New York - Metalwork

Large patinated bronze lamp with butterfly details. Solid wood base. Professionally restored and rewired. Double socket with pull chains. Adjustable. Capacity: 2 x E26 per lamp.

An antique Burmese bronze ceremonial bell from the 19th century with verde patina and cow motif. Created in Burma during the 19th century, this bronze ceremonial bell will make for a...

floral motif on yellow ground

A vintage hand painted blue metal vase from the mid-20th century with calligraphy and floral décor. Crafted during the midcentury period, this charming hand-painted blue metal vase c...

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...

provenance: Christie's; wooden bases shown in pictures are included with these vases; each vase is decorated with miniature gourds in relief; overall size of each vase with wooden ba...

Asian Japanese bronze floor vase with 2 owls figures standing on branches with a leaf relief around a round base.

each elephant is surmounted by a vase filled with various ornaments

decorated with antique objects on pale blue ground

Fine quality Japanese Meiji silver incense burner, ca 1890. Barrel-form with solid top and bottom and open sides; applied chrysanthemums heightened with gold and silver. Cover oval a...

A beautiful French patinated bronze figure of a standing Japanese geisha in a traditional kimono with an obi. This geisha is exceptionally cast with immense detail. Starting from the...

peach motif on yellow ground

An exquisitely carved silver fan holder, India, late 19th century.

This large and impressive cast bronze vase is of a type called Tokyo bronzes. It displays elements both of Japanese and Chinese iconography and is not onl...

This cast bronze vessel was made in China as an honorific presentation circa 1920. Cast in the style of the Zhou dynasty it would have been used ritually ...

Original signed wooden box. Signature reads: Ryohei Saku. Outside of box reads: Ota Ryohei saku. Notes about the artist: Ota Ryohei (often spelled Oota Ryohei), 1913-1997, was born i...

From the 1890s until his death in 1914, John Bradstreet, the important American Arts and Crafts furniture and interior designer, worked from The Crafts House, his landscaped orientalist compound in Downtown Minneapolis. There, he also received his clients, and dealt in Asian art acquired on frequent trips to the Far East. He used similar bronze Japanese lotuses...

decorated in relief; floral motif on yellow ground

This Japanese censer incense burner, inspired by Chinese pieces, is of spheroidal form, the bronze body with polychrome champlevé enamel work flanked b...

decorated with stylized scrolls on blue ground

Chinese silver censer, circa 1910. Drum-form agate body set in silver gilt mounts with scrollwork and lunettes. Leaf-capped side bracket handles. Upward tapering support and stepped ...

archaistic motif on blue ground

This very finely cast bronze urn in an archaistic form was made in the very late 19th century approximately 1895-1900. Done with an apocryphal feeling to honor the ancient past, the vase is beautifully rendered in low relief in bronze covering almost the entire body of the urn. The predominant features are the divided taotie masks that compose the swelling middle body of the vase and also at the corners of the upper section. Crisp but subtle, the casting is clearly handled with great attention to linear form. The patina is very nice and consists of a modeled golden brown with a slight but very lite Verdigris color. The urn has an old rosewood base and lid that seems to have been purpose made for the object. Finally, the whole is set off with a carved jade finial...

Pair of antique Japanese Buddhist temple headdress and necklace ornaments. Gilt bronze with decorative stones and beads, and intricate metalw...

Early 20th century iron cooking utencil from India This is a cool and unusual decorative object.  

Chinese 18th century bronze vase with mottled patina. Evidence of a small, old repair.

An incense burner in the shape of a boy playing a flute while riding a bull. The boy is the removable top to the incense receptacle located inside the bull's body.

Japanese bronze Koro (Incense Burner) in the form of a Badger, Edo Period (circa 1800) bronze incense burner with removable top. Badger face and t...

Bronze Koro (Japanese incense burner) in the shape of a rooster Removable top.

A Pair of Japanese Edo Period (1603–1867) iron, silver inlaid, and red lacquered stirrups (Abumi). Each of typical form, made of iron with silver inlay on the front with floral bloss...

19th century superior quality Japanese bronze vase with grape vine handles. Beautifully shaped Edo period (first half of the 19th century) vase with c...

Wood storage box.

Hongzhi Period (1487 - 1505) sculpture of an important man, possibly Confucius. Comes with box.

In the shape of kaede leaves. Used on top of a large festival cart carried through the streets.

