This Kwan Yin or Guan Yin is about 19" high. The place of origin and the age are open, so I am selling it as a decorative item. The bottom is closed, and the statue weighs  More »

This Kwan Yin or Guan Yin is about 19" high. The place of origin and the age are open, so I am selling it as a decorative item. The bottom is closed, and the statue weighs 7.5 pounds. Kuan Yin (also spelled Guan Yin, Kwan Yin) is the bodhisattva of compassion venerated by East Asian Buddhists. Commonly known as the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin is also revered by Chinese Taoists as an Immortal. The name Kuan Yin is short for Kuan Shih Yin (Guan Shi Yin) which means "Observing the Sounds of the World". I acquired this figurine from someone who had it in storage for 30-40 years. Her mother bought it many years ago from a dealer who sold Asian antiques in New York and has long since closed. The dealer told the mother that the figure dates to the early 19th century, and the receipt, which is not in my possession, states that it is porcelain. Nevertheless, I received an opinion from a major auction house in New York City that the figure dates to about the 1950's, possibly from China or Southeast Asia. In the end this is a decorative vintage piece. The glaze is a thin white matte or bisque finish. The body under the glaze is beige in color. The detail on the front is excellent, and the robes, jewelry, hands and toes are all precisely sculpted. She is holding a scroll in her hands. She is in very good vintage condition. There are no chips or major cracks. The red marks on the base seem to be glaze, paint or some other substance on top of the white glaze. There are remnants of red on the bottom and in the creases of the clothing, not visible in the pictures and hard to see with the naked eye. There is what appears to be a firing crack on the base, near the foot, as well as one or two other firing cracks, hidden in the folds of the robes, nothing major.   « Less

This pair of Korean crackle ware vases is 12" high. The decoration is raised enamel birds and flowers. This is a true pair, since the birds face in opposite directions on  More »

This pair of Korean crackle ware vases is 12" high. The decoration is raised enamel birds and flowers. This is a true pair, since the birds face in opposite directions on each vase. They are in very good antique condition, with just a minor nick or too in the enamel. There are no marks on the bottom, but a dealer in Asian antiques told me that they date to about 1880 or so.   « Less

This pair of Korean crackle ware vases is 12" high. The decoration is raised enamel birds and flowers. This is a true pair, since the birds face in opposite directions on  More »

This pair of Korean crackle ware vases is 12" high. The decoration is raised enamel birds and flowers. This is a true pair, since the birds face in opposite directions on each vase. They are in excellent condition, with just a minor nick or too in the enamel. There are no marks on the bottom, but a dealer in Asian antiques told me that they date to about 1880 or so.   « Less

This Chinese Export porcelain bowl is 10" in diameter, 3-3/4" high. It dates to about 1814-20, which makes it about 200 years old. There is an elaborate overall design  More »

This Chinese Export porcelain bowl is 10" in diameter, 3-3/4" high. It dates to about 1814-20, which makes it about 200 years old. There is an elaborate overall design inside the bowl which includes deep blue and white flowers and border designs. There are figures in a scene with trees, a table and covered terrace with mountains in the background painted in polychrome. There is slight fading in the colors in the bottom of the bowl, but the picture is still pretty clear. There are polychrome designs inside the four blue and white cartouches around the sides of the bowl. There were elaborate gold flowers and scrolls around the sides of the inside of the bowl, but the gold is quite worn. There are no cracks, and the porcelain rings clearly when tapped. There are two small chips, one on the foot ring, which is not visible from the top, and a small rim chip that is about 1/8" wide. The rim chip is mostly on the underside of the rim, and is barely noticeable from the top. I try to be precise about describing defects, no matter how minor, and it probably sounds like the condition of this bowl is worse than it really is. This is an extraordinary survivor of two centuries and is in quite good overall condition.   « Less

This Chinese plate with bats, peaches and pomegranates is about 9-1/4" in diameter, 1-3/4" high, with a slightly scalloped rim. The decoration symbolizes longevity, good  More »

This Chinese plate with bats, peaches and pomegranates is about 9-1/4" in diameter, 1-3/4" high, with a slightly scalloped rim. The decoration symbolizes longevity, good fortune, etc. There are three stylized calligraphy characters on the front of the plate, which I have not been able to translate. On the back there is a mark in iron red, which matches the color of the five bats on the back. While I am not an expert, I believe that the mark on the back dates the plate to the last reign of Hongxian, 1915-16, possibly earlier. The condition is pretty good for an item that is about 100 years or more old. There is slight wear to the glaze in the center of the plate, including the bats, a sign of use and age. There are three hairline cracks that run about 1-3/4" from the rim toward the center, illustrated in the pictures. There is also a small rim chip about 1/8" wide, also illustrated. This is an attractive and decorative plate, and it is difficult to expect perfection in very old items.   « Less

