Mid-19th Century More Asian Art, Objects and Furniture

Free shipping within the continental United States. Qing dynasty. A pair of Chinese mid 1900 century semi precious stone lacquered wall panels. Jade and amethyst hardstone carved pa...

Basket making is an ancient and humble craft, but in the hands of a skilled weaver a simple willow basket can become a truly beautiful work of art. This bent handle basket was made i...

Once an original part of a Mid-19th Century Buddha wood sculpture from Thailand, this reclaimed hand fragment is lacquered in black and gold, showing the...

A mid 19th century Japanese export elm and calamander parquetry workbox with a divided interior and lift out tray. This charming box would work e...

From our recent Japanese Acquisitions Travels. A remarkable artistic Noh Play survivor. One of a kind Japanese Complete "Noh Play" Production as written in 22 Woodblock books from the Utai Bon Houshou school, complete with original signed wooden storage box tomobako and dated Kaei 6 (1853). This antique Japanese book...

Made of Chinese northern elmwood, this smooth block of wood was once used as a rigid headrest or neck pillow. The soft curve and height of the block not only supported the head while...

I would like to introduce a simple but very beautiful tea bowl. This is a type of pottery called "Tempo Oribe". "Tempo" is the name of the era in the Edo period, and Oribe is the n...

It is easy to imagine someone, long ago, walking to market on a summer's day with this beautiful woven basket tucked under their arm. Hand-woven of willow and twine, the basket has a...

Japanese boxwood netsuke depicting a skeleton. The skeleton naturalistically carved in the foetal position in preparation for transitional burial. With...

A fine Japanese Kyoto Shippo Cloisonne enamel vase 19th C Meiji Period JAPANESE CLOISONNE ENAMEL VASE,?decorated with cranes and butterflies amongst lotus and iris blooms reser...

The Antique Butsudan Shrine is a remarkable piece of religious and cultural significance. Crafted with exquisite attention to detail, the cabinet show...

This beautiful pair of unusual Chinese scholar shelves is finely crafted with Chinese Northern Elmwood and finished with a black lacquer. The w...

Material: wood 110 cm high 72 cm wide 64 cm deep Originating from Burma The Buddha is not included.  

Mid 19th Century Asian Wooden decorative storage box with lid. Measures 13.5"W x 11"D x 11.5"H.

Dated to mid-19th century, this rustic, farmhouse, primitive and brutalist stool has simple splayed-leg design and well-worn finish. Crafted of northern elm wood with mortise-and-ten...

Chinese guardian lions, or imperial guardian lions, are a traditional Chinese architectural ornament. Typically made of stone, they are also known as stone lions or shishi (石獅; shíshī). They are known in colloquial English as lion dogs or foo dogs / fu dogs. The concept, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, features a pair of highly stylized lions—often one male with a ball and one female with a cub—which were thought to protect the building from harmful spiritual influences and harmful people that might be a threat. Used in imperial Chinese palaces and tombs, the lions subsequently spread to other parts of Asia including Japan (see komainu), Korea, Philippines, Tibet, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. There has been extensive interaction between Chinese mythology and Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Elements of pre-Han dynasty mythology such as those in Classic of Mountains and Seas were adapted into these belief systems as they developed (in the case of Taoism), or were assimilated into Chinese culture (in the case of Buddhism). Elements from the teachings and beliefs of these systems became incorporated into Chinese mythology. For example, the Taoist belief of a spiritual Paradise became incorporated into mythology as the place where immortals and deities used to dwell. Sometimes mythological and religious ideas have become widespread across China's many regions and diverse ethnic societies. In other cases, beliefs are more limited to certain social groups, for example, the veneration of white stones by the Qiang. One mythological theme that has a long history and many variations involves a shamanic world view, for example in the cases of Mongolian shamanism among the Mongols, Hmong shamanism among the Miao people, and the shamanic beliefs of the Qing dynasty from 1643 to 1912, derived from the Manchus. Politically, mythology was often used to legitimize the dynasties of China, with the founding house of a dynasty claiming a divine descent. Mythology and philosophy. Further information: Chinese philosophy True mythology is distinguished from philosophical treatises and theories. Elaborations on the Wu Xing are not really part of mythology, although belief in five elements could appear. The Hundred Schools of Thought is a phrase suggesting the diversity of philosophical thought that developed during the Warring States of China. Then, and subsequently, philosophical movements had a complicated relationship with mythology. However, as far as they influence or are influenced by mythology, divides the philosophical camps into two rough halves, a Liberal group and a Conservative group. The liberal group being associated with the idea of individuality and change, for example as seen in the mythology of divination in China, such as the mythology of the dragon horse that delivered the eight bagua diagrams to Fu Xi, and methods of individual empowerment as seen in the Yi Jing (Book of Changes). The Liberal tendency is towards individual freedom, Daoism, and Nature. The relationship of the Conservative philosophies to mythology is seen in the legendary Nine Tripod Cauldrons, mythology about the emperors and central bureaucratic governance, Confucianism, written histories, ceremonial observances, subordination of the individual to the social groups of family and state, and a fixation on stability and enduring institutions. The distinction between the Liberal and Conservative is very general, but important in Chinese thought. Contradictions can be found in the details, however these are often traditional, such as the embrace by Confucius of the philosophical aspects of the Yi Jing, and the back-and-forth about the Mandate of Heaven wherein one dynasty ends and another begins based according to accounts (some of heavily mythological) where the Way of Heaven results in change, but then a new ethical stable dynasty becomes established. Examples of this include the stories of Yi Yin, Tang of Shang and Jie of Xia or the similar fantastic stories around Duke of Zhou and King Zhou of Shang. Mythology exists in relationship with other aspects of society and culture, such as ritual. Various rituals are explained by mythology. For example, the ritual burning of mortuary banknotes (Hell Money), lighting fireworks, and so on. A good example of the relationship of Chinese mythology and ritual is the Yubu, also known as the Steps or Paces of Yu. During the course of his activities in controlling the Great Flood, Yu was supposed to have so fatigued himself that he lost all the hair from his legs and developed a serious limp. Daoist practitioners sometimes incorporate a curiously choreographed pedal locomotion into various rituals. Mythology and practice, one explains the other: in these rituals, the sacred time of Yu merges with the sacral practice of the present. Various ideas about the nature of the earth, the universe, and their relationship to each other have historically existed as either a background or a focus of mythologies. One typical view is of a square earth separated from a round sky by sky pillars (mountains, trees, or undefined). Above the sky is the realm of Heaven, often viewed of as a vast area, with many inhabitants. Often the heavenly inhabitants are thought to be of an "as above so below" nature, their lives and social arrangements being parallel to those on earth, with a hierarchical government run by a supreme emperor, many palaces and lesser dwellings, a vast bureaucracy of many functions, clerks, guards, and servants. Below was a vast under ground land, also known as Diyu, Yellow Springs, Hell, and other terms. As time progressed, the idea of an underground land in which the souls of the departed were punished for their misdeeds during life became explicit, related to developments in Daoism and Buddhism. The underground world also came to be conceived of as inhabited by a vast bureaucracy, with kings, judges, torturers, conductors of souls, minor bureaucrats, recording secretaries, similar to the structure of society in the Middle Kingdom (earthly China). Chinese temple Dogs...

