1860s Asian Art and Furniture

This is an old Japanese wooden board. It is a single board with beautiful wood grain. I think it was probably the top of an exhibition stand. It was already in this state when I fou...

Exceptional Japanese early Meiji period (circa 1870) signed Imari ribbed porcelain Bowl, extremely intricately hand-painted on both sides in cobalt blue underglaze and polychrome en...

Japanese Antique Choba Tansu (Merchant Chest) Meiji Era Antique Choba - Tansu (merchant's chest) from the Tohoku area of Northern Japan circa 1868-1912. Made with Kiri (Paulownia) wo...

This small, oval-shaped jar features vibrant and striking enamels characteristic of famille verte porcelain. Crafted from an exceptionally refined paste, it belongs to a superior qua...

A large and very fine condition pair of antique Japanese Imari Ginger jars from the second half of the 19th century. Each is 12 inches in diameter and...

Rare porcelain vase with polychrome decoration of chimeras standing on a rock above the waves. Four-character mark under the base : "made by Wang Bingrong". China, Tongzhi period.

A very fine antique Qing dynasty Chinese export reverse painting on glass, circa 1860. The painting depicts two children from the Imperial court, wearing very finely embroidered robe...

This Chinese bowl is in excellent condition. There are four cartouches depicting Mandarin figures, birds, butterflies, fruit, and flowers.

Large polylobed porcelain bowl with polychrome decoration with gold highlights of figures in a garden. Note that on the photos one might think that there are chips on the border but they are in reality traces of gilding. A tiny hair of 1 centimeter visible on the inside, otherwise perfect condition ! China Tongzhi...

A Fine Jingasa with Mother-of-Pearl ‘Mosaic’ Decoration Lacquer, wood, leather, mother-of-pearl, gilt Japan Late Edo Period - Circa 1861 - 1863 SIZE: 7.5cm high, 37cm dia. - 3 ...

An unusual Japanese Imari porcelain decagonal (ten sided) dish with underglaze blue and overglaze enamels, Edo to Meiji Period, mid 19th century, Japan. The ten sided dish features ...

A large and charming Japanese imari charger with Chinese boys, Edo to Meiji Period, mid 19th century, Japan. The large porcelain charger measuring 16" in diameter features high, slo...

An impressive high quality pair of Cantonese Famille Rose medallion vases. Each having wonderful bold colours, the inset hand painted panels depicting interior scenes of courtiers an...

A large and magnificently decorated Japanese lacquer document box, ryoshibako, signed Umeboshi/Baikyo, late Edo or early Meiji Period, mid 19th century, Japan. The large document box, ryoshibako, of tall, rectangular shape with rounded corners, and fitted with an inrobuta (flush-fitting) cover with beveled edges. The exterior of this exquisite box is decorated all over with fifteen different raised reserves shaped as uchiwa (paddle) fans against a lush and intricate krikane ground imitating shagreen. The uchiwa shaped reserves all of takamaki-e, and exquisitely painted with designs of animals, flowers, and landscapes in silver, gold, maki-e, hiramaki-e, and takamaki-e, with kirikane, nashiji, and polychrome embellishments, upon gold lacquer fudame grounds. The interior of the lid is nothing short of spectacular, featuring a large design of a magnificent and beautifully detailed rooster and hen with chicks gathered around a lazy stream. Large stalks of chrysanthemum bloom behind them. All against an ethereal nashiji ground. The cover of the box features five reserves: 1. Three minogame (turtles with long tails), symbolizing longevity 2. "Narihira Crossing the Sumida" from The Tales of Ise...

We are delighted to offer for sale this original circa 1860 hand made in China sold hand carved, painted and lacquered sideboard with Chinoiserie detailing all over. This is a ver...

Buddha sitting in Bhumisparsa mùdra (or earth witness mudra ) Buddha calls the goddess of the earth to testify that he has definitively overcome the fears and temptations sent by Mar...

