PAGODA RED
Color: Black
Chinese Black Lacquer Snack Box, c. 1820
Located in Chicago, IL
This simple lacquered box was once used as a 19th-century snack box, presented as a gift during holidays and special occasions. To the delight of the recipients, the unassuming box w...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Lacquer
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Chinese Black Lacquer Snack Box, c. 1820
Located in Chicago, IL
This simple lacquered box was once used as a 19th-century snack box, presented as a gift during holidays and special occasions. To the delight of the recipients, the unassuming box w...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Lacquer
Materials
Wood, Lacquer
Small Chinese Marble Doon Table
Located in Chicago, IL
This "floating" doon table, carefully hand-carved into a perfect block, has a graceful reveal at its base, giving it a modern lightness. The dark color of ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Organic Modern Architectural Elements
Materials
Marble
French Art Deco Fer Forge Foyer Rack, c. 1930s
Located in Chicago, IL
This fantastic French wrought iron foyer rack or hall tree dates to the Art Deco period of the 1920-30s. The coat rack is wonderfully decorated with a hamme...
Category
Vintage 1930s French Art Deco Coat Racks and Stands
Materials
Marble, Wrought Iron
Chinese Double Steamed Wine Jar
Located in Chicago, IL
This early 20th-century ceramic jar is formed in a traditional shape meant for storing wine and spirits made from rice and grains. Known as cheng, these jars are defined by having a ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Ceramics
Materials
Ceramic
"Moonlight" Kite by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels.
In “Moonlight,” Thompson creates a moody composition of light and dark with a patchwork of Japanese fabrics...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Muslin, Silk, Bamboo, Cotton, Paint
"Feng Shui" Kite by Michael Thompson
By Michael Thompson
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites crafted from split bamboo frames covered with stretched muslin and a collage of vintage Asian ephemera—including fragments of fabric, scrolls, drawings, and books collected during his travels.
In “Feng Shui...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Silk, Bamboo, Muslin
Black Lacquer Splayed Foot Scholars' Table, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
With deceptively simple design, this narrow console table would have been favored by a Chinese scholar for its well-executed curves, gracefully arched like the sweep...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Materials
Elm
Tapered Puddingstone Basin
Located in Chicago, IL
This clean-lined stone basin was hand-carved with a tapered form by artisans in China's Shandong province. Though it looks like a meticulous painting, the mesmerizing pattern of the ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Materials
Stone
Painted Black Lacquer Round Tray
Located in Chicago, IL
This round tray is crafted of a woven bamboo substrate coated in many layers of black lacquer to strengthen the form and create an even finish. The weaving ...
Category
Early 20th Century Southeast Asian Folk Art Platters and Serveware
Materials
Bamboo
Japanese Woven Bamboo Tabako-bon, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This woven basket is actually a Japanese tabako-bon, or 'tobacco tray,' used as a portable hibachi for lighting tobacco pipes. Believed to have evolved from the traditional accessories of Japanese incense ceremony, tabako-bons first came into use in the 17th century and were often beautifully decorated to display one's wealth and status. This tabako-bon is woven of smoked bamboo and features a ceramic...
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Decorative Baskets
Materials
Ceramic, Bamboo
Tibetan Mechag Flint Striker, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In 19th-century Tibet, many men carried a fire striker to help ensure survival in the often-harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau. Known as mechag, such st...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Mounted Objects
Materials
Metal, Steel
“Fanning the Fire” Japanese Tetsubin Kettle, c. 1924
Located in Chicago, IL
Decorated with a raised fan motif, this aptly named teapot was used to boil water for traditional tea ceremonies. Known as tetsubin, the kettle’s cast-iron construction is said to ch...
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Taisho Metalwork
Materials
Iron
Chinese Black Lacquer Vanity Box, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This elegant table chest was once used in the intimate quarters of a Qing-dynasty woman to store her cosmetics, jewelry, and other personal treasures. The wooden box is cloaked in la...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Jewelry Boxes
Materials
Brass
Petite Chinese Gilt Offering Plate, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Dated to the mid-19th century, this small, round tray was likely once used as a shallow offering bowl atop a home altar. Comprised of finely woven bamboo sides and a thin wooden base...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Lacquer
Materials
Bamboo, Lacquer
Chinese Black Lacquer Tray with Painted Winter Landscape, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century tray has a simple rectangular form with low sides and rounded corners. A black lacquer finish cloaks the exterior and offers the perfect canvas for a quiet winter l...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Dishes and Vide-Poche
Materials
Wood
Chinese Gilt Black Lacquer Carrying Box, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This early 20th century painted box was originally used as a portable traveling container, especially used for meals, snacks, and food offerings. The wooden box is crafted with eight sides, a lucky number believed to bring prosperity. Brushed atop layers of red and black lacquer, gilt linework decorates the sides with scrollwork, ruyi, and chrysanthemums, symbols of autumn and longevity. The lid is painted with a young boy carrying a lantern, conveying a blessing of abundance. Dense with symbolism, this painted carrying box...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Boxes
Materials
Wood
Tibetan Saddle Carpet with Scholars' Objects, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusually-shaped carpet is known as a "makden" and was originally used by a nomadic traveler as an artful covering for his horse. Placed between the saddle and the horse, the makden cushioned the rigid saddle and kept the horse warm in cold climates. Most under-saddle carpets include two to four holes near the center, through which the girth straps of the saddle were threaded.