This antique Chinese export Canton blue and white pitcher is 4-7/8" high, 7" from handle to tip of spout. It dates to about 1825-35. It is decorated all over the outside in  More »

This antique Chinese export Canton blue and white pitcher is 4-7/8" high, 7" from handle to tip of spout. It dates to about 1825-35. It is decorated all over the outside in deep blue on a bluish gray background. There is a figure inside a pagoda on a lake with willow trees, a bridge, ships, rocks, mountains and other scenic features. The typical Canton rain and cloud border is present on the outside rim, along with geometric trim on the inside rim. Even the handle has vine and flower decoration. The style is charmingly naïve. The condition is quite good for its age. There is minor fritting around the top edge and the edges of the handle, with a single very small nick in the glaze on the foot. There is a faint hairline crack on the base that emanates from the small glaze nick on the rim, really quite minor. There are a couple of firing cracks inside the bottom of the pitcher, which do not continue to the outside. These are all very minor faults in a piece that is almost 200 years old, and there are no major cracks or repairs, quite unusual in this ware.   « Less

This miniature Japanese two piece celadon incense burner is 6" high, 5" in diameter. A dragon is rearing his head from the upper cup. The body is fine white porcelain with  More »

This miniature Japanese two piece celadon incense burner is 6" high, 5" in diameter. A dragon is rearing his head from the upper cup. The body is fine white porcelain with embossed designs covered in a light green celadon glaze. The color of the top and bottom match exactly, although the lighting in the picture makes some sections look darker. There are no cracks or major chips, just some minor roughness in the glaze around the edge of the cup with the dragon. The photo magnifies the appearance of the roughness. This exact piece is pictured on the website of the Daruma Museum in Japan and identified as most probably Hirado. There are no makers' marks. 19th century.   « Less

This Japanese Imari or Arita ware dragon vase is about 9-1/2" high. I have not been able to identify the marks on the bottom. In this clever design a dragon curls around the  More »

This Japanese Imari or Arita ware dragon vase is about 9-1/2" high. I have not been able to identify the marks on the bottom. In this clever design a dragon curls around the vase, so that the view is different on all sides as the vase is turned. Every surface on the outside is decorated and contrasts with the textured white body of the dragon that stands in relief above the surface. The inside of the opening at the top is also decorated. The rim of the top has a pleasing ogee bracket outline. I note that the top of the vase is not perfectly level, which sometimes happens in handmade ceramics. I believe that the date of this vase corresponds with or slightly predates the Aesthetic Movement in the West, which was after all, inspired by Japanese design: around 1860-1885. The condition is excellent, and I have not found any damage, chips, cracks.   « Less

This antique Japanese dragon plate in iron red Arita décor is 9-1/4" in diameter, 1" high. The decoration on the border echoes the color and pattern in the fierce,  More »

This antique Japanese dragon plate in iron red Arita décor is 9-1/4" in diameter, 1" high. The decoration on the border echoes the color and pattern in the fierce, undulating dragon in the center. The border has four cartouches with male figures. The plate dates to the 19th century. The back is signed in iron red Japanese characters. There are no chips. There is a crack in the glaze on the top, just beneath the body of the dragon, and a crack in the glaze on the bottom of the plate. The glaze crack on top is hard to see and is only visible at a certain angle and does not appear to have penetrated to the porcelain. I also have a large soup bowl in the same pattern, please inquire if interested.   « Less

Smallish Japanese dish, well marked for Kutani, probably Meiji period (1868-1912). Colours are predominantly indian red with gilding and black outlines. Dish measures 14.7 cm  More »

Smallish Japanese dish, well marked for Kutani, probably Meiji period (1868-1912). Colours are predominantly indian red with gilding and black outlines. Dish measures 14.7 cm diameter and4 cm high (5.3/4 inches by just over 1.1/2 inches). Some little wear to the red just below the rim areas. Small short mark on rim inside - appears as a hairline, but does not show through to the outside. (Both these are shown in the closeup photos). Otherwise excellent condition all round.   « Less