Showing 13–24 of 62 results
This elegant heddle-pulley carved from a single piece of Burmese teak is topped by a hamsa, a sacred Buddhist symbol of wisdom mentioned in the Jakata tales about the life of the Buddha. It is believed that auspicious symbolic animal images protected the weaver, assured quality weaving, and pleased the gods and spirits. This antique piece is wonderfully weathered from time and use.
This finely designed 14/15th century globular stoneware box resting on a short foot has an olive-brown glazed lotus bud handle surrounded by radiating radiating olive-brown and lightly glazed petals above a band of geometric shapes. The body is lyrically ornamented with an intricate scroll of white, light glazed and incised colored branches and florals on an olive-brown glaze background. Its fine appearance is a result of the unusual lovely olive-brown surface with a glaze applied sparsely in some areas and thicker in others to offset the vegetal scrolls.
This ancestor figure is portrayed as a Mandarin civilian official indicating either his actual high rank or his family’s desire to depict him as one seated in a traditional official’s pose and dressed official Mandarin attire and high status boots. The three-character inscription on the pedestal seems to be a name 范 懋卿（Fan Mao Qing) that probably indicates his identity and/or the family who commissioned the image.
This masterfully carved ancestor as a mandarin official sits on horseshoe chair set on a footed high decorated plinth dressed in a well-appointed formal 3-button Mandarin long coat and pointed rattan hat. His face is uniquely and unusually individualized with heavy lidded eyes, in a benevolent expression and his advanced aged indicated by the wrinkles clearly depicting a loved individual. This exquisitely carved image in excellent condition with a fine patina was true homage to a revered family member and is one of our finest ancestor figures.
This small fine quality piece depicts a modest ancestor figure as a Mandarin official seated in a horseshoe chair on a raised pedestal emphasizing his importance wearing the traditional mandarin 5-button long coat with a round collar, a plain officials hat, and an undergarment extending to the top of his black shoes. He has a somewhat personalized oval-shaped tranquil face, a high forehead with curved painted brows, a hint of a smile on his pursed lips, and a triangular pigtail down his back.
This well-carved and remarkable ancestor figure is a lower-level Mandarin Civilian official seated on an armless yoke-back chair mounted on a plain rectangular base. He wears a traditional Mandarin jacket, an ankle-length skirt and a black velvet cap for winter or rattan woven hat in summer. His left hand is on his knee while the clenched right rests on the other one in an iconic Mandarin official pose. He is extremely well-carved with facial details showing his advanced age and he exudes an air of authority and status. In contrast to idealized ancestors, he is more individualized reflecting aspects of the actual person portrayed.
A group of 12 zodiac figures as mingqi sometimes accompanied the wealthy deceased in their tomb. This Ming dynasty earthenware figurine stands on a low circular base and wears an official’s hat and long flowing robes. It is difficult to identify the specific animal held here but it may be a rabbit, small dog or baby pig. The detailed figure is hollow and partially mould-made and unlike glazed mingqi, was covered with a white slip and painted using black and white pigments which are mostly extant.
Often ancestral figures were portrayed sitting in horseshoe chairs to reflect the high status of the figure they were portraying. As many earthenware mingqi, this well-modeled chair has a liberally applied thick green glaze resulting in expected drips around the stretchers. The seat is decorated with a yellow glaze imitating caning and the decorative carved design on the splat also has a yellow glaze and a carved decorative “clocklike” circular design. The bottom of the seat and legs are not glazed, as is usual. It is in very good condition with expected minor chips and minor glaze pitting and deterioration consistent with its age and long burial. It pairs perfectly with item 3330 and together would add to a fine collection of Chinese ceramics.
This charming miniature Ming dynasty ceramic horseshoe pottery chair is an accurate model of an impressive Ming chair that would have been made of a beautifully grained hardwood and constructed with a continuous horseshoe shaped top rail and a caned seat. The curved splat of a wood chair might have either carved or pierced motifs or medallions and straight or curved stretchers joining the legs in pairs at the same height on each side. Often ancestral carved figures were portrayed sitting in horseshoe chairs to reflect the high status of the figure they were portraying. This ceramic mingqi has a thick green glaze throughout which was liberally applied normal usual drips around the stretchers. The seat is decorated with a yellow glaze in imitation of caning as is the decorative carved design on the splat, but the bottoms of both the seat and legs are unglazed. The rail ends splay to the right and left for hand comfort and decorative effect are traditionally found in Ming Dynasty hardwood horseshoe-shaped chairs. It is in very good condition with minor chips and paint losses and fading due to its being buried underground in a tomb for centuries. It would be a fine addition to a collection of antique ceramics.
Guanyin clearly dominates this majestic carving, in meditation and wearing an ornate high blue crown centered with an Amitabha Buddha in a deep arched border and her traditional three-part robe extending to her pedestal throne topped by flat lotus leaves.This remarkable carving Nanhai-Guanyin is extremely rare, unique and difficult to interpret. We have never seen a Guanyin in her cave at Putuo surrounded by with two sets of attendants, her acolytes Shan Tsai and the Dragon Princess Longnu and a seated Taoist official/ priest or possible the donor at the apex. This was clearly commissioned by a very wealthy donor who wished to make a spiritual statement while emphasizing his reverence and status.
This fine ancestor figure portrayed as a Chinese official with many indications of his high status. He sits on a backless chair upon a high decorative pedestal upon which his feet rest and . He wears officials attire: a futou cap and high collared red robe with double belt extending to his shoes. He sits in a formal pose with hands on his thighs holding a long slender hu tablet. His facial hairs indicate a mustache and beard, now partially lost, on his gilt colored face.
This unique and dense antique/vintage carving may represent the noted historical figure: the principal regent Dorgon of the first Qing Emperor Shunzhi who ruled from 1643-1650 as a”quasi” emperor based on the four-character inscription that reads “Southern Holy Emperor.” He is presented wearing an impressive and detailed hat and coat holding a hu tablet characteristic of one standing before an emperor.
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