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Period: 19th Century
Chinese Lucky Eight Stool, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
The traditional squared lines of Ming furniture are given a distinctive curved flair in this late 19th century Provincial stool. A narrow seat is supported by four splayed legs that flare outwards with a natural bend. Resembling the Chinese character for the lucky number...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Rustic Stools
Materials
Elm
Chinese Floral Relief Urn, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Leaving this grandly scaled urn unglazed, the Qing-dynasty craftsman who crafted it chose instead to draw attention to the surface decoration. Skilfully modeled floral motifs stand i...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Planters, Cachepots and Jardinières
Materials
Ceramic
Provincial Chinese Two Drawer Table, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Used as a family altar table or for general storage, this 19th century coffer is decorated with intricate carvings of round chrysanthemum blossoms,...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Square Lattice Window Panel, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This early 20th century lattice window panel from China's Shanxi province likely originated in a traditional home with balanced interiors. Both functional and decorative, lattice win...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Wall-mounted Sculptures
Materials
Elm
Chinese Shallow Wine Table, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Made for sharing and offering wine and spirits, this small table once gathered together convivial imbibers who engaged in group toasts and robust cons...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Console Tables
Materials
Elm
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
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 Floral Incised Brass Brazier, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th century handcrafted bronze hand warmer would have been owned by a woman of means and filled with coals so she could warm her hands on cold...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Metalwork
Materials
Brass
Chinese Double Handled Brass Brazier, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
On a cold winter’s night in China’s Northern provinces, the well-to-do held their hands over this coal-filled brazier to ward off the chill. Handmade of brass, the exquisitely crafte...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antiquities
Materials
Brass
Chinese Painted Festival Trunk, c. 1820
Located in Chicago, IL
Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscellaneous items, trunks were found in every room in the home and were often stacked on top of one another.
This festive chest dates to the early 19th century and has been embellished with black lacquer and detailed hand-painted decoration in a traditional folk style. The front of the trunk is painted with a scene of Communist propaganda...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Trunks and Luggage
Materials
Wood
Provincial Chinese Iron Bell, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic, 19th century iron bell once pealed in celebration or gave notice of important events in a town in Northern China. The shoulder of the bell is de...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Garden Ornaments
Materials
Iron
Chinese Cartouche Kang Chest, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Intricately crafted in the 19th century, this walnut kang chest showcases three doors inset with camphor panels, reminiscent of cartouche paintings. Often selected for its active gra...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Sideboards
Materials
Other
Chinese Painted Festival Trunk, c. 1820
Located in Chicago, IL
Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscellaneous items, trunks were found in every room in the home and were often stacked on top of one another.
This festive trunk dates to the early 19th century and has been embellished with black lacquer and detailed hand-painted decoration in a traditional folk style. The front of the trunk is painted with a scene of Communist propaganda, depicting three young men holding...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Trunks and Luggage
Materials
Wood
Pair of Chinese Low Two-Door Cabinets, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Exquisitely carved over a century ago in China’s Shanxi province, this pair of mid-19th century elmwood cabinets would have been placed upon a kang bed and us...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Night Stands
Materials
Brass
19th Century Chinese Iron Bell
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic, 19th-century iron bell once pealed in celebration or gave notice of important events in a town in northern China. Marked with holes to affix the...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Garden Ornaments
Materials
Iron
Ornate Japanese Side Table, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The growth of urban centers and spread of wealth during the Edo period in Japan ushered in an era that reveled in the aesthetic qualities of objects and actions in everyday life. This ornately carved...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Japanese Edo Side Tables
Materials
Hardwood
Monumental Chinese Robe Trunk with Full Moon Lock, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
For thousands of years, traditional Chinese architecture had no interior closets, and trunks and cabinets were used as a storage solution for clothing, precious books, and scrolls. T...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Blanket Chests
Materials
Brass
19th Century Provincial Chinese Iron Bell