Exquisite Pair of Century Chinese Famille Rose Decorated Porcelain Vases with Striking Foo Dog Handles, 1800s. Presenting an awe-inspiring and opulent duo of antique Famille Rose Chinese Porcelain vases, adorned with elaborate motifs and breathtaking craftsmanship. Standing almost waist-high, these vases command attention with their majestic presence and captivating artistry. The prominent aqua background, gracefully envelops each vase, setting the stage for an enchanting display of visual splendor. Delicate white rectangular panels on the neck of each vase feature whimsical scenes portraying highly detailed pheasants, resplendent flowers, intricate foliage, and gracefully entwined tree limbs. The necks culminate in a tulip-edged gold dipped design, lavishly adorned with turquoise enamel that gracefully flows from the lips of the vases into the very heart of their being. The body of each vase showcases larger white rectangular panels, showcasing meticulously hand-painted graceful tree limbs, vibrant pheasants, sprightly sparrows, and charming lyre birds. Amidst this lively scene, an array of multi-colored flowers and leaves effortlessly breathe life into the composition, while charming aqua blue funghi add a touch of whimsy to the spectacle. The aqua background of the remaining surfaces of the vases, is skillfully adorned with enamels in relief, showcasing a plethora of resplendent hand-painted multi-toned colorful blossoms and foliate, meticulously hand painted in mild relief and scattered to create an elegantly harmonious and evenly spread-out design. Gracing the upper belly of each vase, magnificent tiny dragons take center stage in intricate high relief, lavishly painted with 24K gold enamel. Their sinuous forms and exquisite detailing bring a sense of majestic energy to the vases, adding a touch of awe-inspiring grandeur. However, it is the handles of these vases that truly steal the limelight. Crafted with unparalleled artistry, they feature larger Foo Dogs...

Circa 1860 lozenge shaped Imari Charger, central medallion with birds surrounded by alternating panels with an ancient tortoise & groups of cranes. The reverse well painted. Base rim...

Circa 1860 lozenge shaped Imari Charger. Quadruple quadrants with alternating birds in landscape & naturalistic motifs, surrounding a central medallion of a tea table in garden. Reve...

A Chinese Export Silver Goblet of rare and unusual form. The bowl has four panels, two decorated with figural scenes; a third with mythical beasts; and the fourth, which also has a v...

Important Imari porcelain vase with blue, coral and polychrome decoration, with gilt highlights, figures in reserves, flowers and butterflies. Height 63cm ! Signed "Hichosan Shinpo Z...

Beautiful antique bronze grain scoop that is ornamental in renaissance style. This piece is beautifully patinated as it dates to the late 1860s. The design includes a leaf cast, sha...

A Beautiful Pair of Chinese Bleu Poudre Ground Porcelain Double Cartouche Planters on Wood Stands. These porcelain ceramic marvels command attentio...

Substantial 19th Century ‘Country House’ elm hall bench. The arched back with angled panels and flanked with carved finials, above scroll arms with pierced carved trefoils and soli...

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...

Tebako box with three compartments in golden and nashi-ji lacquer, decorated with golden, red, and kirigane lacquer, golden persimmon tree leaves, among rocks. The compartments are of increasing size from the top. The decoration is in continuity. Persimmon has been cultivated in southern China for more than 2500 years and is believed to have been introduced to Japan in the 8th century. The veneer is a tree with very hard wood, similar to ebony. According to a legend, one specimen survived the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, close to the epicenter. It is therefore in Japan a symbol of strength and longevity. It is also the national fruit of the country. It is eaten as a traditional dish during New Year's Day celebrations. Tebako literally means "portable box...

Collectable set of Victorian scales in cast iron circa 1860 Features a colourful crest attached We can ship to anywhere in the world Offered in gr...

A fine & rare antique 19th Century Ottoman Tombak (Gilt Copper) Nargile or Hookah pipe, Turkey, circa 1850. A nagile or hookah pipe's history dates back...

The rocking chair in iron is Classic among the rocking chairs. the leather ison the seat in typical wooden slats. Very comfprtable and easy to place in...

Pareja de jarrones chinos con motivos figurativos, animales y textos de la dinastia Qing concretamente del periodo Guangxu Nian Zhi.

We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning original circa 1860-1880 Chinese hand painted with Pagoda's oak chest of drawers This chest of drawers is just about as lovely a p...

