Catalog (563)

Ivory seal carved to represent a lion resting on a rectangular base. Inscription in archaistic style beneath. China, Ming Dynasty. Height: 5.5 cm. Very good condition.

Small ceramic vase of globular form, with a curved flaring neck and two tiny ears on the shoulders, decorated with a series of oblique lines in relief over the whole body. Light celadon colour. Crackle glaze. China, Song Dynasty. Height: 10.8 cm. Very good condition.

Statue of a snarling lion holding a smaller lion under its front paws, resting on a rectangular base. Bronze, with fine dark green patina with reddish areas. China, Ming Dynasty. Length: 6.7 cm. Height: 5.7 cm. Very good condition.

Finely carved mask, with strong features and delicate painting meant to enhance the strength of the character it represents. The character depicted here is of Hashihime. The mask is made of wood, its eyes are made of metal. The mask is signed. Japan,Taisho and Early Showa Period (1912-1945). Height: 20.8 cm. Very good condition. NOTE 1: The most famous hashihime story comes from Tsurugi no Maki, in The Tale of the Heike, and is retold in the noh play Kanawa. NOTE 2:Here is the legend of Hashi...

Superb and rare mask with a very refined carving, representing a chief, with detailed coiffe, eyes, mouth, beard and scarifications. Wood, with fine patina. R.D. Congo, Bena Lulua or Luluwa ethnic group, early 20th century. Height: 35.5 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Obvious signs of age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: old Paris collection. Reference: The Berlin Ethnologic Museum owns a Luluwa figure representing a chief, made of wood, 74 cm high, 19th century, ac...

Statue of Guanyu, the general of Liu Bei, which was transformed into the famous Guangong, the Taoist God of War. Guanyu is shown here in full military garb, with helmet and armor, sitting on an elevated throne. Votive box at the back, still closed. Wood, with remnants of superimposed painting, lacquering and gilding. China, 19th century. Height: 24.7 cm. Painting and lacquering partly flaked, otherwise very good condition.

A finely carved lime box, its body in the form of a cone surmounting a flaring cylinder, decorated with three levels of an elaborate geometric design which is changing at each level. The stopper itself is decorated with two human heads back to back surmounting the neck adorned with a necklace. A bone spoon and a bone point are attached to the stopper, the link adorned with wood beads and tiny old glass beads. Fine age patina. Indonesia, Timor island. Height: 16.5 cm. Very good condition.

Intricately carved face mask bearing horns, with features in relief, slit eyes, scarifications, stylised beard. Wood, with remnants of kaolin colouring on eyes, horns tips and coiffe. Fine age patina. Africa, Ivory Coast, Yaure ethnic group. Height: 33 cm. Insect infestation on right side (no more danger), otherwise good condition

Very old face mask, of oval form, with minimalist cubistic features typical of this area. Strongly eroded wood, age patina. Indonesia, Timor island. Height: 31 cm. Mounted on a custom stand. Provenance: acquired in situ early 20th century, ex old Dutch collection.

Important and rare mask carved in wood fungus, of the tinder fungus type (fomes fomentarius), of rounded triangular form, with perforated oval eyes, incised mouth and nose in relief, probably added. Length: 30 cm. Height: 18.7 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition. NOTE: the tinder fungus is a parasite which grows particularly on the birch tree. This tree is highly venerated by numerous cultures with a shamanic tradition, because it is supposed to harbor deities...

Important goblet of cylindrical form flaring towards its top, superbly decorated in relief all over its body with embossed court scenes showing a queen, half naked and sitting on a throne, being taken care of by several servants. The goblet is made of silver, with a fine age patina. Afghanistan, Graeco-Bactrian Kingdom, ca. 3rd century. Height: 10.4 cm. Obvious signs of great age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: 1) old collection of a French diplomat who lived in Afghanistant during t...

Small figurine representing Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, in formal attire and wearing elaborate diadem and necklaces, flanked by two worshippers, standing on an elevated throne in front of which a lion head is showing in relief. Bronze, with dark reddish-green patina. China, Northern Wei or Sui Dynasty. Height: 2 3/4" (7 cm). Abrasion due to great age, otherwise good condition. An extremely rare object.