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic, 19th century iron bell once pealed in celebration or gave notice of important events in a town in northern China. The shoulder of the bell is adorned with subtle decorat...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Garden Ornaments
Materials
Iron
Chinese Lattice Wine Table, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A tradition dating back to the Northern Song dynasty (960 to 1126), wine tables have been used for centuries as a gathering spot to serve food, s...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Side Tables
Materials
Elm
Indian Bronze Oil Lamp, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This small bronze object is a form of Indian hanging oil lamp known as a thookku vilakku, or pendant light. This example dates to the 19th century and features a shallow dish raised ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Indian Bohemian Chandeliers and Pendants
Materials
Bronze
Blonde Chinese Hide Storage Trunk, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscel...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Trunks and Luggage
Materials
Brass
Ethiopian Bronze Hanging Coptic Censer, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This sculptural bronze object is a 19th-century liturgical censer, or thurible, used for guided prayer and ritual ceremony within the Coptic O...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Ethiopian Religious Items
Materials
Bronze
Elegant Chinese Waterfall Altar Table, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
With no stretchers or spandrels, this gorgeous altar table flows like a ribbon, rounding the bend to form straight, waterfall sides that end in scrolled feet. Dated to the mid-19th c...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Minimalist Console Tables
Materials
Elm
Blonde Chinese Hide Storage Trunk, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscel...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Trunks and Luggage
Materials
Brass
Chinese Red Lacquer Scholars' Cabinet, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
With its commanding scale and simple silhouette, this tall Qing-dynasty cabinet offered the perfect canvas for elaborate decoration. Crafted in the mid-19th century, the cabinet has ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Cupboards
Materials
Elm
English Papier-mâché Spectacle Case with Mother-of-pearl Inlay, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This late 19th century spectacle case has an elegant design of lacquered papier-mâché with mother-of-pearl inlay. The inlaid decoration depicts a spray of various flowers and is bord...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century British Decorative Boxes
Materials
Mother-of-Pearl, Lacquer, Paper
Painted Chinese Red Lacquer Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Crafted in the mid-19th century, this tall cabinet has a clean-lined form, designed with straight sides, square corners and minimal carvings. The cabinet front is cloaked in a bright...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Blonde Chinese Hide Trunk Table, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscel...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass, Steel
Pair of Chippendale Style European Dining Chairs, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This pair of antique dining chairs is crafted in the style of Chippendale furniture with fine hardwood frames and upholstered seats. Date...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century European Chippendale Side Chairs
Materials
Walnut
Chinese Low Plank Top Table, circa 1880
Located in Chicago, IL
This low-profile rustic table was originally used in a provincial, Qing-dynasty home as a versatile surface for cooking, dining or drinking. Made of northern Chinese elmwood (yumu), ...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Tables
Materials
Wood
Set of Four Pressed Botanical Specimens, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
These four botanical specimens from the herbarium of A. Brun were hand-picked, pressed and preserved in the late-19th century. Each plant specimen is elegantly presented within a fin...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century European Prints
Materials
Wood
Blonde Chinese Hide Trunk Table, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, kitchen utensils, and other miscel...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Blanket Chests
Materials
Steel, Brass
Pair of Chinese Woven Top Fang Deng Stools, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These 19th-century square stools from Shanxi province are elegantly crafted in the classical Chinese style with simple lines and balanced proportions. This form of square stool, or f...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Rattan, Elm, Lacquer
Chinese Threshing Stone Drum, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This low stone pedestal is an early 19th-century mill stone or roller stone, used for threshing grain on a farm in China's Shanxi province. The heavy stone would have been would have...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Limestone
Chinese Threshing Stone Drum, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This low stone pedestal is an early 19th-century mill stone or roller stone, used for threshing grain on a farm in China's Shanxi province. The heavy stone would have been would have...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Patio and Garden Furniture
Materials
Limestone
Tibetan Mountain Landscape Coffer, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This low two-drawer chest is a 19th-century coffer from northern China or Mongolia and was repainted with bright colors in the early 20th century in the style of Tibetan painted furniture. The top surface has been painted with verdant mountainous landscape dotted with grazing animals, colorful flowers and dancing figures. Crashing waves churn along a river in the foreground and plumes of smoke billow from hilltop fires in the distance.
