Sometimes assumed by Westerners as "medical models" these are Chinese fertility dolls. As ritual items, they rarely come onto the market. Used by several Chinese ethnic minority cultures, including the Miao, Yao and Naxi, the old fertility dolls were hand carved, anatomically correct and with pegged and jointed limbs. The hair styles and head gear would vary depending on the minority group...

Very old Chinese Shadow Puppet of a General; very thick water buffalo leather. Beautiful headdress with animal and complete original costume.
Old native repairs with leather and metal in headdress, neck and banner (see pix) ; 33 cms. Sha'anxi, 19th C. or before.

Puppet of a Mandarin. Beautiful costume ( dragoon), part of headdress mobile ,
Old native repairs with metal at the left leg, some old leather's ties (see pix), Sha'anxi. 19th C. 31 cms

These 6 antique Chinese needlework implements were brought to the US by the American Baptist missionary Rebecca Cloud-Stewart. They range in size from 3-6 inches long...

A must have for any lotus shoe collector. This iron was used for pressing lotus shoes. The thin curved end was useful for getting into the toe area. Made of iron, it is somewhat rusty-i.e. pleasantly aged. Length tip to tip is 13"

Chinese wooden hand carved mask of a smiling man, its jaw left open so that the wearer had an easier time speaking. Features of the mask include red lacquer lips, black lacquer eyebrows, nice carved details such as the teeth, nostrils, wrinkled forehead and hair. 18th/19th century Size: 6.75" height, 4.75" width

Antique hand-carved wooden half mask of some sort of god or deity, with recognizable features of a deity such as the elongated earlobes, and winglike hair and eyebrows. Has small traces of red lacquer, and above its lips are remains of where many bunches of hair would once have been, missing due to antiquity. Visible chisel marks are apparent inside. 18th/19th century Size: 11" height, 7" width

Circa 1900, Chinese footed foot tub made with elmwood planks bound by iron bands. Measures 10" high, 13" long, 7.5" wide

Charming Chinese woven fishing basket with bamboo handles covered in netting, red lacquered feet, and crossed bamboo on its bottom side. Size: 19" height, 12.5" width

Antique Chinese Scroll made of ink and mineral colors on paper. Story illustrates Dung Fang Shuo, the daoist sage, and auspicious symbols carrying the peach of immortality, with the bat of longevity flying overhead. Two seals are displayed. First seal reading, "Li Guang Jin yin", second seal is the studio seal. Artist's name is Li, Guang Jin from the studio Fu Qing. Circa late 19th Century Dimensions: Overall Size: 78.5" High X 56.25" Wide

Small, hand made cricket cage made of bamboo and bone with a copper handle. The cage has two tiers each with a sliding door. It measures 4.5" h, 4" w, 1.5"d.

DESCRIPTION: An unusual and quite old (18th C.) copper box toggle in the form of a peach, the Chinese symbol of longevity. Probably used as both a toggle and tobacco container, the two halves have a tightly fitting overlapping seal, with two loops forming the hinge at the stem point. This large solid copper toggle has a rich, aged patina and is in fine condition with minor signs of wear, as to be expected. DIMENSIONS: Approximately 2 1/4” long, tip to tip (5.7 cm) x 1 ¾” diameter (4.5 cm)...

DESCRIPTION: A fine Chinese boxwood water-well basket toggle, intricately carved in an acorn shape with a realistic and detailed basket weave pattern with carved wood rim. The arched overhead handle has a free-carved wood ring attached; the interior is hollowed out. Excellent condition, a beautiful toggle, 19th C. For a similar example see: Schuyler Cammann, Substance and Symbol in Chinese Toggles, #188, p.228. DIMENSIONS: 1-3/4” high.

Lovely Chinese basket most likely woven by the Zhuang or another of the many ethnic minorities in Guangxi Zhuang, China where I bought this over 20 years ago. This woven from split reed stalks and has a nice soft feel to it. This piece is quite old, 50 to 100 years (best guess). It has an unusual trapezoidal/oval shape and I like it for its sturdy simplicity. Minor unraveling of some of the weaves here and there but in very good condition given it age...

DESCRIPTION: A Qing dynasty bamboo pipe, possibly used for either opium or tobacco, with a bulbous body crafted from a large segment of giant bamboo. Mounted onto this segment are heavy brass fittings, one for the tubular tobacco bowl with its long brass shaft descending into the body. The other brass tube holds the long, bent bamboo stem that is used to draw the smoke out. Very good condition with a nice patina. DIMENSIONS: 16” high assembled (40.5 cm)...

This traditional Chinese spoon was used for spooning out powdered herbs and other ingredients when mixing Chinese medicines. The spoon is bone, patinated with age and use. The spoon is 4.75 inches long... It is a nice ethnographic artifact of former time and place

Intricately carved mask for the Nuo esoteric theater, representing the legendary character of Bao Gong, or Judge Bao, wearing a formal hat, his face in relief with a fierce expression, with bulging eyes, open mouth revealing fangs, and a stylised beard. Wood, with traces of the original polychrome colouring. China, 18th century. Height: 29.6 cm. Very good condition despite signs of old insect infestation (no danger).

Cigarette holder made from a stag antler ; L : 9c