Pair of Chinese Cinnabar Double Gourd Vases

With monumental scale and beautiful, hand-carved details, this remarkable red lacquer hibachi is a true work of art. Designed to hold glowing embers, hibachi vessels such as this were used for cooking or as a source of heat in Japanese homes. Placed under a low wood kotatsu table...

Designed to hold glowing embers, hibachi vessels were used for cooking or as a source of heat in Japanese homes. Placed under a low wood kotatsu table wi...

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...

Resplendent with lush florals and brilliant color, this pair of porcelain vases combines stencil work with hand-painted foliage in a decorative style popular during the first two decades of the 20th century. The stenciled petals and blooms of the peonies, symbols of love and affection, create a graphic pattern of soft, modulated color, while the painted stems and small flowers punctuate the design with sharp detail. Innovative in decoration, the vases are firmly rooted in China’s time-honored ceramic tradition with their Classic fantail contours and butterfly handles.

Post Qing Dynasty Cinnabar ginger jar & stand Exquisite high relief carved continuous landscape motif, complete with hardwood stand. Unmarked. T...

A Magnificent Set of Three Antique Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Vases/cashepots/flower pots; with Gorgeous Chinese Carved Decoration. Thi...

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...

A fine antique Chinese red cinnabar lacquer lidded round box carved with a scene with a young boy and a seated elderly bearded sage within a rocky landscape with trees. The "dragon's...