The front panels and drawers are painted with intricate scrollwork and ribbon-clad Buddhist auspicious symbols, including the parasol, the treasure vase, the conch shell, the endless knot, the pair of golden fishes, the banner of victory, and the wheel of life. These symbols of good fortune represent the offerings that were made by the gods to Shakyamuni Buddha when he attained enlightenment. The sides are painted with a lotus flower surrounding the Three Jewels...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Furniture
Materials
Hide, Wood, Paint
Tibetan Thangka of Chenresi, Late 19th Century
Located in Chicago, IL
In Buddhist Tibet, patrons and monks commissioned thangka art, or sacred painting, to focus their meditations and prayers. Painted with blue, orange, and red pigments, this 19th century thangka...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Paintings and Screens
Materials
Fabric, Silk
Grand Renaissance Revival Armoire with Wire Screens, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This grand antique cabinet is a 19th century French armoire crafted in the style of Renaissance Revival furniture. The large wardrobe has a clean-lined rectangular form surmounted by a molded and dentil cornice and raised upon short, straight legs. The cabinet is simply decorated with paneled sides and two front doors inset with decorative carvings and mesh screens.
Each of the lower panels is beautifully carved in low relief with an ornate oil lamp emitting tendrils of smoke atop a spray of hanging grapes, fruiting branches, and other foliate scrollwork. Vertical fluting adds intrigue to the cabinet front and recalls the carved columns of Roman and Greek architecture. The interior is fitted with four shelves and lined with a neutral printed...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century French Renaissance Revival Wardrobes and Armo...
Materials
Fabric, Wood
Taoist Ceremonial Scroll Painting, circa 1870
Located in Chicago, IL
This colorful painted scroll is a Taoist ceremonial painting attributed to the Yao or Mien minority culture of southern China, northern Vietnam and other neighboring regions. The sma...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Paintings
Materials
Paper
Drum-Form Chinese Birdcage with Faux Branches, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This delicate wooden birdcage was once home to the tiny pet bird of a Qing-dynasty aristocrat. Dated to the mid-19th century, this drum-shaped cage is carefully assembled of thin bam...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Bird Cages
Materials
Metal
Provincial Chinese Wooden Headrest, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Made of Chinese northern elmwood, this smooth block of wood was once used as a rigid headrest or neck pillow. The soft curve and height of the block not only supported the head while...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Elm
Provincial Chinese Half Table, circa 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
With clean lines and a simple Silhouette, this 19th century half table from Shanxi province expresses the restraint of classical Chinese furniture design. Crafted of northern elm (yu...
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Woven Market Basket with Divider, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
It is easy to imagine someone, long ago, walking to market on a summer's day with this beautiful woven basket tucked under their arm. Hand-woven of willow and twine, the basket has a...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Baskets
Materials
Wood, Willow
Square Chinese Bamboo Birdcage with Porcelain Waterpots, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This delicate wooden birdcage was once home to the tiny pet bird of a Qing-dynasty aristocrat. Dated to the Mid-19th Century, the square cage is precisely assembled from thin bamboo ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Bird Cages
Materials
Metal
Chinese Double Guardian Headrest, circa 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman would use a rigid headrest or neck pillow to keep her head elevated. Whether functional or pure...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Animal Sculptures
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Cast Iron Vessel, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This cast-iron vessel has an elegant form reminiscent of the beautiful ironwork, bronzes, and ceramics perfected by Chinese artisans thousands of years ago. A century ago this jar wo...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Vases
Materials
Iron
Chinese Cast Iron Vessel, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This cast-iron vessel has an elegant form reminiscent of the beautiful ironwork, bronzes, and ceramics perfected by Chinese artisans thousands of years ago...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Urns
Materials
Iron
Chinese Etched Stone Mortar, circa 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Essentially a utilitarian vessel, this mortar is textured with etched line work to facilitate the task of removing the outer husks from grains of rice. Yet it seems as if the Qing-dy...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Planters and Jardinieres
Materials
Limestone
Pair of Framed Chinese Ancestor Portraits, circa 1880s
Located in Chicago, IL
Believing that the departed continue to hold influence over the lives of the living, many Chinese households honor their ancestors in private family rituals, invoking their spirits for long life, health, and prosperity. Commemorative portraits, which came into vogue in the late Ming and Qing dynasties, were commissioned specifically for ancestor worship and were believed to house the spirits of the deceased. When properly cared for, one's ancestors were believed to be a powerful source of honor, protection, and good luck.
