About PAGODA RED
PAGODA RED is the destination for collectors who love the art, history, style & spirit of Asian and handcrafted objects. Every item is authentic—historically and geographically—and wears the patina of many lifetimes served in homes, palaces and gardens. In the early 1990s, owner Betsy Nathan studied Mandarin and moved to Beijing. There, she met a group of legendary Chinese furniture experts. Under their mentorship, she became an expert in provenance, craftsmanship, joinery and history. Nathan moved back to the United States and established her first showroom in Chicago i...Read More
Featured Pieces
Pair of Chinese Bronze Shih So Vases, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
With a flaring lip and striking profile, connoisseurs often refer to these exquisite vases as “turnip-shaped”. Each was crafted out of bronze over two centuries ago, and is decorated...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Silver, Bronze
Chinese Five Blessings Brass Brazier, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Filled with burning coals, this exquisitely crafted 19th-century brazier once warmed the cold hands of a wealthy woman on a winter night in northern China. The brazier is hand-wrough...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Brass
Chinese Green Meditation Stone Top Desk
Located in Chicago, IL
Prized by ancient scholars, meditation stones invigorated the imaginations of poets, painters, and calligraphers. The abstract shape and veining of the greenery stone specimen that t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern Desks and Writing T...
Materials
Stone, Steel
Chinese Provincial Roundback Chair, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Prior to the 10th century Chinese society eschewed raised seats in favour of mats. The addition of chairs and other elevated forms of seating allowed craftsmen to adapt traditional c...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Trailing Vine Stone Drum
Located in Chicago, IL
Made in Shanxi province, this venerable drum stone was hand-carved with a trailing vine motif and an auspicious “fu” character representing prosperity. Polishing brings out the intri...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Patio and Garden Furniture
Materials
Limestone
Adjustable Chinese Console Table, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite 19th century console table crafted in China's Shanxi province is the perfect example of Qing-dynasty ideals of scholarship and craftsmanship. Though its clean lines and r...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Materials
Elm
"Portal Vase" by Viktor van Bramer
Located in Chicago, IL
Each captivating portal vase by artist Viktor van Bramer began its life as a painting on canvas. Embracing the meditative tedium of painting, van Bramer allows the intricacies of eac...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Vases
Materials
Glass, Paint
Chinese Squared Zhenzhu Stone Basin
Located in Chicago, IL
A clean-lined interpretation of an ancient form, this stone basin was hand carved with a rounded interior within finely edged square form. The basin looks meticulously painted, but t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Materials
Stone
Mongolian Painted Two-Door Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This handsome two-door, two-drawer cabinet was made long ago by a Mongolian artisan and can be appreciated for many years to come. It has a simple and subtle charm that is timeless: ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Mongolian Painted Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Dark Glazed Kitchen Jar, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
A thick dark glaze clings to the smooth surface of this petite jar, lingering on imperfections and accentuating the subtle ridges of its tapered form. Crafted in the late 19th centur...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Jars
Materials
Ceramic
Set of Three Chinese Rattle Rings, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
These unusual metal rings are early 20th century rattles used by Qing-dynasty merchants and street vendors to draw customers. Known as chuànlíng (??), the rattle is composed of a hol...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Mounted Objects
Materials
Metal
Pair of Chinese Low Inset Leg Tables, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This pair of low tables would have once flanked a platform bed in the intimate living space of a traditional Qing-dynasty home. Perfectly proportioned, they are quintessential exampl...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Side Tables
Materials
Elm
More About PAGODA RED
Featured Creators