Chinese Lacquered Sign

This impressive sign was once hung above the entrance to a Chinese ancestral hall. It is made from planks of Elmwood covered in layers of thick black tree lacquer for protection from...

The sign is of Burmese origin, made from teakwood and covered in lacquer and gold leaf. The two legible characters are “Jade” and “Art”. As many carved signs were shop signs, this may have been a jade dealer’s sign...

This elegant wall lattice once fit inside tracks in the floor and ceiling for easy removal. Though visually simple, close inspection reveals the lattice t...

This magnificent building facade was once part of a grand mansion in Gujarat, India. It is entirely made from Teakwood, which is highly resistant to in...

Bamana tribe art is known for masks, textiles and architectural elements. This Y-shaped post supported a heavy roof timber and acted as a welcoming symbol...

This grand piece of moulding once framed an entrance or part of an ecclesiastical structure in a great church. Classical elements are seen in the rectangular dentil moulding and flo...

A scarce pair of Qing Dynasty temple architectural ornaments, the decorative antique building element fragments each elaborately hand carved, polychrome painted and lacquered, richly detailed featuring two figural pairs accented...

An original matched pair of exceptionally carved Chinese temple architectural ornaments, the ornate decorative brackets salvaged from an early Qing Dynasty temple, the richy detailed...

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...

This lacquer is decorated with deers in a lush environnement in lavish reds with a waterfall in silver leaf. It has a seal and is signed by the artist. Lacquer is an ancestral Viet...

Antique Chinese mandarin red lacquered console table server with five deep drawers / fine brass hardware. dovetailing at rear of drawers / tenon construction on case. Overall beautif...

This simple lacquered container was once used as a 19th-century snack box, presented as a gift during holidays and special occasions. To the delight of the r...