This pair of ancestor portraits was hand-painted in the late-19th century and beautifully depicts a Qing-dynasty couple. While some ancestral portraits offer a more stylized representation of one's ancestors, this particular pair is painted with incredible realism and life-like expressions. Rather than depict the pair in a regal hall wearing elaborate finery, the couple is shown in a quiet home environment, seated at either end of a square tea table. Their surroundings are minimal, practically undecorated, and they wear simple, matching blue silk robes. Two young children stand beside them, each trying to capture the attention of their grandparent. We love the painting's close attention to detail and the glimpse it offers of Qing-dynasty interiors - from the carved apron of the marble-top table to the red silk lotus slippers...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens
Materials
Paper
Chinese Marigold Yellow Storage Coffer, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
While most Chinese lacquered furniture is black or red in color, this 19th-century storage coffer is colored by a marigold-yellow lacquer finish with a wonderful crackled texture. Th...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Brass
Chinese Shallow Wine Table, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
Made for sharing and offering wine and spirits, this small table once gathered together convivial imbibers who engaged in group toasts and robust consumption. Dated to the 19th centu...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Wood, Elm
Chinese Petite Coffer Chest, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Perfectly proportioned for its petite size, this low elmwood chest is the ideal place to stow odds and ends. The charming cabinet has all the features of a traditional Chinese coffer - straight recessed legs, curving spandrels, and a floating-panel top that moves with the seasons. The small chest has a single shallow drawer...
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Buffets
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Elm
Provincial Chinese Grey Glazed Bowl, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century ceramic bowl is simply shaped with tapered sides and a heavy footed base. A cool grey glaze coats the bowl inside and out, pooling at the bottom with increased opac...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Bowls
Materials
Ceramic
Chinese Reverse Glass Table Screen with Floral Still Life, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Prevalent in fine Chinese interiors as early as the Tang dynasty (618-906), standing screens with decorative panels served numerous functions as portable architecture. Used to sectio...
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens
Materials
Glass, Wood
Chinese Round Leg Altar Table, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
With a clean lines and minimal decoration, this 19th-century offering table is at home in any contemporary room. Despite its modern form, the table incorporates many fundamental features of traditional Chinese table design: round legs...
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Console Tables
Materials
Wood, Elm
Monumental Chinese Stone Guanyin Head, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
As the embodiment of compassion, Guanyin is the most beloved enlightened being in China. Known as the Goddess of Mercy, she is the female bodhisattva form taken by Avalokitesvara in eastern Buddhism and is instantly available to all who call upon her with their mind. Though commonly depicted as a woman in Chinese statuary...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Stone
Japanese Red Lacquer Negoro Hibachi with Rabbits, Edo Period, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
With monumental scale and beautiful, hand-carved details, this remarkable red lacquer hibachi is a true work of art. Designed to hold glowing embers, hibachi vessels such as this were used for cooking or as a source of heat in Japanese homes. Placed under a low wood kotatsu table...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Japanese Edo Lacquer
Materials
Metal, Bronze, Copper
Pair of Chinese Stone Door Posts with Mythical Elephants, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Passing through these impressive posts, a visitor to a Qing-dynasty estate would know he was entering someplace special. Used in a traditional courtyard entry to secure the doors as they swung open, these hand-carved posts are nonetheless ripe with symbolism. Double dragon medallions...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Pedestals
Materials
Limestone
Tibetan Painted Longevity Box, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This beautiful late 19th-century Tibetan box has an unusual trapezoidal form and is highly decorated in the Sino-Tibetan style in a palette of red, orange,...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Decorative Boxes
Materials
Wood
Read More
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