A Chinese cinnabar lacquer vase with detailed carved panels, circa 1860

This large Chinese bronze censer dates to circa 1860. It is made in three parts, stand, vessel, and lid. The lid has pierced decorative panels with pine trees and a bold Buddhist lion finial for lifting. The censer has lifting handles in the shape of bamboo to each side and again also has panels with pine forests with mythical beasts and side mounts in the form of Buddhist lion mastheads. It is raised on four shaped legs with a beast mask head at the top and sits on the raised and pierced stand. The decoration on this piece is all hand finished with chasing and engraving giving good detail. The censer has a green/brown patina. Circa 1860 Censers are a type of vessel for burning incense. In many cultures burning incense has spiritual and religious connotations which influence the design and decoration of the censer. The lion is one of Buddhism’s most potent symbols. Traditionally the lion is associated with regality, strength and power. It is therefore an appropriate symbol of Buddha who, tradition has it, was a regal prince. As Buddhist priests and monks from India, they brought with them stories of stone Asiatic lions...

Chinese Carved Hardwood and Silk Embroidered Tray, Circa 1860 This beautiful and decorative piece dates to the mid-19th century. It is a Chinese ex...

A Chinese Finely Cast 19th century bronze vessel This bold and stylish Chinese shaped hexagonal vessel is heavily cast in solid bronze. It has a very pleasing shape which is enhan...

A very pleasing and beautifully hand carved pair of Chinese Buddhist lions left and right handed and raised onto stepped rectangular plinths all carved from the same section of timbe...

This stunning Chinese hand carved cinnabar lacquered plate has Intricate lacquer carving arts of Chinese traditional Floral scene design, an original works of art in the tradition of...

This stunning Chinese hand carved cinnabar lacquered plate has Intricate lacquer carving arts of Chinese traditional archetecture and landscape design. It named The Sense of Tough, a...

This intriguing Chinese zhadou is intricately carved of fine cinnabar lacquer. A work of exceptional artistry, this covered bowl is adorned with an intricately carved floral motif on all surfaces, including the cover and the wide rim. Also known as a cuspidor or spittoon, this rare container would have been used by members of the imperial family and scholar- officials at the court. Carved during the Kangxi period (1662-1722), this charming piece exhibits the high detail and charm associated with items from that period, making it a true treasure, Early 18th century (Kangxi dynasty) Measures: 6 ¼” wide x 3 ¼” high Cinnabar has been revered for its color all over the world. It has been found in the royal burial chambers of the Mayas, in the rituals of India, and in the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. In China, cinnabar and gold were the two most important elements in alchemy. Mined since the Neolithic Age, cinnabar is the ore of mercury, and as such, it can be incredibly toxic, especially when mining. In fact, during the Roman Empire, miners at Spain’s Almadén mine in Spain were frequently exposed to mercury fumes, and the subsequent, often fatal, sickness was considered an occupational hazard. The most popular known use of cinnabar is in Chinese carved lacquer-ware, a technique that is believed to have originated in the Song Dynasty, in which cinnabar is ground to a powder and added to clear lacquer. As with mining, there was inherent danger of mercury poisoning for those who carved the lacquer, as mercury was also released into the air when artisans ground the pigments. Most antique cinnabar...

Introducing an extraordinary and exceptionally rare pair of Chinese Cinnabar Carved Lacquer Vases from the Qianlong period. These monumental vases stand as magnificent examples of Ch...