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Period: 19th Century
Framed Tibetan 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 19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Mounted Objects
Materials
Stone, Silver
Chinese Gilt Shrine Wall Mirror, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A dazzling display of intricate carvings and gilt lacquer, this fabulous wall mirror was originally an ornate shrine surround used to enclose a religious figure or shrine display. Th...
Category
Antique 19th Century Chinese Qing Wall Mirrors
Materials
Mirror, Wood
Mirrored Chinese Tea Tray, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Dovetail joinery and carved geometric scrollwork add charming detail to the simple lines of this century-old provincial tray. The rectangular tray has developed great character from years of serving tea, likely for friends and family gathered on traditional kang daybeds. We've installed a silver-toned mirror to the base to transform the rustic tray...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Organic Modern Platters and Serveware
Materials
Elm, Mirror
Provincial Chinese Glazed Water Jug, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century kitchen vessel is coated inside and out with a dark brown glaze that clings to its ribbed sides with subtle color variation. Designed for serving water or tea, the squat jar features a narrow neck, small strap handles, and a short spout for pouring. The rounded shoulders are brushed with simple linework in a contrasting light brown glaze. Textured with pitted wear and other imperfections, the rustic vessel is wonderful as an unusual vase...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Ceramic
Provincial Chinese Washing Stick, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Carved in the mid-19th century in China's Shanxi province, this fruitwood washing stick would have been used by a Qing-dynasty woman for washing clothes and textiles. Used to beat we...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Mounted Objects
Materials
Fruitwood
Chinese Shallow Offering Table, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This offering table from China's Shanxi province dates to the early 19th century and was originally used to display an ancestor shrine in a provincial h...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Rustic Console Tables
Materials
Elm
Chinese Great Plains Coffer, c. 1880
Located in Chicago, IL
Created in the style of Mongolian storage coffers, this late 19th-century herdsman's chest has a straightforward design and plenty of rustic appeal. Originally configured to open fro...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Rustic Sideboards
Materials
Pine
Pair of Chinese Iron Bound Courtyard Doors, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This impressive set of doors dates to the turn of the century and originated as the outermost entrance gate to a traditional courtyard home in northern China. Crafted of locust wood and hand-worked iron, the rustic doors have developed a fantastic texture from years of use. The original layer of dark brown lacquer has eroded with an inimitable crackle, revealing the beautiful wood grain underneath.
The door fronts are reinforced with studded iron bands and decorative iron plates in the shape of clouds or ruyi. The doors are fitted with a simple iron latch and four round door pulls...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Doors and Gates
Materials
Iron
Provincial Chinese Blue and White Plate, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Calligraphic sweeps of blue bring this 19th-century footed plate to life, brushed atop a blue-grey glaze that cloaks its simple ceramic form. Once used as an everyday serving dish, t...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Mounted Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Provincial Chinese Washing Stick, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Carved in the mid-19th century in China's Shanxi province, this fruitwood washing stick would have been used by a Qing-dynasty woman for washing clothes and textiles. Used to beat we...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Mounted Objects
Materials
Fruitwood
Pale Glazed Chinese Koi Bowl, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century porcelain bowl has a delicate, tapered form, finely potted with a short footed base and thin walls that flare slightly at the lip. The interior is decorated in low ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Iron Bound Courtyard Doors with Frame, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This monumental pair of doors dates to the mid-19th century and once enclosed the inner courtyard of a grandQing-dynasty home in northern China. The courtyard doors are crafted of northern elm (yumu) and are complete with the original door frame comprised of thick wood beams. The door fronts are reinforced with studded iron bands and decorative iron plates with a foliate design. The doors close by a simple iron latch and open with two round door pulls...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Doors and Gates
Materials
Iron
Tibetan Repoussé Traveling Shrine, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Tibetan traveling shrines, known as Gau, were believed to offer protective powers and were used to hold and carry sacred objects during long journeys....
