Scholar's Objects

Antique Chinese Cameo Agate Snuff Bottle, 19th century. The stone of a cloudy translucent color and caramel skin on the front side carved in high relief creating a cameo effect of a ...

A rare and authentic vintage Gucci document case crafted in rich tan leather, featuring the house’s iconic green and red web stripe across the front. This classic folio-style piece e...

Stunning Pair of early Meiji period Satsuma heavy gauge earthenware Rouleau Japanese Vases of Museum quality and generous proportions. These beautiful Satsuma-ware vases were made du...

This is a very good Chinese cameo or overlay glass snuff bottle, which we date to circa 1920s. These overlay glass cameo snuff bottles are very decora...

A rare handsome Chinese Heavenly jade Bi disk carved in a rarely found combination of mutton fat yellow and green jade with patches of brown accents in the stone that depict a green ...

Rare find!: 24 feet long Zen monk Mala Prayer Bead String plus original wooden alms bowl with its original attached triangular shaped stone ojime. A huge...

This is an antique gentleman's writing slope. An English, burr walnut and leather correspondence box, dating to the mid Victorian period, circa 1850. Delightful craftsmanship with ...

A set of 3 beautiful porcelain handle Chinese calligraphy brushes. The handles with hand painted round and oval porcelain balls of longevity motifs and basketweave, in classic, timeless blue and white...

A good antique Early 19th Century Southeast Asian Bronze Buddha statue, Circa 1800. The Buddha seated upon a triangular shaped base with lotus decoration, the Buddha's hands posed i...

This is an old vermilion suiseki from Japan. Not only in China but also in Japan, rocks from mountains have been quarried and shaped for appreciation since ancient times. These deco...

A Rare Mughal Indian Gold and Enamel Mother of Pearl Spoon with Diamonds Discover the exquisite craftsmanship of Mughal India with this rare and...

An incredibly rare 18th Century monumental palace size Ottoman Islamic astrolabe on an easel stand, Turkey, circa 1720. This rare palace size Astrola...

Antique Vietnamese Shell Inlaid Tea Tray (Khay, go kham trai) a rectangular raised footed tray having four kneeling legs connected with bottom elbowed stretchers. The legs, skirt, interior and railing all decorated on the exterior surface with inset shaped mother-of-pearl shell pieces in subtle shimmering hues of flora and fauna motifs with Chinese key fret and flora vignettes with butterflies and birds. The galleried and footed tray crafted entirely of rosewood with mortise and tenon joinery. Minor inset shell losses, evidence of previous cracks, restored condition. Measuring: 4 in. high x 12.25 in. wide x 7.5 in. deep. (102 x 312 x 190mm) Weight 1 lb. 12.1 oz. (797g.) Nguyen Dynasty, 19th - 20th Century. Provenance: Copper Red, Bangkok L’Asie Exotique, Palm Springs, CA For similar examples see: Co Vat Viet Nam: Vietnamese Antiques...

Rare Early Shinto Temple Find This is an incredibly rare and authentic Omikuji (Sacred Fortune Telling) set, dating back to the Late Edo Period. Unlike modern plastic or simple wo...

Antique Chinese Chalcedony “Peanut and Jujube” Snuff Bottle, Qing Dynasty. The large pear shaped striated stone carving of a caramel colored jujube fruit (Chinese date) and two beige...

Our calligraphy brush stands are made of solid wenge wood, a prized, sustainable, exotic wood with beautiful grains. Top of the stands are deco...

Our calligraphy brush stands are made of solid wenge wood, a prized, sustainable, exotic wood with beautiful grains. Top of the stands are deco...

A fine pair of antique Chinese Qing dynasty ( 1644-1911) hand carved jade table screens, circa 1850. The rectangular screens are made of variegated s...

An exceptional, deeply spiritual masterpiece of Japanese 水石 (Suiseki / Viewing Stone) art: a naturally formed "Sugata-ishi" (Figure Stone) that reveals the serene silhouette of a med...

On offer is an extraordinary Chinese scholar rock of Taihu type in a vertical mushroom-cloud form. Impressive in size, texture and grotto-filled shape, the well-balanced stone is pre...

A fine & unusally large antique Tibetan gilded iron pen case, circa 1700. The cylindrical pen case in two parts & made from gilded iron, with finely pierced openwork and engraved dec...