This 19th century kang table is rare because of the wood it’s carved from, Ironwood. Teilimu, Chinese Ironwood is a slow growing dense hardwood that i...

Carved in the mid-19th century in China's Shanxi province, this fruitwood washing stick would have been used by a Qing-dynasty woman for washing clothes and textiles. Used to beat we...

This Chinese silk embroidery depicts Mandarin figures, birds, elephants, butterflies, dragonflies, and willow trees. It is framed with a molded...

Carved in the mid-19th century in China's Shanxi province, this fruitwood washing stick would have been used by a Qing-dynasty woman for washing clothes and textiles. Used to beat we...

Antique Chinese artist signed ancestral scholar figure scroll paintings incorporated into a two panel grass cloth backed folding screen. The scroll paintings are matted with decorated Chinese silk...

The unusual 19th century Kang Table (low table) is designed for the legs to fold into the table for storage when it’s not in use. It’s carved from Northern Elmwood (Yumu) and lacquer...

Carved in the mid-19th century in China's Shanxi province, this fruitwood washing stick would have been used by a Qing-dynasty woman for washing clothes and textiles. Used to beat we...

Dated to mid 19th century, this rustic, farmhouse, primitive and brutalist stool has simple splayed-leg design and well-worn finish. Crafted of northern elm wood with mortise-and-ten...

A stunning 19th century Chinese Rosewood and inset Marble plant stand. Wonderful carved flower design on it's skirt, and on the outside of it's leg...

This large Chinese oxblood colored lacquered robe rack is carved from Northern Elm (yumu) and is from the Shanxi Province of China. These robe racks were des...

Basket making is an ancient and humble craft, but in the hands of a skilled weaver a simple willow basket can become a truly beautiful work of art. This bent handle basket was made i...

3-piece set of Qing dynasty armchairs and table. These authentic antique Chinese hand carved screen back armchairs are masterpieces of Qing dynasty furniture...

In 19th-century Tibet, many men carried a fire striker to help ensure survival in the often-harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau. Known as mechag, such strikers would hang from one's belt and often doubled as a small pouch for flint and tinder. The finest strikers were finished with precious metals and decorated with repoussé and inlaid stones. This leather flint pouch is decorated with silver and gold plated metalwork and three large beads of turquoise and red coral. The mechag hangs from a simple leather strap and three decorative leather beads hang below. The pouch contains two Tibetan prayer flags...

In 19th-century Tibet, many men carried a fire striker to help ensure survival in the often-harsh climate of the Tibetan Plateau. Known as mechag, such st...