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Mounted Objects
Materials
Brass
Provincial Chinese Washing Stick, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Carved in the mid-19th century in China's Shanxi province, this fruitwood washing stick would have been used by a Qing-dynasty woman for washing clothes and textiles. Used to beat we...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Mounted Objects
Materials
Fruitwood
Pair of Chinese Black Lacquer Courtyard Doors, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This impressive set of doors dates to the turn of the century and originated as the outermost entrance gate to a traditional courtyard home in northern China. The pair is crafted of northern elm (yumu) and finished with dark black lacquer and hand-worked iron hardware. Bands of studded iron reinforce the fronts and simple iron plates secure the door latch and round door pulls...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Doors and Gates
Materials
Iron
Pair of Chinese Courtyard Doors with Iron Butterflies, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This imposing set of doors dates to the mid-19th century and once enclosed the inner courtyard of a Qing-dynasty home in northern China. The double doors are crafted of northern elm (yumu), a common hardwood appreciated for its strength, warm coloring and expressive grain.
The fronts are reinforced with iron bands studded with brass hobnails and decorated with hard-worked iron plates with a foliated design. A square lock plate secures two round door pulls and a simple door latch, engraved with an everlasting knot, lotus blossoms, and ornamental koi. Little iron butterflies flit across the front, auspicious symbols of blessings, happiness and longevity. The monumental doors...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Doors and Gates
Materials
Brass, Iron
Tibetan Traveler's Trunk, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This antique traveler's chest from Tibet or Mongolia is one of the most unique trunks we've come across in our 20 years of collecting. Dated to the 19...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Hide, Wood
Chinese Lacquered Spindle Back Armchair, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This curious 19th century spindleback chair defies traditional Qing-dynasty forms. A collection of moments from previous eras, the chair incorporates elements drawn from Chinese carp...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Mill Stone, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusual stone pedestal is actually a late 19th-century cylindrical mill stone. Hand-carved of solid limestone with a textured and ribbed surface, the stone was used for threshin...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Minimalist Pedestals and Columns
Materials
Limestone
Chinese Mill Stone, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This unusual stone pedestal is actually a late 19th-century cylindrical mill stone. Hand-carved of solid limestone with a textured and ribbed surface, the stone was used for threshin...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Qing Side Tables
Materials
Limestone
Petite Chinese Blue and White Dish, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th century porcelain saucer is a lovely example of Chinese blue-and-white ceramics. The petite dish is finely worked with thin walls and delicate brus...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Ceramics
Materials
Porcelain
Pair of Chinese Brass Brazier Tongs, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In 20 years of collecting, we have never run across a pair of brazier tongs, making this object truly a rare find. Once used by a scholar or wealthy homeowner to place hot coals in a...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Antiquities
Materials
Brass
Chinese Footed Offering Bowl with Mythical Figures, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This colorful porcelain bowl dates to the mid-19th century and was originally used as a serving dish for ritual offerings, placed before a home altar and piled high with fruit, baked goods, and other foods. The dish has a shallow cartouche-shaped body and a short footed base decorated with crashing waves.
Decorated in the famille rose style, the dish is painted with overglaze enamels with a scene of three mythical figures surrounded by cloud-like ribbons. The scene is bordered by butterflies and flowers symbolizing the four seasons - peonies for spring, lotus for summer, chrysanthemums for autumn, and plum blossoms for winter. The exterior is painted with ripe peaches, symbols of longevity, and bats carrying interlocking golden coins...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Bowls
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Woven Top Daybed with Scrolled Feet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th century monumental elmwood daybed from China's Shanxi province features an outward-curving apron with cusped edges and a tightly-woven rattan top. The daybed's abbreviated ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Daybeds
Materials
Rattan, Elm
Chinese Lacquered Bench with Splayed Legs, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In most Qing dynasty homes, stools and chairs were the only form of elevated seating, and a bench such as this would have been found at a temple or public theater. This 19th century walnut bench has splayed legs linked by straight double stretchers and topped by finely beaded carved spandrels. Sourced from China’s Shanxi region, walnut was a prized material for Qing dynasty furniture...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Benches
Materials
Walnut
Low Chinese Stool with Woven Hide Top, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The top of this stool was woven with incredible care by a skilled artisan who used thin strips of hide to create multiple patterns in the seat, including stars. The hand-hewn stool w...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Elm, Hide
Pair of Chinese Rose Chairs with Quatrefoil Cutouts, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
For many years, rose chairs were thought to have been exclusively used by women due to their floral name. However, they were a universal form of seating, typically used for writing d...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Armchairs