Dated to the late 19th century, this Tibetan saddle carpet...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Chinese and East Asian Rugs
Materials
Fabric, Wool
Petite Square Woven Basket
Located in Chicago, IL
This petite woven basket dates to the early 20th century and is crafted of thin bamboo strips that have been carefully hand-woven in a twill pattern. The...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Rustic Decorative Baskets
Materials
Bamboo
Chinese Bamboo Cloth Teapot, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Tea drinking has been an integral part of Chinese culture for centuries, resulting in a wide range of social customs and material traditions. In addition to tea leaves, water, and heat, the art of drinking tea (chayi) calls for a variety of teaware and utensils - both practical and decorative.
This charming teapot dates to the late Qing dynasty and is hand-carved from a hollow length of bamboo to appear as though parceled by a cloth strung with tassels. The teapot has a squat, rounded form and a dark brown finish, reminiscent of Yixing red clay teapots...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Bamboo
Chinese Bamboo Pomegranate Teapot, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Tea drinking has been an integral part of Chinese culture for centuries, resulting in a wide range of social customs and material traditions. In addition to tea leaves, water, and heat, the art of drinking tea (chayi) calls for a variety of teaware and utensils - both practical and decorative.
This charming teapot dates to the late Qing dynasty and is hand-carved from a hollow length of bamboo in the shape of a ripe pomegranate. The handle is carved to resemble a thin branch, which forks to either side of the teapot bearing long, slender leaves. The teapot has a squat, rounded form and a dark brown finish, reminiscent of Yixing red clay teapots...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Bamboo
Chinese Lacquered Fang Deng Side Table, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Stools have been a favored form of seating in Chinese culture for centuries and were used indoors and out at mealtimes and during social gatherings. This style of low square stool is...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing End Tables
Materials
Elm
Japanese Gilt Black Lacquer Tea Chest, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
With intricate construction and exquisite decoration, this fine tabletop tea chest is a true masterpiece of Japanese cabinetry and lacquerware. Decorated in ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Meiji Lacquer
Materials
Wood
Pair of Chinese Black Lacquer Ladies' Chairs, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
These unusual ladies' chairs exemplify the beauty of exaggerated proportions. Each chair features a small, round seat, charmingly counterbalanced by wide back panels. A black lacquer...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Side Chairs
Materials
Elm
Vintage Japanese Indigo Folk Kamon Textile
Located in Chicago, IL
Dating to the mid-20th century, this vintage Japanese textile is a folk example of traditional stencil dyed fabric, known as katazome. Richly...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Textiles
Materials
Cotton
Vintage Japanese Indigo Folk Kamon Textile
Located in Chicago, IL
Dating to the mid-20th century, this vintage Japanese textile is a folk example of traditional stencil dyed fabric, known as katazome. Richly...
Category
Mid-20th Century Japanese Textiles
Materials
Cotton
"Study for Messier 17" by Jan Pieter Fokkens
By Jan Pieter Fokkens
Located in Chicago, IL
Entitled "Study for Messier 17," this painting by Chicago-artist Jan Pieter Fokkens offers a representation of the spectacular star-forming region Messier 17, also known as the Omega...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
Chinese Red Lacquer Hide Headrest, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Crafted of painted, lacquered hide, this extraordinary headrest was created in China's Jiangxi province over 150 years ago. Its pliable design enabled contour comfort - quite luxurio...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Mounted Objects
Materials
Hide
"Study for SWEEPS" by Jan Pieter Fokkens
By Jan Pieter Fokkens
Located in Chicago, IL
Inspired by images of deep space, computer compression algorithms, and early non-representational art, Chicago-based artist Jan Pieter Fokkens uses the tangible qualities of pattern and color to interpret unimaginable sights.
