Set of Two Opium Bowls

Delicately carved of dense hardwood, these 19th-century scroll cases were an essential accessory for the esteemed Qing-dynasty scholar. The perfect size for a rolled-up scroll, the cases were once used to store and protect works of traditional calligraphy and landscape painting. The matching cases are hand-carved in low relief with all-over scrollwork and borders of geometric meanders. Each case is carved with repeated Shou characters, symbols of longevity and a blessing for a long and complete life. Amid the scrollwork flourishes are ribbon-clad objects known as the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism, including the eternal knot...

Like scholars' rocks, petrified, or fossilized, wood is appreciated for its natural beauty. Sometimes called "Tree Jade," petrified wood is thought to bring peace and prosperity to its surroundings. Each log has its own unique patterns of fossilized moss, bark, and the scars of a lifetime. These facets bring to mind a fascinating combination of organic mortality and preserved permanence. We keep them in their raw, unworked state, using the logs in...

A collection of two ceramic chaires (Tea caddies) of Ko-seto ware type from Edo period Japan circa 17-18th century. This type of small jar was made of stoneware in old Seto kilns in ...

These charming bronze shells were cast in Japan in the 19th century. They lived for many years in the collection of the Paris artist Pierre Le-Tan. One of...