A rare ring, elaborately decorated with two kinds of stupas linked together. Bronze, with nice age patina. Soil encrustations. Graeco-Buddhist Civilisation, Gandhara, ca. 3rd century. Inside diameter: 17 mm. Height: 43 mm. Very good condition.

Important embossed high content (+800) silver bowl, superbly decorated with detailed legendary/religious characters in niches all around the body, surrounded and surmounted by foliage design and resting on a stylised lotus decor. Height: 9.8 cm, diameter 10.4 cm, weight: 259 gr. Burma, late 19th century. Excellent condition. Provenance: acquired from a Bangkok (Thailand) antique dealer in 1978.

Statue of Buddha, in monk's robes, standing on an elevated rounded stand, his hands in abhaya and varada mudra (symbolizing protection, peace, charity and compassion). Wood, with fine patina. Japan, mid Edo period, 18th century. Height: 18 cm. Slight abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition.

Ancient mask of oval flat form, with protruding forehead and nose, slit eyes, small open rectangular mouth showing teeth. Only one large hole on each side to attach the mask, and smaller holes around the mask probably to represent hair and beard. Wood, with remnants of kaolin colouring. Africa, Gabon, Fang ethnic group. Height: 32 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Tiny accidents, otherwise very good condition.

Rare gilt bronze pendant, of oval form, with a finely embossed decoration representing a noble lady being taken care of by two servants, under a tree, the whole scene surrounded by geometric design. Small cylindrical loop for attachement to a necklace. Nice patina. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 500 BC. Length: 10 cm, height 9 cm. Very good condition.

Large Afghan ceramic charger, of hollow form, decorated with splashed green and brown lines crossing on a light beige background. The charger is typical of art style of the Bamiyan period during the Bactrian civilisation era. Diameter: 26.5 cm. Height: 8.9 cm. Small hairline, otherwise very good condition. NOTE: Old French collection, collected in situ in 1970.

Rhyton, of conical shape, decorated at its base with the bust of a ram. Geometric design incised all over the body of the object. Bronze, with fine reddish-green age patina and traces of soil encrustations. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 4th century B.C. Height: 15.3 cm. The piece is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition.

Funeral statuette composed of two separate parts: a head made of limestone, a formal robe made of chlorite adorned with a necklace and two tigers in relief on the sides. This type of statuette is commonly called "Bactrian princess" among specialists, and dates back from the mid third to the early second millenium BC. Such funeral objects seem to have played an important role in the funerals of elites of the Margiana and maybe the Bactrian courts as well. Height: 6.5 cm. Width: 4 cm. Depth: 3.4 ...

Hampatong female figurine, wearing earrings and necklace, knees bent, standing on a square base. Wood, with fine glossy dark patina. Indonesia, Borneo Island, Dayak Peoples. Height: 11 cm. The statue is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Abrasion due to age, otherwise very good condition. Provenance: old Dutch collection. A rare piece.

A parcel-gilt silver cricket box and its cover. The body of the box is decorated with embossed flowers in cartouches, and its base is pierced with an intricate lattice design. The lid is also decorated with embossed concentric decorations, at the center with flowers in an octogonal frame, and around the rim with large fowers of various forms. China, early 19th cetury, maybe earlier. Diameter: 7.7 cm. Height: 4.4 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: similar boxes were sold at auction at Christie's in ...

Statue of Kuan Yin, wearing diadem and formal dress, holding a lotus bud in her right hand, sitting in "regal repose" on a elevated double lotus throne. Bronze, with fine reddish-green patina. China, Yuan/early Ming Dynasty, maybe earlier. Height: 12.9 cm. Very good condition. A rather rare piece in this form.

Superbly cast bronze belt hook with a finely detailed dragon head at its top with gold and silver eyes, ears and nose, and with gold and silver inlaid geometric designs on the rest of the body. A knob at the back for attachment to a belt. Nice reddish green age patina, partly encrusted. China, Warring States period. Height: 10.5 cm. Very good condition. Provenance: acquired in 1987 from a reputed Paris dealer specialising in Asian antiques. IMPORTANT NOTE: this unique object will be exported ...

Finely cast unusual statue of Hindu god Kartikeya, wearing jewels and a loincloth, standing on a stylised lotus.The right hand of this statue is poised as if holding a staff and the left hand rests on his thigh. He is seen as a mendicant with just a loincloth on. This form of Kartikeya is also called Dandayudhapani (the one who holds staff in hand).Bronze, with nice age patina. India, early 19th century, maybe earlier. Height: 19.3 cm. Very good condition. A rare piece. NOTE: Kartikeya is the e...

