Chicago - Decorative Objects

Used daily for quick calculations, a wooden abacus such as this was an essential tool for the average shop-keeper in Meiji-era Japan. Known as a soroban, suanpan or counting frame, t...

These marvelously fluid and artistic figures were cast from bronze in the style of Northern Thailand and Burma. According to Buddhist tradition, the Buddha had two first Chief Disciples, Sāriputta and Moggallāna. They were wealthy young men seeking after higher knowledge and enlightenment and always depicted in elegant robes and often with unshaven heads. Depictions of these greatly -revered apostles are often found along side Buddha statues and holy angels...

Gio Ponti Hand Sculpture by Sabattini Silver-Plated Metal made in Italy 1978 Dimensions: 13½ h × 3¾ w × 3¼ d in

This 19th-century porcelain plate is hand-painted with cobalt underglaze in the blue-and-white manner, loosely brushed with light pigmentation against a blue-grey field. Shaped with ...

This contemporary baluster jar from artisans in Jiangxi province continues the centuries-old tradition of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Also known as a ginger jar or temple jar, ...

1990's Wedgwood Bizarre Sunray Meiping Vase by Clarice Cliff. From a Limited Edition of only 250. While not from the 1930s original production, this was done later approximately in the 1990s by Wedgwood. Hand painted...

Brass effect & natural polished aluminum sculpture mounted on Lucite titled "Misergo" by American metal sculptor Dan Murphy. The sculpture is series of straight and perfectly curved question mark shaped flat aluminum bands intertwined and fixed to an acrylic plinth.

This antique Chinese porcelain vase from the mid-19th century is hand-painted in the blue-and-white manner with an idyllic mountain landscape. Attributed to the imperial kilns of Jin...

Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past and present collected in his travels. In his ongoing series of memory jugs, Thompson adorns stoneware vessels with a kaleidoscope of ceramic shards, found objects, and pocket-sized trinkets he collected over the course of his life. Also known as forget-me-not jugs or spirit jars, memory jugs are African American folk art objects that honor a loved one who has recently passed. Small tokens and mementos of the deceased are gathered and affixed to the exterior of a jug or vase, an abundance of memories that celebrates a life lived to the fullest. Michael Thompson applies this tradition to his own practice, creating tactile assemblages of this and that. Formed in the manner of collage, each jug honors the lost memories of generations past and his own memories of personally discovering each item. With varied sources for materials including Kyoto, Turkey, and Mexico, a great number of the found shards are 18th and 19th century ceramics...

Black Murano cased glass vase with a white glass rolled lip and white controlled bubble pattern.

Chinese blue-and-white ceramics have inspired ceramists worldwide since cobalt was first introduced to China from the Middle East thousands of years ago. This contemporary vase from ...

Striking hand-hammered iron disc sculpture with floating center handle. Constructed of various iron pieces that were handwrought and welded together to create a floating 18" diameter...

Larry Mohr (American / New York 1921-2013), "Gita" patinated bronze sculpture of a nude female, signed, titled, and having a monogram for foundry.

This hand-crafted wooden bucket was once used by farmers in Shandong, China to transport their harvest of grains and other crops over long distances. Counterbalanced by a second cont...

Marcello Fantoni ceramic bowl, volcanic blue glaze on exterior with green glaze on interior. Signed [Fantoni Italy – Raymor Italy]. Raymor Italy 1955 Marcello Fantoni Glazed Ceramic

A pair of wonderful late 19th century Staffordshire porcelain and gilt mantel figures depicting Scottish highland hunters dressed in kilts and traditional hunting dress, each with a ...

This early 20th-century American solid cast iron mallard duck boot scrape is a multifunctional piece that encapsulates both practicality and rustic charm. Initially designed as a boo...

A fantastic 19th century American carved walnut tray with sloped sides, and a wonderful patina only one hundred years of age can bestow. Perfect for use on your dining table, holding...

Otto Natzler and Gertrud Natzler Long-Necked Cylindrical Bottle with Lip, 1967 Earthenware with “Cat’s Eye” reduction-fired glaze 10 h × 4¼ dia in (25 × 11 cm) Signed ‘Natzler’ with ...

Trunks and storage chests were the most ubiquitous form of household storage throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. Used to store clothes, linens, and personal effects, trunks were ...

Designed to hold burning incense, censer bowls have been used throughout China for thousands of years. Incense made from dried aromatic plants and essential oils would be burned with...

Among the many esteemed objects of the traditional Chinese scholar’s studio was the scroll pot, a large container for storing one's collection of landscape paintings, poetry and work...

The soft, matte texture and eroded wear of this petite porcelain box suggest it spent many years submerged in saltwater, likely excavated from a sunken trade ship carrying Chinese ce...

This small presentation box from the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911) is cloaked in a rare shade of celadon-teal lacquer, an unusual color we've never seen in our years of collecting. T...

Sculptural and abstract, this 19th-century wooden fish from Yunnan province likely originated as a Buddhist temple bell. Known simply as "wooden fish" (mùyú), these fish-shaped woodb...

This porcelain peach is a traditional Chinese water dropper, a calligraphy accessory that would have been found upon a scholar's painting table a...

This grand terracotta fish pond is cloaked in a beautiful, blue glaze with tonal variation from dark cobalt to pale grey to bright, robin's egg blue. Firing marks add intrigue to the...

A 1920s French terracotta vase by Charles Gréber (1853–1935), executed in the spirit of ancient Greek pottery through its use of the black-figure technique. Against the warm, earthen...

A well-chosen stone is the focal point of both a traditional Chinese garden and a scholar's studio - evoking the complexities of nature and inspiring creative thought. In the spirit ...

