On brown ground silk kesi dragon robe. In polychrome and couched gold threads nine five clawed dragons, one dragon hidden on the underflap of the garment. The dragons chasing for the flaming pearl among clouds, bats, cranes and some precious things. The bottom of the textile is decorated with water waves and stylised rocks. The sleeves worked in pleated black silk, ending in horsehoof cuffs with further dragons, clouds and waves, side-fastening overlapping closure with metal buttons.... Click for details
DESCRIPTION: A vintage batik jacket and vest by the ethnic minority tribe “Ge,” a subgroup of the Miao culture. The Ge people live along the banks of the Chong-an-jiang River in Guizhou Province and are superlative batik artisans.
For this creation, hot wax was applied to the thick cloth in geometric designs consisting of a background of “wheels” edged in wide linear borders. The cloth was then dyed in indigo, dri... Click for details
DESCRIPTION: Gorgeous Chinese silk embroidery textile featuring deer, cranes and birds on a white silk ground among pine, bamboo and prunus blossoms (a motif referred to as “the three friends of winter”). This satin stitch textile is framed by a silk brocade border in a geometric pattern, and the back is lined with green silk. In remarkable condition with no damage, the colors of this beautiful textile are still vivid and bright. Early 20th C., 1900 – 1925. DIMENSIONS: 34 ½” long (87.5 cm) x... Click for details
A mid-Qing Dynasty red silk temple wall hanging has magnificent embroidery in gold and the traditional colors of Tibet. The early 19th century panel, now framed and protected under glass, is from a period of friendship and interaction between China’s Manchu leaders and the Buddhist lamas of Tibet, which would account for the merging of Chinese design elements with those more typically Tibetan Buddhist elements such as the lion’s tail, eight colored jewels riding in the waves and the ball under t... Click for details
Outstanding heirloom wedding blanket cover from the tiny Maonan ethnic minority of Guangxi, China. This piece dates from the 19th century and is composed of a hemp fiber foundation, natural dyed cotton (possibly hemp and cotton combination) background field with floss silk supplementary brocade weft symbols of phoenix, flowers and butterflies, and is in perfect condition with no holes or tears (minor wear of course), which is testament to the durability and hard wearingness of hemp m... Click for details
Five lions gambol across the intense red silk background of this mid-19th century Qing wall hanging. The heavy silk is lined and backed with a darker red silk, which along with the gold embroidery gives the piece weight. Heavy doubled strands of gold are couched in contours to form the frolicking lions, or fou dogs, and the surrounding streamers, balls and clouds. Metallic blue thread is couched to define tails, manes and other details. Five pairs of huge black eyes are done in satin stitch. The... Click for details
A Chinese crimson silk embroidered robe with six roundels finely rendered with hares, standing maidens, flowers and ribbons. The collar and cuffs are in contrasting ivory embroidered with flowers. The lining is also of red satin silk. Condition: very good, no repair.size: 280 cm long. age: C. 1900
A silk collar from the late Qing Dynasty is made of six embroidered lappets shaped to resemble clouds. Cloud icons, evolved from archaic pictographs, have been used in Chinese art for thousands of years to symbolize abundance and the nourishment of life. This collar was worn on festival days by a young girl whose mother designed and embroidered it with six auspicious flowers and six auspicious insects to convey added good wishes for her daughter's future. The embroidery is done in a beautifully ... Click for details
The shape of these bound foot shoes, with their very pointed toes and high curved instep, identifies their origin as North China. Their length, six inches, identifies their approximate age as early 20th century. Older golden lotus shoes, as they were called, usually were several inches shorter. Each of these black silk shoes has satin stitch embroidery with a butterfly, symbol of joy; a pomegranate, symbol of fertility, and several types of blossoms. The wear on the little soles and silk uppers ... Click for details
DESCRIPTION: A beautifully rendered ink and gilt painting on silk depicting the Lohan Chieh-po-ka. In Buddhist tradition there are Eighteen Lohan, also called Arhat or Arahat, who are the personal disciples of Buddha. Chieh-po-ka, or Gobaka the Protector, is the ninth Lohan. Tradition is that he was stationed on the Gandhamadana mountain with a retinue of 900 arhats, and is usually represented in contemplation with a fan in his hand. Here we see him seated on a round mat placed on a rock out... Click for details