Entitled "Study for SWEEPS," this work offers a representation of the Sagittarius Window Eclipsing Extrasolar Planet Search, Hubble’s seven-day-long survey of 180,000 stars in order to detect extrasolar planets. Using data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
Chinese Smoky Black Clay Basin, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Sculpted in the early 20th century in southern China, this charcoal-black basin has a darkened exterior and bears the smoky traces of its fiery creation on...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Materials
Clay
Chinese Bamboo Folding Hat Stand, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In 19th century China, government officials wore different hats to show their various ranks of office, the styles and designs changed depending on the season. This one-of-a-kind fold...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Hat Racks and Stands
Materials
Bamboo
"Study for Event Horizon" by Jan Pieter Fokkens
By Jan Pieter Fokkens
Located in Chicago, IL
Inspired by images of deep space, computer compression algorithms, and early non-representational art, Chicago-based artist Jan Pieter Fokkens uses the tangible qualities of pattern ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
Grand Chinese Qing Dynasty Village Bell, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This lovely Qing-dynasty bell once pealed in a Chinese village, sounding out in celebration or giving notice of important events. Expertly forged, the cast-iron bell is detailed with characters in intricate relief, and its exaggerated scallop rim is traced with oversized rivets. Frosted with snow or lit from within by flickering candles, this sculptural bell takes on a magical presence in the winter...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Garden Ornaments
Materials
Iron
Chinese Buddha Belly Bamboo Pipe, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusually sinuous length of bamboo is known as "Buddha belly bamboo," named for each segment's resemblance to the ample gut of the Chinese mon...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Mounted Objects
Materials
Bamboo
Framed Chinese Ancestor Portrait, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This intricately detailed composition is a late-Qing dynasty ancestor portrait depicting several generations of a family's male ancestry. Or...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens
Materials
Silk
Vintage Chinese Floral Cast Iron Mortar
Located in Chicago, IL
This vintage cast iron mortar from China's Shanxi province is patterned in low relief with a simple floral design. Originally used in a traditional ap...
Category
Mid-20th Century Chinese Rustic Metalwork
Materials
Iron
Moroso Fjord Relax Armchair in Black Leather
By Patricia Urquiola, Moroso
Located in Chicago, IL
Designed in 2002 by Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola for Italian manufacturer Moroso, the Fjord Relax armchair is an homage to the Classic Jacobsen e...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Scandinavian Modern Swivel Chairs
Materials
Steel
Chinese Black Lacquer Chrysanthemum Table, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Atop a layer of lustrous black lacquer, intricately painted floral decoration elevates this minimal square table into a work of art. A leafy trailing vines motif winds across the sur...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Pair of Chinese Buddha Belly Bamboo Pipes, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
These unusually sinuous lengths of bamboo are known as "Buddha belly bamboo" for each segment's resemblance to the ample gut of the Chinese monk Budai, often referred to as the "Laug...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Natural Specimens
Materials
Steel
Set of Six Chinese Bound-Foot Lotus Slippers, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Each of these pointed slippers, crafted of beautifully embroidered silk, were shaped to resemble a lotus bud and enhanced the diminutive shape of bound feet. A practice that began in the Tang dynasty and reached the height of its popularity during the Qing dynasty, foot binding was a painful process intended to make a woman's feet as small as possible by restricting bone growth from an early age. The smaller the feet the more attractive and erotic they were, giving elite women a mark of elegance and a distinctive - albeit tortured - gait of small, light steps. These beautifully preserved lotus slippers...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Cotton, Silk
Chinese Quilt Warmer Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusual squat vessel would have been kept near a kang platform to warm one's blankets before bed. Much like a hot water bottle, the ceramic vessel was filled with hot water thro...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Jars
Materials
Ceramic
Chinese Black Silk Lotus Slippers with Plum Blossoms, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These pointed slippers, beautifully embroidered with light blue plum blossoms on black silk, were shaped to resemble a lotus bud and enhanced the diminutive shape of bound feet. A practice that began in the Tang dynasty and reached the height of its popularity during the Qing dynasty, foot binding was a painful process intended to make a woman's feet as small as possible by restricting bone growth from an early age. The smaller the feet the more attractive and erotic they were, giving elite women a mark of elegance and a distinctive - albeit tortured - gait of small, light steps. These beautifully preserved lotus slippers...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Silk
"VFTS682" by Jan Pieter Fokkens
By Jan Pieter Fokkens
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Jan Pieter Fokkens uses his work as a means of processing the incomprehensible. Navigating the relationship between algorithmic abstraction and the tangible qual...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
Reclining Ho Ho Boy Charm Weight, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th century weight originally used its heft domestically to protect a child. A simple yet ingenious concept, the stone anchored the baby’s swaddling cloth to the bed so the chi...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Ceramic
