Pair of Chinese Sancai Altar Fu Dogs, c. 1900

These petite ceramic fu dog figurines likely once stood upon a home altar as incense burners to accompany ritual ancestor worship. Also known as shizi, pairs of fu dog lions are beli...

To keep her elaborate hairstyle intact while sleeping, a well-to-do Qing-dynasty woman once used this ceramic headrest as a pillow. Its unusual form is densely patterned with abstrac...

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 purely decorative, such headrests were crafted from a variety of materials and were often decorated with elaborate patterns or symbolic motifs. This porcelain headrest...

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protect their elaborate hairstyles by elevating the head during slumber. This example dates to the mid-20th century and is glazed in the blue-and-white style with dark, cobalt-blue color. Each side of the headrest has a quadrilobe cartouche framing two mythical fu lions playing with a brocade ball, a motif that evokes the idiom "may you and your descendant achieve high rank." A powerful and benevolent guardian, the fu lion (shizi) is the perfect force to protect against nightmares and bad energy. The playful scene is surrounded by a cracked ice pattern dotted with plum blossoms, symbols of winter and longevity. A geometric meander trims the corners and small bats frame coin...

This square ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to prote...

This small ceramic block is actually a form of Chinese headrest or neck pillow. Popular during the Qing dynasty, rigid headrests such as this were used by upper-class women to protec...

A fabulous large pair of Italian terracotta Fu dogs. The opposing pair are ornately handmade and hand painted with vibrant jewel tones.

Attractive large Chinese pair of hand painted glazed pottery winged Fu-dogs in walking position. The Fu-dogs can be used indoors or outdoors, they...

Pair of Chinese Export Porcelain Green Sancai Glazed Parrots China, Early 20th Century A Pair of Chinese Export Porcelain Green Sancai Glazed Parrots, originating from China in the...

This pair of small Chinese Shar Pei puppies was made in the mid-19th century, circa 1860.                They are charming creatures with adorable faces. Th...

These are a very good pair of antique Chinese foo or lion dogs, sometimes called temple lions made of a hardstone, hand carved with fine detail and polished, dating to the mid 20th c...

Great pair of mid-century polychrome glazed ceramic foo dogs from China, circa 1950s. Great detail and a beautiful color combination of yellow, green and brown; the pair measure 14"W...