Catalog (551)

Shakudo tsuba with a relief decor representing foliage and flowers, with gilt highlights on a background of tiny dots. The tsuba is unsigned. Japan, late Edo period. Height: 7.2 cm. Very good condition despite a slight erosion all over the piece. Sold with its box.

Small statue of Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, wearing a diadem and formal robes, sitting on a double lotus throne, her right hand in abhaya mudra. Gilt bronze, with fine dark green patina. China, 19th century. Height: 8.8 cm. Gliding partly missing, otherwise every good condition.

Cylinder seal finely engraved to represent a human being holding a bird in each hand and standing beside a couple of winged chimeras each with a human head and surmounted by a bird with two heads. Bronze with green patina. Bactria, Ca. 4th century BC. Height: 3 cm. Very good condition. NOTE: this rare seal may come from Mesopotamia, or be inspired from its art.

Statue of a sitting protector, with squarish features, his hands in praying posture. Strongly eroded wood, with remnants of kaolin on some areas. Nepal, 19th C. Height: 39 cm. The statue is mounted on a custom stand. NOTE: collected in 1974 by its former owner.

Wood spoon, its handle finely carved in the shape of a standing female figurine. Nice age patina. Ifugao tribes, Northern Luzon Island, Philippines archipelago. Height: 18 cm. The spoon is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Very good condition. Provenance: Zemanek Munster tribal art auction sale # 77.

Censer in the shape of a standing lion. Bronze, with encrusted green patina. Strong Persian aesthetic influence. Bactria and Margiana Civilisation (2300 - 1700 B.C.). Length: 11.3 cm. Height: 10.2 cm. Very good condition.

Fragment of a relief carved in marble to represent a flying "apsara". China, Tang dynasty, 10th century. Height: 12.5 cm. The piece is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Good condition. Provenance: French auction sale 1992.

Noh theater mask, with a vivid fierce expression, representing the character of Otobide. Wood, painted in gold, silver, black and red to enhance the mask features. Japan, 19th century. Height: 21.2 cm. The mask is nicely mounted on a custom stand. Old accidents and restorations, otherwise good condition.

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.

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 old mask with an elongated face, with moon and sun signs in relief on the forehead, small eyes, long nose, open mouth showing teeth. Wood, with encrusted patina. Nepal, 18th century. Height: 10 1/4" (26,2 cm). The mask is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accident from top to bottom restored locally a long time ago, otherwise good condition. Ex. old European collection.

Small mask representing the face of a "lakhe", an celestial entity which protects humans and households against evil spirits. Wood, with beautiful dark patina. Himalayan Region, 18th century. Height: 5 1/4" (13,5 cm). The mask is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old restoration at the back of the right eye, erosion due to age, otherwise very good condition. A rare piece in this size.

Superb "tsampa" bowl made of a wood core entirely covered with repoussé silver decorated in relief with the eight Buddhist symbols around its body surmounting a floral design. Beneath, a decoration representing a coiled dragon in relief framed by floral designs. Tibet, 19th century. Height: 2 3/16" (5,7 cm). Diameter: 4 1/2" (11,5 cm). A few dents, obvious signs of age, otherwise very good condition.

Embossed gilt copper plate, with fine details, representing a snarling snow lion, standing. Two small copper rivets above the back of the lion. Tibet, early 19th century, maybe earlier. Height: 7 cm. Length: 8.3 cm. The plate is nicely mounted on a custom wood stand. Very good condition. Collected in Nepal in 1978.

Standing female figurine, with typical coiffe and elongated head, scarifications on face and torso, arms alongside and separated from torso, small breasts, straight legs and big stylized feet. Wood, fine dark-brown semi-glossy patina. Africa, D.R. Congo, Mangbetu Peoples. Height: 11 7/8" (30 cm). The statue is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Old accident on left shoulder (local restoration), erosion, otherwise good condition.

Mask of the traditional Noh theater representing the character of Obeshimi. Wood, with polychrome painting meant to enhance the features of the face. Japan, end of 19th century. Height: 20.2 cm. A few chips onthe painting, obvious signs of great age, otherwise good condition. NOTE: Obeshimi is used for Noh plays featuring "tengu", mythical demons that defy Buddhist law.

A pair of square belt plaques, each with a relief decor of a musician sitting cross-legged on a small platform. Each plaque is backed by a flat unadorned plaque affixed to it by four pins, for attachment to the belt. Bronze, with large remnants of its original gilding and reddish green patina in some areas. China, Liao Dynasty Period (916-1125 A.D.). Width: 1 5/16" (3,3 cm). The pair is nicely mounted on a custom metal stand. Good condition. A fine and rare pair. Note: this pair is part of a set...

Rare half-mask of the esoteric Nuo theater representing a demon. Wood, with numerous perforations around the top of the forehead, above the eyes and below the nose in order to represent the hair, eyebrows and mustache. The mask was lacquered originally. It suffered an old accident which split it in two from top to bottom, but was restored a long time ago and locally with resin. Though the mask is more fragile than a mask without any accident, it is nevertheless strong enough now. The piece is ve...