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Period: 18th Century and Earlier
Pair of Chinese Stone Finials with Peaches and Persimmons, 17th/18th Century
Located in Chicago, IL
Over four hundred years ago, these rare stone finials once sat high on the roof of a Ming dynasty building. Hand-carved in Shanxi province, they offer a glimpse of a bygone era - man...
Category
Antique 18th Century Chinese Ming Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Limestone
Pair of Chinese Architectural Valances with Scrollwork Relief Carvings, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
Traditional Chinese architecture follows set principles of design, traceable to the early Zhou dynasty - over three thousand years ago. The beauty of Classic timber framework buildings was often enhanced by the addition of gilded paintings and elaborately carved embellishments, such as this striking pair of wooden valances...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Elm
Pair of Chinese Yokeback Chairs, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
In the West, this type of chair is commonly called a "yokeback" chair because its top rail looks like a yoke for an ox. However, in China, the name translates to "lamp hanger" chair, describing how the form as a whole looks like an ancient oil lamp stand...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Picnic Box, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
The basic form of this two-tiered box with handle has remained unchanged for 1,000 years. Stacked boxes were commonly used as portable containers for food or ...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Boxes
Materials
Hardwood
Chinese Wine Table with Simple Stretchers, c. 1700
Located in Chicago, IL
Over 300 years ago, in the early Qing dynasty, a furniture maker in China's Hebei province was commissioned in to construct this exquisitely proportioned wine table. A tradition dati...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Center Tables
Materials
Elm
Chinese Dingyao Vase, c. 1100
Located in Chicago, IL
Dingyao porcelain, often called Ding ware, is famous for its creamy-white coloring, refined forms, and low-relief surface patterning. Ding ware was produced ...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Minimalist Ceramics
Materials
Stoneware
Chinese Wanli-Era Cast Iron Bell
Located in Chicago, IL
A cast iron bell, when struck with a wooden beam, announced the time of day to villagers. This monumental example is covered in relief casts of chrysant...
Category
Antique Early 17th Century Chinese Ming Garden Ornaments
Materials
Iron
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
Chinese Jade Archer's Ring, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
Hand carved of vibrant red jadeite, known as konpi, this 18th century archer's ring was likely once worn by a gentleman-scholar in northern China. Traditionally, Chinese archers wore...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Scholar's Objects
Materials
Jade, Sterling Silver
18th Century Chinese Low Iron Basin
Located in Chicago, IL
China was the earliest known civilization create works with cast iron, first appearing thousands of years ago during the illustrious Zhou dynasty. This early 18th century iron vessel was once used for collecting rain water...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Planters and Jardinieres
Materials
Iron
Chinese Hoofed Foot Side Table, c. 1700
Located in Chicago, IL
This early Qing-dynasty example of a hoofed foot table exemplifies the way the sophisticated minimalism of the Ming dynasty influenced even provincial ...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Side Tables
Materials
Walnut
Low Chinese Painted Book Cabinet, Ming Dynasty
Located in Chicago, IL
A rolled-up scroll or treasured root pot may have once been among the treasured objects stored in this 19th century book chest. Expertly constructed in China'...
Category
Antique Mid-17th Century Chinese Ming Furniture
Materials
Wood
"Tree Jade" Petrified Wood Specimen
Located in Chicago, IL
Like scholars' rocks, petrified, or fossilized, wood is appreciated for its natural beauty. Sometimes called "Tree Jade," petrified wood is thought to bring peace and prosperity to its surroundings. Each log has its own unique patterns of fossilized moss, bark, and the scars of a lifetime. These facets bring to mind a fascinating combination of organic mortality and preserved permanence. We keep them in their raw, unworked state, using the logs in...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Garden Ornaments
Materials
Petrified Wood
Chinese Ming Iron Bell with Dragon Handle, c. 1600
Located in Chicago, IL
This monumental Ming-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. Covered in scales and ending in expressive faces, the bell's handle is cast in the form of a two-headed hong dragon, thought to be the embodiment of a rainbow and thus visible only after rainfall. Frosted with snow or lit from within by flickering candles, this sculptural bell takes on a magical presence in the winter garden.
Category
Antique Early 17th Century Chinese Ming Garden Ornaments
Materials
Iron
Chinese Stone Tabletop Altar, c. 1600
Located in Chicago, IL
This tabletop altar with scrolled edges, a scalloped apron, and turned legs from China's Shanxi province is a rare find. We conservatively estimate it to be late Ming dynasty (circa ...
Category
Antique Early 17th Century Chinese Ming Antiquities
Materials
Limestone
18th Century Chinese Guardian Sculpture
Located in Chicago, IL
This ancient stone guardian lion shizi was carved by hand out of a single block of limestone. The artisan beckoned the guardian out from the stone, manipulating the unyielding materi...
Category
Antique Early 18th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Limestone
Chinese Celestial Cloud Column Base, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
This 18th century architectural object, hand-carved out of a single block of white marble, is intricately finished with an all-over celestial cloud motif—an ancient and auspicious Bu...
Category
Antique Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Planters and Jardinieres
Materials
Marble
Chinese Miniature Mingqi Robe Rack, c. 680
Located in Chicago, IL
This miniature robe rack made out of glazed ceramic is called a mingqi or “spirit object.” Mingqi were buried in tombs and represented all of the things the ...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Tang Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Ceramic
Chinese Miniature Mingqi Skirted Table
Located in Chicago, IL
This miniature ceramic table is from Shanxi Province and may have been made to represent Mingqi, a type of ancient Chinese burial good. Mingqi were plac...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Ming Ceramics
Materials
Ceramic
17th Century Chinese Ming Bronze Figure of a Boy
Located in Chicago, IL
Fine cast bronze figures created over 400 years ago during China's Ming dynasty are rare and highly appreciated. In this exceptional example, a spirited young boy stands on a lotus b...
Category
Antique Early 17th Century Chinese Ming Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Bronze
Chinese "Tree Jade" Petrified Wood Specimen
Located in Chicago, IL
Like scholars' rocks, petrified, or fossilized, wood is appreciated for its natural beauty. Sometimes called "Tree Jade," petrified wood is thought to bring peace and prosperity to its surroundings. Each log has its own unique patterns of fossilized moss, bark, and the scars of a lifetime. These facets bring to mind a fascinating combination of organic mortality and preserved permanence. We keep them in their raw, unworked state, using the logs in...
Category
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Chinese Scholar's Objects
Materials
Petrified Wood
Japanese Festival Folding Screen, Paint on Paper, c. 1750
Located in Chicago, IL
This 18th-century folding screen is a stunning example of Japanese artistry. Beautifully painted with delicate brushwork, the evocative screen depicts a lively festival during the Edo period (1615–1912). The raucous scene is full of life; within the dense crowd, you can make out people dancing...
Category
Mid-18th Century Edo Figurative Paintings
Materials
Paper, Ink, Pigment
"Buddha Flanked by Female Attendants, " Gouache on Wood Panel, c. 1600
Located in Chicago, IL
This rare mural was painted in China over four centuries ago, and is an exquisite example of Buddhist art. The enlightened Buddha is shown standing at the center of the painting, dre...
Category
Early 17th Century Ming Figurative Paintings
Materials
Wood, Gouache
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.