This elegant table chest was once used in the intimate quarters of a Qing-dynasty woman to store her cosmetics, jewelry, and other personal treasures. The wooden box is cloaked in la...

19th century Burmese bronze temple bell with original carved hard wood stand, painted iron hanging bracket, and striker. This rare cast bronze bell has a splendid sculptural and spiritual presence. The bell has a long inscription on the upper part. The offering of a bronze bell to a monastery or temple was considered second only to the offering of a Buddha image as an act of merit (kutho). Such bells were cast using the lost wax (cire perdue) method. Casting of such bells was auspicious with specific rituals being performed by the caster and sponsors to ensure the appropriate blessings. The bell here, as with all such Burmese bells...

Chinese Mid-to-late 19th Century Qing Dynasty exceptional scroll box, featuring a beautifully painted imperial garden. Red, gold, and green lacquer creat...

This petite 19th century chest of drawers is a fantastic example of the multifunctional boxes used tabletop in lieu of a larger cabinets. Such boxes were used to store cosmetics, jew...

Basket making is an ancient and humble craft, but in the hands of a skilled weaver a simple willow basket can become a truly beautiful work of art. This bent handle basket was made i...

A large tobacco pipe from old Burma (Myanmar), circa 1850. Solid wood bowl, chamber and shank. The stem is made of bone, attached to the shank by a mortise in solid brass, and a lip ...

Early 19th century Chinese export lacquer and gilt box with a walking stick from the Qing dynasty, bone walking stick in black lacquered wood box, w...

Baramon - Bugaku mask This mask for the Bugaku dance depicts a long eared (wisdom) Baramon, the Japanese way of saying Brahmin, the highest or priestly ca...

Crafted of painted, lacquered hide, this extraordinary headrest was created in China's Jiangxi province over 150 years ago. Its pliable design enabled contour comfort - quite luxurio...

Early 19th century Chinese export lacquer and gilt sew working table from the Qing dynasty, with carved gilt dragon head feet, with the table of canted rectangular form, with mounded...

Japanese Edo period single panel table screen finely ornate with gold, mother of pearl and coral, lacquered. The scene depicts birds and flowers and is executed on Paloma wood, place...

Antique 19th century Chinese stacked snack box. Decorated all-over with intricate designs and handle connects to depiction of family under a tree. Heig...

A tall, solid cast iron 19th century Chinese weight. Beautifully worn, with original hand forged hanger. A heavy piece with presence and history. Meas...

Vibrantly colored and intricately decorated, this small two-headed drum is a 19th-century Tibetan damaru, a hand-held instrument used in tantric practi...

Red painted leather trunk with brass trim and nailhead decoration along with painted flowers and vining leaves. Chinese Export, circa 1850.   

Mid 19th century Anglo Indian, Victorian bronze oil lamp. Antique English oil lamp with 4 wick burners. Fantastic patina and great scale. The brass circular base is carved with intri...

In 19th century China, government officials wore different hats to show their various ranks of office, the styles and designs changed depending on the season. This one-of-a-kind fold...

Antique Chinese wooden cart wheel, ?a rough handhewn round hardwood wheel with square cut for an axle; worn and eroded to a wonderful crude shape and...

This finely lacquered box was once presented as a gift, filled with popular snacks like roasted melon seeds, dried fruit, and cinnamon-toasted soy beans. The lightweight box is formed in the shape of a melon, a traditional symbol of perpetuity. Cloaked in layer upon layer of rich red lacquer, the box is intricately decorated with paintings of ruyi-framed lotus...

As much an artwork as a piece of furniture, this 19th century treasure chest from northern China is richly decorated with relief carvings and delicate gilt paintings. The doors bear ...

A near pair Hizen pottery jars from Artia Japan, circa mid-19th century of the Meiji Era. Heavy stoneware construction with overglaze enamels that was inspired by Chinese WuCai from ...

This 19th century framed mirror was carved by hand in northern China and likely hung on the wall of a Qing Dynasty home, perhaps in a lady’s sleeping quarters. The carved scrolling v...

Japanese Edo period carved and hand painted wood plaque for a Buddhist temple interior, with lotus blossoms, a crane and lotus leaf shelves to disp...

A Qing dynasty official proclaimed his rank through badges and accessories including his hat. This ingenious folding white brass hat stand, covered in intricately etched scrollwork, ...

Often featured in heavily carved furniture, fine blackwood forms a simple frame of dark wood in this 19th-century mirror. Detailed only with s...

This contemporary bevelled mirror is set in an antique walnut frame hand carved with a flowered trailing vine motif. Chosen for its rich color and...

Given the beauty and thoughtful design of traditional Chinese furniture, it’s no wonder that Qing-dynasty carpenter’s tools were accorded the same att...

Given the beauty and thoughtful design of traditional Chinese furniture, it’s no wonder that Qing-dynasty carpenter’s tools were accorded the same att...