Chinese Wire Black lacquered Lantern, hanging on the Tree in the Garden setting, Ca. 1930's, 15" high, 5 1/2" diameter-wooden base, hanging Lantern on the tree, outside frame comes out, and put the candle inside on top of the wooden base. The condition is nicely aged.

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...

For centuries, before there was electricity, throughout Asia, Puppetry Arts were a popular form of traveling entertainment... A platform with a cloth screen, lit from the back by candlelight, provided the stage.... The shadow images were black against the white "background". Hence, the puppets had a minimum of color and only the necessary intricate cut outs for personality as they were sometimes presented to the audience with the "handlers" after a performance...

This long handled basket is out of Shanxi Province. There are the remnants of the original woven rattan "ring" on the handle which allowed the basket to be hung from a hook on the ceiling rafters...safe from rodents... Inside the rim of The outer basket, there is a smaller basket which allows for a separate food storage area... 25 inches tall and 10 inches wide at the bottom

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).

Charming Longmen folk-art painting titled “Little Mountain Village” by Tan Chifa (1939-2004) dated summer of 1990. Signed in black ink at the lower right and with the red seal of the Chinese Longmen Farmer Painting Association below. In the 1950s and 1960s, peasant paintings were used for political propaganda to promote and glorify the labor and prosperity of workers and peasants...

Chinese Rosewood Abacus, 11 1/2" long, 4 1/4" wide, 1 1/8" high, carved Chinese Characters between decks. The condition is as is but not damaged.

DESCRIPTION: A nice old Chinese toggle carved from a striated wood in the form of two peaches. The peach is a symbol of longevity, and this thick toggle has a wonderful aged patina that only comes from age and handling. Strung with a cord through the holes under the stems, it would have hung from a sash and been used as a counterweight to a tobacco pouch or other utilitarian object. A wonderful example of Chinese folk art, this toggle dates from the 1700’s...

Chinese wooden Rice Cake Mold with Lotus Seed design, Ca. 1930, 9 1/2" long, 3 3/4" wide-widest part, hand saw mark, the condition is used old worn out and patina on wood.

DESCRIPTION: A pair of substantial, deeply carved Chinese doors originating from Zhejiang province and dating from the early 1800’s, Qing dynasty. These handsome, heavy solid elm doors still have all of their original pegs attached, which would have been set into round sockets at the top and bottom, allowing the doors to be opened and closed.

The top panels are carved with flowers and a repeating swastika pattern, the Chinese character meaning good fortune or longevity...

Beautiful Miao woman’s apron with black calendered cotton cloth, and green commercial border, and fine silk embroidered center panel with hand woven silk embellished apron ties, from Guizhou. The colors in center panel are particularly luscious and I would date this piece 40 to 60 years of age. W: 40cm/15.8in and L: 43cm/17in. Free shipping Hong Kong Registered Airmail

Good woman’s skirt panel or apron from a Yunnan ethnic minority, approximately 50 to 70 years old. All the elements in this piece are hand made, even the ribbon along the border which is often machine made (even in old pieces). The beads along the edge are made of seeds. This piece has some old repairs which I have noted in enlargements. The overall embroidered pattern is a combination of white cotton while the greens and reds are either silk or a cotton and silk blend...

Nuo mask of Kailu, "Open the path", god with a terrifying face (horns, fangs) who leads the funerary procession; his fierce face is intended to repulse the bad spirits (and the dangerous wild animals?).
Very rare big portrayal of Kailu with very big eyes and mouth, the only one of this kind i ever saw; 3 growing horns, big eyes and mouth, 2 fangs; ancient polychromia, nice patina...

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)...

Chinese glove puppet depicting a man with bright opera face paint and long beard that appears to be horse hair dressed in a heavily sequined pale yellow robe with red fur accents. The legs are covered in red and white checkered trousers. Painted wood face, shoes, and hands. Measures about 18" long. Possibly dates from the early 20th century. Very good overall condition with minor wear and soiling from use...

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.

Unusually large lacquered betel container with two inner trays, from Karen ethnic group. Circa first half 20th century, some loss to the bottom. H:11.5cm/4.5in and D: 12.6cm/5in.

DESCRIPTION: A Chinese peach toggle (guajian) crafted from a flat piece of burl wood with large spreading leaves, representing longevity in Chinese iconography. Two holes on either side of the stem were used for threading a cord from which this toggle would have been suspended as a counterweight to some other object, such as a tobacco pouch. A nice example of Chinese folk art dating from the mid 1800’s or earlier, this toggle is in overall fine condition with aged patina...