This large wooden mortar dates to the late 19th century and was originally used for crushing rice, grain, spices and other foodstuffs. Carved from a single tree trunk, the mortar has...

This richly glazed Chinese vase was shaped by hand in the mid-19th century, originally used to store wine and spirits made from rice and other grains. The wine jar is potted to a gen...

Capture the essence of Hellenistic artistry with our exquisite reproduction of the famed "Benevento Head." Meticulously crafted from plaster and adorned with a lifelike bronze finish...

Grand and imposing, these monumental lion sculptures offer protection to all those who stand before them. Dated to the mid-19th century, the ...

This is a white glazed and black clay raku fired ceramic bust. Though modern, this sculpture references Classical Greek and Roman antiquities. A subtle red glaze is used on the lips and the artist has purposefully and mysteriously left a portion around the neck between the head and the chest free of glaze, exposing the black clay beneath. The cracking on the surface is a result of the raku firing process and intended to be there. Pavel Amromin George, 2017 raku fired ceramic 17H x 15W x 9D in 43.18H x 38.10W x 22.86D cm Pavel G. Amromin Exhibitions 2017 SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, Gallery Victor Armendariz, Navy Pier, Chicago, IL 2009 Pavel Amromin: Adventure Bound, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, New York, NY 2008 SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, New York, NY 38th Annual Ceramics Exhibition, Crossman Gallery, UW Whitewater, WI 2007 SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, Chicago, IL SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, New York, NY 2006 SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, Chicago, IL The Toy Soldier Collection – MFA Thesis Exhibition, University Gallery, University of Florida, Gainsville, FL 2005 SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, New York, NY 2004 SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, New York, NY SOFA: Sculpture, Objects, Functional Art, Chicago, IL 2003 SOFA...

These monumental Chinese roof tiles were once installed as part of the elaborate roof of an early Qing-dynasty temple or grand courtyard home. Dated to the 18th century, the sculptur...

This grand, cast iron planter is modeled after traditional Qing-dynasty vessels used for collecting rain water in case of fire. Set on tripod legs and flanked with dramatic ring hand...

This contemporary baluster jar from artisans in Jiangxi province continues the centuries-old tradition of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Also known as a ginger jar or temple jar, ...

Sculptural zigzag coffee table in mahogany with slender, tapered brass legs. It has a stepped rim around the edges with rounded corners. The top is...

Early 20th century oak splint gathering basket with a large wood handle and plenty of room for holding berries, vegetables, or any myriad of floral. Today it's perfect for hanging on...

This 19th-century porcelain plate is hand-painted with cobalt underglaze in the blue-and-white manner, loosely brushed with deep pigmentation against a blue-grey field. Shaped with g...

A gorgeous early 20th century German cast brass tray depicting three deer in a forest hiding under a maple tree and about to leap into an open field. ...

This antique Chinese stacking box dates to the early 20th century and is simply designed of carved pinewood and burgundy lacquer. Placed atop a ta...

Ioan Nemtoi, (Romanian b. 1964) art glass vase with custom, square glass case. A beautiful and breathtaking, hand-blown, thick walled vase in red, blue, yellow, orange, peach, purple...

Images of shizi, a lion-dog symbol of power and strength of character, cavort among the stylized clouds of heaven on this hand-painted covered jar. Original...

A hand-carved white marble head of a satyr (or faun) in the Neoclassical style. The figure is depicted with characteristic caprine features, including recurved ribbed horns, a furrow...

Gertrud and Otto Natzler Crater-Glazed Bowl, 1950c. Earthenware with iron crater glaze 5.5 in. diameter × 2 in. height Signed to underside ‘Natzler’ Description: An early and compell...

This antique Chinese jar from the early 20th century is cloaked inside and out with a dark brown glaze, shimmering with undertones of blue, red an...

Beautiful in its imperfection, this green glazed lidded jar from Yunnan province is an offering vessel, or spirit jar, originally filled with ritual offerings such as coins, shells, ...

This antique Chinese jar from the early 20th century is cloaked inside and out with a beautiful drip glaze of red-brown color with irregular streaks of inky black. The little jar was...

This large animal sculpture is actually a traditional African slit drum, a percussive instrument commonly carved from a single block of wood. Comprised of a hollow resonance chamber ...

This antique Chinese rice bowl dates to the late Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and is beautifully glazed in neutral earth-tones in the manner of cizhou ware. A border of abstract florals ...

This Chinese porcelain vase has a classic bottleneck shape, decorated with a monochrome glaze and an allover sgraffito design of peony blossoms, trailing vines and palm leaves. The v...

Marvel at the exquisite artistry of this carved wood Chinese Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) ancestor figure—a captivating depiction of a seated man adorned in the distinguished attire o...

Cloaked in allover verdigris oxidization, this petite Chinese bronze mirror has the simple beauty and undeniable texture of an ancient object. Though an exact date is unknown, the m...

Coated inside and out with an olive green glaze, this large ceramic jar from early 20th century Thailand was originally used for pickling vegetables or condiments. The jar is potted ...

Pair of Large Vintage Blenko Glass Lamp Bases by Joel Philip Myers. Lamps require hardware and wiring as shown.

This lacquered serving tray is crafted with a hand-painted panel salvaged from a vintage Chinese cabinet. Selected for its charming folk art decoration, the found panel is painted wi...

This antique Chinese basin dates to the early 19th century and is beautifully hand-painted in the blue-and-white manner. Originally used as an incense burner or jardiniere, the porce...

It is easy to imagine someone, long ago, gathering a harvest from their garden or strolling to the market with this beautiful basket tucked under their arm. The round basket has been...

A striking silhouette elevates this gnarled burlwood object into an incredible natural sculpture. The organic wooden form recalls the tradition of Chinese scholars' rocks (gongshi), ...