Materials
Walnut
Chinese Luohan Bed with Stepped Railing, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Prior to the 10th century, Chinese society eschewed raised seats in favor of mats. The rising popularity of chairs and other forms of elevated seating led craftsmen to adapt traditional cabinetry techniques to create the versatile luohan bed...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Elm
Chinese Two-Piece Stacking Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Classic Chinese furniture design is characterized by the flawless construction, purity of line, and dedication to detail you see here in this beautiful two-piece stacking cabinet...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets
Materials
Cedar
Chinese Diamond Lattice Display Cabinet, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The focal point of this beautiful 19th century scholars' display cabinet is undoubtedly the complex diamond-form lattice panels fitted into the tall double doors. Unlike fretwork mad...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Cabinets
Materials
Brass
Monumental Chinese Limestone Drum, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This monumental drum stool was hand-carved from solid limestone by artisans in Shanxi province over two centuries ago. Drum-form stools such as this were traditionally used in gardens and outdoor...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Patio and Garden Furniture
Materials
Limestone
Monumental Chinese Limestone Drum, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This monumental drum stool was hand-carved from solid limestone by artisans in Shanxi province over two centuries ago. Drum-form stools such as this were traditionally used in gardens and outdoor...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Patio and Garden Furniture
Materials
Limestone
Framed Chinese Erotic Pillow Book, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A pillow book was meant to teach a young bride about the art of lovemaking. This rare museum-quality 19th century example is composed of 12 masterfully pai...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Paintings and Screens
Materials
Silk, Paper
Tibetan Mechag Flint Striker, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
In 19th century Tibet, many men would have carried a flint striker along with several other tools that could help ensure survival in the often-harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau. K...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Antiquities
Materials
Silver, Bronze, Steel
Chinese Relief Carved Architectural Panel with Fruit and Flora, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
It’s difficult to pinpoint what makes this handcrafted panel so impressive: the artful relief carvings of seasonal fruit and lush, foliage-filled vases ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Art
Materials
Spruce
Chinese Stone Seated Shakyamuni Buddha Stele, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This carved stone stele depicts the historical Buddha, known also as Shaka, Shakyamuni, or Siddhartha Gautama. Seated in perpetual meditation, the Buddha embodies virtues of wisdom and composure. Hand-carved of limestone in the style of Northern Wei (386-535) statuary, the Buddha is depicted upon a lotus plinth with legs crossed in lotus position. His hands are held downwards in bhumisparsha mudra, a gesture representing the moment that the Buddha claimed the earth as witness to his awakening.
The Buddha has a peaceful, benevolent expression and is framed by a halo of concentric circles. His figure is surrounded by attendant bodhisattvas, carved in relief on the curved stele behind and platform below. Leafy tree branches add a naturalistic touch to the background, wrapping around to the back of the stele to form a canopy above a second, smaller Buddha...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Limestone
Burmese Bronze Hka-Lauk Bell, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This large Burmese bell is known as hka-lauk and was used to track the movement of a livestock animal, strung from a collar by the two loops at the top. Dat...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Burmese Metalwork
Materials
Bronze, Steel
Burmese Bronze Hka-Lauk Bell, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This large Burmese bell is known as hka-lauk and was used to track the movement of a livestock animal, strung from a collar by the two loops at the top. Dat...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Burmese Metalwork
Materials
Bronze, Steel
Chinese Arched Hanging Lantern, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Framed in hand-carved rosewood, this 19th-century hanging lantern casts a soft glow through frosted glass. The lantern has a square frame, with straight sides and gently arched tops carved with abstract...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Lanterns
Materials
Metal
Pair of Chinese Stacked Stretcher Square Stools, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This form of square stool, or fang deng, was a versatile seating option and was pulled up for use at mealtimes or used outdoors in a courtyard or garden. The pair is expertly crafted...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Stools
Materials
Elm
Chinese Altar Table with Everted Ends, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This elegant console table was made 150 years ago in China’s Shanxi province and likely served as a family’s altar where they paid respects to revered ancestors. The altar table is crafted of fine hardwood with carved spandrels, everted ends...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
Chinese Polychrome Jade Emperor Altar Figure, c. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
This 18th-century carved wooden figure likely depicts the Jade Emperor, the supreme monarch of heaven and earth in Chinese folklore and Taoist mythology. Ruler of all deities and ben...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Wood
Chinese Polychrome Seated Ancestor Figure, C. 1800
Located in Chicago, IL
An integral part of traditional Chinese home life, ancestor worship before a domestic altar often featured painted ancestral portraits or tabletop ancestor figure...