A Monumental Gilt-Lacquered Bronze Ornamental Buddha Sculpture of Vajravidarana: A Masterpiece of Sino-Tibetan Craftsmanship, Late 19th Century, Qing Dynasty This monumental gilt-lacquered bronze ornamental sculpture of Vajravidarana is an extraordinary and commanding piece of art, showcasing the pinnacle of Sino-Tibetan craftsmanship from the late 19th century. The figure of Vajravidarana, a powerful purification deity in Tibetan Buddhism, is meticulously sculpted to embody both spiritual authority and artistic excellence. Vajravidarana is primarily known for his role in removing spiritual impurities and negativities. Unlike other deities associated with wisdom or compassion, Vajravidarana’s function is centered on purification and healing. He is typically depicted holding a vajra and a bell, symbolizing the cutting away of delusions and the resonance of divine truth. In this striking sculpture, Vajravidarana is shown holding a vishva vajra (the double vajra), a unique and powerful variation of the traditional iconography, which signifies ultimate protection and the dispelling of negative karma. Vajravidarana: The Supreme Purifier and Protector Vajravidarana is revered in Tibetan Buddhism as the deity of spiritual purification, called upon to cleanse practitioners of defilements and negative influences. His vajra represents the indestructibility of truth, while his bell signifies the wisdom that resonates through purification rituals. In this sculpture, the presence of the vishva vajra, or double vajra, enhances his association with supreme protection, ensuring the destruction of all spiritual obstacles and afflictions. The figure’s powerful yet composed expression conveys a sense of unwavering resolve and divine authority. His posture, along with the carefully sculpted details of his robes and ornaments, highlights his function as a guardian against impurity. The inclusion of the vishva vajra rather than the usual single vajra reinforces his role as a supreme protector, capable of dispelling all forms of negativity and restoring balance. Symbolism of the Mantras and Aureole: Unlike deities that embody wisdom through duality, Vajravidarana’s iconography is centered on purification and exorcism. The aureole surrounding him is inscribed with sacred purification mantras rather than depictions of a consort. These mantras emphasize his function as a remover of obstacles and impurities, reinforcing his role in Buddhist healing rituals. The presence of the sacred inscriptions elevates the sculpture’s spiritual significance, making it a focal point for meditation and ritual purification. Practitioners often visualize Vajravidarana radiating purifying light, dissolving afflictions and negative karma. This theme is mirrored in the sculptural repetition of the purification symbols on the aureole, reinforcing the deity’s role as a divine cleanser. Gilt-Lacquered Bronze: The Artistry of Sino-Tibetan Metalwork: The craftsmanship of this monumental figure reflects the expertise of late 19th-century Sino-Tibetan metalwork, where traditional Tibetan themes were infused with Chinese artistic sensibilities. Cast in bronze and finished with a rich gilt lacquer, the statue has an otherworldly glow, giving it an ethereal, almost divine presence. The gilding process—applied with exceptional skill—gives the sculpture a striking luminosity that enhances the fine details of the facial features, flowing robes, jewelry, and other elements of the deity’s attire. The technique employed to create this figure speaks to the high level of craftsmanship that flourished during the late Qing Dynasty and early modern Tibetan art. The ornate details of the robes and the fine texture of the sculpture highlight the exceptional skill of the artisans who brought this work to life. The use of gold and lacquer not only reflects the preciousness of the sculpture but also its spiritual significance as an object meant to inspire reverence and meditation. An Ornamental Sculpture of Monumental Scale: Unlike smaller devotional objects, this sculpture is designed as an ornamental masterpiece, intended to make a grand visual and spiritual statement. Its monumental size allows it to dominate any space, offering a commanding presence that is both physically and symbolically impressive. In Buddhist practice, large sculptures of this nature are often placed in temples or meditation halls, where their imposing size and serene presence would encourage contemplation and devotion. The grand scale of the statue further amplifies the spiritual power it is meant to convey. As a representation of Vajravidarana, it is not only a physical object of beauty but also a conduit for meditation, purification, and enlightenment. The scale of the sculpture also emphasizes the divine stature of the deity, highlighting his importance in the Buddhist tradition as the ultimate force for spiritual cleansing and protection. Provenance: Acquired in China in circa 1900 1905 Private Buddhist Temple, Northeast, USA Private Sale Solomon Treasure...