Antique Carved Wood Mythical Guardian Animal with Polychrome Finish

A Thai wooden polychrome prayer box from the early 20th century depicting a reclining guardian lion with his tongue sticking out. Created in Thailand during the early years of the 20th century, this highly decorative object is in fact a prayer box. Opening in its upper section to reveal an oval, roughly carved interior, the box depicts a guardian lion whose striking features and expression are meant to ward off negative influences. His reclining position demonstrates that he is ready to pounce. Best to be seen from the sides, the lion opens his mouth to reveal sharp teeth through which his tongue is sticking out. The latter is removable. His body is adorned with incised scrolling accents and hand painted with green, yellow, red, pink and white motifs. The tail is missing. The other side shows a décor a little more faint. With its highly decorative presence and polychrome finish, this Thai guardian...

A vintage Thai gilded and carved wooden mythical creature from the mid-20th century, with red undertone. Created in Thailand during the midcentury period, ...

An antique temple statue carved and hand-painted in Indonesia in the early 20th century. This wooden statue shows an Indonesian dancing character. His d...

An Indonesian hand-tooled metal sculpture from the Celebes Island depicting a temple monster with swine ears and legs, horn, tail and a bell around his collar. Created on the Indones...

Dog with a red collar seated with mouth open. I believe this is very similar to Chinese Export dogs and a period copy done in wood. Possibly made as a model for a Chinese export porcelain figure.

A Chinese hand carved and hand painted wooden effigy of a fantastic Bixie dating to before Song dynasty 1279 AD. Please enjoy the beautiful remnants of its aged original swirling painted surfaces. It has been traditionally carved and assembled in three sections. The tail may be a later replacement. Period: Song dynasty Dimensions: 6 inches high and 15 inches wide About Bixie The “bixie” is a mythological creature commonly thought to be able to ward off evil forces with its magical powers. In fact, its name means “to ward off evil” in Chinese. In the Han dynasty, “bixie” were commonly represented as winged, four-legged beasts, a form that was probably transmitted from Western Asia. Provenance: This is from a private collection and were acquired by us along with a larger wooden horse...

This Ching Dynasty carved polychrome seated Taoist altar god was once used on the family altar to honor their ancestors. Ancestor worship plays a major role in Chinese religion. This...

A Small Chinese Carved Timber Gilt and Polychrome Figure, Ming Dynasty Provenance: Private Old Australian Collection Acquired in Beijing Market in 1980s. Description: The cavity in...