This plate has four cartouches depicting Mandarin court scenes, birds, flowers, fruit, and butterflies. It is in mint condition.

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...

We are delighted to offer for sale this lovely antique circa 1860 hand painted and lacquered Chinese Wedding cupboard for folded linens etc A very good looking and well made piece...

A Chinese Export silver mug with dragon handle, decorated with five birds among bamboo against a matte background. There is a round vacant cartouche to t...

Exquisite Japanese early Meiji period signed Imari ribbed porcelain deep charger, circa 1860, extremely intricately hand-painted on both sides in cobalt blue underglaze and polychrom...

Japanese Hearth Hook “Jizai Kogi” repurposed as Sculpture Beautifully executed craftsmanship showing rope marks from being suspended from ceiling...

Unusual hexagonal form with overall painted decoration.The base with pierced decoration. Now mounted as lamps.

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

This Chinese plate has four cartouches depicting Mandarin figures, birds, butterlies, fruit, and flowers. It has a one-half inch hairline.

A Chinese Export silver mug with a bamboo handle, and decorated with a bird and moth amongst profuse bamboo decoration on a matte background. T...

This Chinese plate is in mint condition. There are four cartouches depicting Mandarin figures, birds, butterflies, fruit, and flowers.

A set of four small ceramic plates / saucers, reclaimed from a mid-19th Century Indonesian shipwreck. Defying time and the elements, these plates...

Set of three Chinese export silver bowls. Tripod bowl has stylized bamboo legs and center medallion (no monogram). Featuring two repoussè dragons. T...

This Chinese plate is in excellent condition. There are four cartouches depicting Mandarin figures, birds, butterflies, fruit, and flowers.

A Satsuma Earthenware Vase, by Kinkozan, Japanese, Meiji period (1868-1912) decorated in polychrome enamels and gilt over a clear, crackled glaze, delicately painted with ladies and men, the reverse with a flowering garden with sprays of flowers, the neck with geometric and floral designs, a band of kifu heads in silver and gilt above the foot, on a midnight-blue ground, signed Kinkozan zo...

The lid of this vase has chips on the edge and on the foo dog on top.

A ceramic plate or bowl from the kilns of Sangkhalok, the old center of Thai ceramics during the Sukhotai period. Perfectly preserved. Signed at the bottom.  

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...

We are delighted to offer for sale this exquisite and exceptionally rare 19th century Chinese red lacquer cabinet on stand A good looking and decorative piece, this is circa 1860-18...

A rare three-drawer coffer table or console in Jamu wood (Northern elm), with enclosed cabinet and original bronze hardware. Tianjin, China, mid-19th century. Very well preserved, th...

A gorgeous green glazed large Chinese pottery censer of Archaistic shape called a fanghu, set on a separate stand, Qing dynasty, second year of Tongzhi, 1863. The censer or incense burner crafted in two parts and covered in a thick, runny and unctuous glaze, ranging from dark green to turquoise green, to pale celadon. The neck with shou (longevity) medallions. The body decorated in relief with fruit, pomegranate and finger citron (Buddha's hand). The sides fitted with lion mask handles. The stand with a key fret design, and a pierced Chinese...

Iwase Hirotaka (1808-1877) Koi and Water Plants Hanging scroll, ink, color, gold wash and gold flecks on silk Inscription: Hirotaka Seal: Ille...

Hand knotted carpet in an Oriental factory. High quality, beautiful graphics and remarkable finesse. Density: About 15 000 knots per dm². Perfect state of preservation. Dimensi...

A large 1860s Japanese Meiji period bronze Ikebana branch vase in bamboo shape. Good original dark brown patina. Unsigned.

19th century Anglo-Chinese carved teak and inlaid stand, circa 1880 From the China Trade, clipper ship, period. Very in vogue and exotic decor popular in Europe and America in the late 19th century. Ornately carved and inlaid decoration. Boxwood and bone inlays on the top and legs. A "tour de force" Chinese pavilion...

A very fine antique French chinoiserie, doré bronze, and Imari porcelain three-piece clock graniture. The porcelain is marvelously hand-painted with intricately designed flowers, pea...

Pair of Chinese San-T'Sai glazed dogs, circa 1860.