Chinese Faceted Wine Jar, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
In Qing-dynasty China, large glazed jars such as this were used to store wines, foods, and other consumable items. The combination of high shoulders textured by an irregular, faceted...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Ceramic
"E0102-72.3" by Jan Pieter Fokkens
By Jan Pieter Fokkens
Located in Chicago, IL
The colorful paintings of Jan Pieter Fokkens transport us to distant worlds beyond our comprehension. Within his seemingly infinite networks of lines, dots, and crosses, he decodes t...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Paper
Yoruba Omo Bell, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This four-sided brass face bell, known as omo, was created by an artisan of the Ijebu Yoruba People of Southern Nigeria. A mark of the wearer's rank and power, the bell would have be...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Mounted Objects
Materials
Metal
Tibetan Silver Repoussé Needle Case, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Lavishly decorated with repoussé, auspicious Buddhist symbols, and a bit of coral, this 19th century silver needle case was once filled with the nee...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Mounted Objects
Materials
Silver
“Weird Adventure” by Jan Pieter Fokkens
By Jan Pieter Fokkens
Located in Chicago, IL
Chicago-based artist Jan Pieter Fokkens uses his work as a means of processing the incomprehensible. Navigating the relationship between algorithmic abstraction and the tangible qualities of pattern and color, Fokkens meditates on how we as viewers negotiate our realities. Entitled "Weird Adventure," this diptych depicts a still from the Italian Classic film...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Contemporary Art
Materials
Canvas
Chinese Horse and Full Moon Inkstone, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Scholarly pursuits such as painting, calligraphy, and poetry were a highly respected and revered subculture in ancient China, and demanded their own set of tools that were not only functional, but also beautiful. Scholars relied on inkstones such as this one to mix their dry inks with water for use in calligraphy painting. This stone inkstone is covered in intricate carvings of crashing waves, surrounding the image of a horse bearing a saddle. Covered in scales, the horse is likely a longma, or "dragon horse...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Scholar's Objects
Materials
Stone
Chinese Grand Floral Relief Urn, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This large glazed jar was handcrafted in China's Shanxi province over a century ago. Masterfully crafted, the jar is patterned in high relief, featuring medallion portraits of chrysa...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Planters and Jardinieres
Materials
Ceramic
19th Century Chinese Embroidered Silk Ladies Butterfly Short Robe
Located in Chicago, IL
When the Qing-dynasty woman who wore this lovely jacket entered a room, people would instantly have recognized her status and rank based on the materials and decoration of her garmen...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Textiles
Materials
Silk
Chinese Reverse Glass Portrait with Painted Fan, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
With exquisite detail and sparkling color, this portrait of a young woman is a remarkable example of reverse glass painting. Lending the finished work a subtle three-dimensional effe...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens
Materials
Glass
Large Chinese Floral Relief Jar, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Rendered in high relief, this ceramic jar’s dimensional bands, hobnail motifs and flower-filled medallions add visual interest and texture. Glazed on the interior, the jar was likely...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Materials
Ceramic
Chinese Crackled Lacquer Tapered Cabinet, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
The essence of traditional Chinese furniture is fully expressed in the simplicity and graceful presence of this 18th century two-door cabinet. Crafted of southern elmwood with tradit...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Wardrobes and Armoires
Materials
Brass
Black Lacquer Bulbous Demilune Table, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Named for its half moon shape, demilune tables such as this were designed to sit against a wall, displaying precious objects and porcelain. Crafted by an artisan in China's Hebei pro...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Demi-lune Tables
Materials
Elm
Pair of Chinese Rattan Top Black Lacquer Stools
Located in Chicago, IL
This pair of 19th century black lacquer stools was created by an artisan from northern China using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery techniques...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Rattan, Elm
Late Victorian English Table Casket with Mother of Pearl Inlay
Located in Chicago, IL
This precious 19th century English table casket features mother of pearl inlay and carved shell drawer pulls. The top of the piece is decorated with a pai...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century English Late Victorian Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Paper
Bamileke Storage Vessel, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Like other African everyday ceramics, Bamileke storage pots are revered for their simple forms yet astonishing beauty. Each is hand shaped and fired in the open. They are generally s...
Category
Early 20th Century Cameroonian Tribal Art
Materials
Ceramic
Yoruba Osanyin Staff, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To cure mental and physical ailments, Yoruba priests and diviners invoke the aid of Osanyin, the god of herbal medicines. Used in divination rituals to cure the afflicted, this iron ...
Category
Early 20th Century Nigerian Tribal Tribal Art
Materials
Steel, Iron
Read More
A Pair of Monumental Stone Tigers Protect and Guide Wandering Souls
The Qing dynasty beasts honored the dead and warned off malicious spirits.
Chicago’s Pagoda Red Has a Spirited Mix of Asian Antiques and Bold New Art
For 25 years, gallerist Betsy Nathan has leveraged her keen eye and key connections to bring a unique selection of rare finds to the market.