Chinese Petite Han Dynasty Terracotta Sheep Mingqi, circa 202 BC-200 AD

A Ming dynasty period glazed terracotta funeral table mingqi from 15th-16th century with food in dishes. This rare Ming dynasty period glazed terracotta funeral table, dating from the 15th to 16th century, beautifully embodies the traditional Chinese practice of creating Mingqi—terracotta models meant to assist the deceased in the afterlife. This piece depicts a typical Chinese altar, adorned with green tempera glaze and meticulously crafted miniature foods, such as cakes and breads, representing offerings. The modeled and painted details give a glimpse into the customs of wealthy Chinese burials...

A pair of 19th century Chinese hand-carved temple corbels featuring stylized characters. Each corbel showcases a great wood openwork carving featuring a...

A tall and dramatic Chinese high fired gray pottery model of a standing lady wearing a hood and a flared skirt, Western Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 9 CE), Shaanxi, China. This striking ...

Slab pottery constructed Model of a Paper Mill, in Green and Cream Color Glazed Terracotta having a peaked roof – open walled form with a mechanical pounder and a large round storage container. Light blue-green mottled glazed surface with some iridescence patina to the glaze. The Iridescence is a refraction of the layers on the glass that produces multicolor hues & metallic luster, and only develops after one thousand years of being buried in the ground. An unquestionable mark of antiquity, impossible to falsify. Han Dynasty, dated 206 B.C-220 A.D. Condition: Excellent, wear commensurate with age, an unusual example. This fantastic piece is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. Sculptural effigies of domesticated animals were often interred in the tombs of nobility and elite members of the social hierarchy. Models like this one were made to represent everything from simple goat or pig pens to the most elaborate towers and palaces. Because very few ancient Chinese buildings have survived intact, these models, along with descriptions from ancient texts, give a good representation of what the buildings might have looked like. Burial figurines of graceful dancers, mystical beasts, and everyday objects reveal both how people in early China approached death and how they lived. Since people viewed the afterlife as an extension of worldly life, these figurines, called mingqi, sometimes referred as “spirit utensils” or “vessels of ghosts” disclose details of routine existence and provide insights into belief systems over a thousand-year period. For the first time in Chinese history, we have images of rural and daily life during the Han in the form of contemporary records...