevolent creature as seen in his open mouth with sharp teeth in a fanciful grin with a curled tongue, mischievously twinkling eyes under bushy eyebrows and a compressed rotund body with a very small tail. This is not your refined portrait of an elegant protective beast, it’s just a friendly pet hanging out . He probably lived in the garden of a provincial fun-loving family and is looking for a similar environment where people like old wonderful pieces to remind them not to take themselves too seriously.

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    Antique Taoist Literature God on a Dragon, China (16615PBRK) SPECIAL PRICE

    Original price was: $795.00.Current price is: $675.75.
    H: 15.5”  W: 5.5  D: 4.5” | FREE SHIPPING within Continental U.S.!

    This image from South China is Wen Chang, the Taoist God of Literature and many realms associated with higher intellect and education. He is a tall, extremely thin, surly, demon like image with ribs showing and facial distortions standing firmly on a dragon’s head  among waves holding his belt. Chinese turned to him for wealth, health, long life, and good fortune. Unlike ancestor figures, this carving was probably displayed independently in a prominent place in the office of a Chinese official or scholar. Increasingly difficult to find, this piece would enhance any desk, library, study, or other location.  It is in excellent condition with a warm patina, full of finely modeled details with a few surface scratches and paint losses consistent with its age.

     

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    Antique White Robed Guanyin on a Hǒu, China(16963BKE) $795

    Original price was: $725.00.Current price is: $616.25.
    H: 15.125”  W: 6”  D: 5” | FREE SHIPPING within Continental U.S.!

    This charming rare White Robed Guanyin sits on a Hǒu, the mythical guardian beast that symbolizes righteousness and morality and the mandate to usher in peace and prosperity. Although generally beast, this Hǒu is a gentle Buddhist creature curled around Guanyin’s side as she in lalitsana clasping a rosary. This fine and rare provincial folk version of Guanyin is a small yet powerful carving, mounted on a frosted Acrylic base.

     

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