Statue of Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, in monk's robes, sitting on a lotus throne, with a small stupa in his headdress, his hands holding a vase. The statue is made of copper, with a fine age patina. Tibet, 19th century. Height: 8.8 cm. Very good condition.

Rare, unusual in this form, Himalayan shamanic mask, with eyes and mouth wide open, expressive features. This mask is strangely similar in aspect to antique Greek theater masks, though there is no known connection between both areas. The mask is made of wood, with a very fine dark brown glossy patina and obvious signs of great age, with traces of the oritginal colouring. Period: 19th century. Height: 29.5 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Good condition. Collected in situ in 1974...

Very old wood statue of Buddhist goddess Sho Kannon Bosatsu (one of the many forms of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara), wearing formal robes, and a diadem with bronze decorations on the two sides, standing on a lotus, her left hand holding a vase, her right hand in abhaya mudra. The goddess face reflects a profound meditation. Remnants of the original gilding. Fine age patina. Japan, early Edo period. Height: 25.2 cm. Good condition.

Very old Dan mask with circular eyes, protruding forehead, long thin nose, protruding lips, small chin. This mask is of the "gunyeya" type, and was used during the running competitions which were organised to train men to run and fight. It is made of wood, with a fine dark brown glossy patina. Its height: 19.8 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Africa, Ivory Coast/Liberia, first half of 20th century. Obvious signs of use and age, otherwise very good condition.

Finely cast gilt bronze statue of Hindu god Vishnu, wearing a diadem with a flaming aureola at the back, necklaces bracelets and a dhoti, holding his attributes with his four arms. The god is standing on and backed by the Naga. India, late 19th century. Height: 15 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: Images of Vishnu typically depict him with four arms, holding his attributes: the club, wheel, conch and lotus flower. The club is a symbol of Vishnu's divine power, and the wheel, a symbol of the sun. ...

A rare gilt bronze plate, with a fine embossed decoration representing, from the center to the rim, an archer, then a geometric circular frame, then six deities heads and six triangles, finally a rim. Bactrian Civilisation, ca. 4th century. Diameter: 21.5 cm. Obvious signs of use and age, otherwise good condition. Provenance: old French collection, acquired in Afghanistan in 1971 by its former owner.

Small gilt bronze altar dedicated to Bodhisattva Padmapani, resting on four pillars, showing the Bodhisattva standing, backed by an aureola, holding a gourd in his left hand, his right hand in appeasing/blessing posture (abhaya mudra). Fine patina. China, Northern Wei Dynasty. Height: 8.3 cm. Very good condition.

Statue of a fertility goddess, standing, wearing a formal coiffe and long pants. Terracotta. Indus Valley Civilisation period (3300-1300 B.C.), Harappa region. Height: 17 cm. Soil encrustations, arms partly missing, otherwise very good condition.

Superb sutra book (Kammavaca) made of two book covers made of teak wood and 16 pages made of palm wood. The pages are written recto/verso, in Pali script lacquered with black tamarind seed on a gilt background and illuminations. The two covers are with red drawings representing celestial beings on a gilt background. Burma, early 19th century. Dimensions: length: 62 cm, height: 12 cm. Some signs of wear and use, tiny chip on one page (see photo), otherwise very good condition. Acquired from an an...

Pair of ancient paintings on cotton, with polychrome colours and gold. The first painting represents a noble man in formal attire and sitting on a throne. The second painting represents a noble lady, in formal attire, sitting on an throne . Sizes 95 X 49 cm for both paintings. Very fine details and delicate rendering of faces and textiles. China, Qing Dynasty, 19th century. Acquired from a Hong Kong antique dealer in 1987.

Very rare heavy hardwood mask, with strong features in relief, an incised sacred trident on its forehead (the traditional weapon of Hindu god Shiva), round metal added eyes, large nose and mouth. Beautiful age patina, with traces of original pigments meant to enhance the mask features. Himalayan region, early 20th century. Height: 27 centimeters. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Old accidents which do not impair the mask beauty and unique quality, otherwise very good condition