Category
Antique Early 19th Century Chinese Qing Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Wood
Provincial Chinese Rice Measure, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic container was made over a hundred years ago to measure and hold a dou of rice, an ancient Chinese measurement. The rice measure has a square f...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Rustic Decorative Boxes
Materials
Iron
Tibetan Painted Dragon Chest of Drawers, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
The number 12 figures prominently in Tibetan astrology, making this simple chest’s dozen drawers the perfect canvas to honor the year of the dragon. Tibet...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Tibetan Tibetan Commodes and Chests of Drawers
Materials
Wood, Lacquer, Paint
Provincial Chinese Rice Measure, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic container was made over a hundred years ago to measure and hold a dou of rice, an ancient Chinese measurement. The rice measure has a square f...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Boxes
Materials
Iron
Chinese Lacquered Scholars' Shelf, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This striking red and black lacquer bookcase once stood in the center of a traditional Chinese scholars' studio, displaying a collection of books, scrolls, and treasured objects. The...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Shelves
Materials
Elm
Low Chinese Daybed, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
Hand-carved of Chinese northern elmwood (yumu), this 19th-century daybed was once a cornerstone of daily life in a provincial Chinese home. Known as "ta," this style of low-lying daybed was used throughout the courtyard home as a portable surface for reclining, playing games, and gathering for food and drink. The low daybed...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Elm
Provincial Chinese Rice Measure, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic container was made over a hundred years ago to measure and hold a dou of rice, an ancient Chinese measurement. The rice measure has a square f...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Boxes
Materials
Iron
Chinese Enameled Four Seasons Plate, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Painted with overglaze enamels in the famille rose style, this small porcelain dish is decorated with a common motif of four flowers symbolizing the seasons. The lotus represents sum...
Category
Antique Late 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Ceramics
Materials
Porcelain
Chinese Square Burlwood Table, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This square center table dates to the mid-19th century and wonderfully exemplifies Qing-dynasty furniture design. Found at the center of social activity, Chinese square tables such a...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Center Tables
Materials
Wood, Burl
Provincial Chinese Rice Measure, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This rustic container was made over a hundred years ago to measure and hold a dou of rice, an ancient Chinese measurement. The rice measure has a squ...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Decorative Boxes
Materials
Iron
Chinese Low Kang Table, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
During winter in the colder provinces of China, life revolved around the kang, a heated brick platform that household members would sit or recline upon. Low tables placed atop the kang provided a convenient surface for dining, drinking tea, or playing games. Crafted of beautiful huali rosewood, this low kang table...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Hardwood
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
Pair of Chinese Silk Lotus Slippers, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These dainty, pointed slippers, made of cotton and silk embroidered with pink flowers, 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 in 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 silk lotus slippers...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Cotton, Silk
Pair of Chinese Silk Lotus Slippers, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These dainty, pointed slippers, made of blue silk and embroidered with pink flowers, 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 in 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 embroidered silk lotus slippers...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Historical Memorabilia
Materials
Cotton, Silk
Thai Bronze Buddha's Hand, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century Buddha's hand sculpture from Thailand is finely cast of bronze with lifelike features and a beautiful dark patina. The hand is held upwards in abhaya mudra, the ges...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Thai Minimalist Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Bronze
Chinese Red Lacquer Tapered Cabinet, C. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
A classic piece of Chinese furniture, large, upright cabinets such as this were used in traditional homes in lieu of built-in closets, filled with clot...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Brass
Thai Bronze Buddha's Hand, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
This 19th-century Buddha's hand sculpture from Thailand is finely cast of bronze with lifelike features and a beautiful dark patina. The hand is held upwards in abhaya mudra, the ges...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Thai Minimalist Sculptures and Carvings
Materials
Bronze
Pair of Chinese Spindleback Armchairs, c. 1850
Located in Chicago, IL
These 19th century spindleback armchairs owe their graceful design to the styles and techniques that emerged during the Ming dynasty, the golden a...
Category
Antique Mid-19th Century Chinese Qing Furniture
Materials
Walnut
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