A rare and refined Meiji-period walking cane clad in spiraled ray skin (shagreen), polished and finished in traditional black lacquer. The lacquered shagreen surface reveals the unde...

Spectacular Chinese 'Taihu' scholar's stone. Naturally formed limestone mounted on gorgeous carved hardwood stand. Scholar's stones are limestone from Lake Tai in China which natura...

Antique 19th century Chinese carved gold gilt and painted wood wall panel or plaque with scholar and warrior figures scene. Signed on back as p...

A Chinese scholar stone in an upright mushroom form displayed on a custom wood stand. Wonderful and well-balanced, the ocher and cream color stone is likely of the Taihu type. It sho...

Chinese Jade, Bone & Horse hair Calligraphy Brush, Hand-Carved, 15 in. A refined vintage Chinese calligraphy brush, distinguished by its sculptural, segmented handle composed of ...

This remarkable glass snuff bottle, crafted by the esteemed artist Ya Qing in the spring of 2009, is a masterful example of inside painting. The bottle showcases...

A finely carved zitan wood display stand in the form of a round table, China, Republic Period, mid 20th century. The circular display stand carved from rare and precious zitan wood. Fashioned as a classical Chinese round table...

A beautiful Chinese calligraphy brush with blue and white porcelain. Handle with hand painted blue and white porcelain balls of "double happiness" characters, hand polished and crafted. Bone ferrule and horse hair. This is a great brush for painting and calligraphy art...

Bamboo and wooden slips - jiandú- were the main media for writing documents in China before the widespread introduction of paper during the first two centuries AD. This substantial group, 59 pieces, of one-of-a-kind slips with painted and applied hand calligraphy appeals to book lovers and antiquity sleuths We believe them to be circa 1900 Qing dynasty and are offering this group from a collection of old works of art. Dimensions: bamboo slips...

An exquisite late Qing dynasty display Stand of longyan wood, carved as a miniature "kang" table. The center panel features an amazing grain that delights the eye, while a soft glo...

For centuries, the suanpan, or Chinese abacus, served as one of the world's most sophisticated calculating devices. Long before the arrival of electronic calculators, merchants, scho...

One of a kind, extra large, rare blue serpentine gemstone brush in bamboo form with carved bamboo leaves. Serpentine is a beautiful stone highly valued for its similarity to nephrite...

In Japan, there are stones for viewing called suiseki. The same culture has existed in China since ancient times. Suiseki is a Japanese culture and hobby of appreciating stones indoo...

A superb Chinese yellow and russet nephrite jade carving of a mythical beast, Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) or earlier, China The mythical beast is portrayed with feline features, i...

A fantastic Chinese scholar's stone, called gongshi, of gray lingbi limestone, mounted on a hardwood stand, late Qing or early Republic, early 20th century, circa 1910, China . The ...

Hand-carved of the highest quality jade, this 19th century Archer's ring was likely worn by a gentleman-scholar in Northern China. Traditionally, Chinese archers wore these rings to ...

Antique Thailand sutra bamboo/palm leave book, 1873. There are about 48 pages and are written on double sides with lots of writing. The following handwriting on the Lacquer reads: ...

Antique Chinese Agate Sleeve Snuff Bottle, exceptionally carved with great precision, a flat spade shape, narrow concave base, flared neck, concave mouth rim, narrow mouth, all of an...

A remarkable straits Chinese (also known as Peranakan or Nyonya) carved hardwood and bamboo inlaid and embellished table-form stand, originally for dis...

This is a museum quality book form Grand Tour plaster intaglio case, Circa 1820 in date. The intaglios are encased in a red leather gilt tooled binding titled 'L. FERRARIS BIBLIOTH...

Our calligraphy brush stands are made of solid wengé wood, a prized, sustainable, exotic wood with beautiful grains. Top of the stands are deco...

An exquisitely hand carved bone Chinese dignitary standing figure portraying a lavishly dressed bearded male. Difficult to date, in our opinion last quarter of the 19th century. ...

A visually arresting tall vertical scholar stone of Lingbi type balanced on a fitted wood base. The rock formation features an elegant slender form of highly sculptural surface with ...

This rare 29" long calligraphy brush features a beautiful handle made from Buddha's Belly Bamboo, a prized variety known as Bamboo Ventricosa. Revered for its unique bulging form, th...

Chinese Scholar's Carved Hongmu Hardwood Qilin Paperweight, Possibly Zitan, Qing Estate of John Loring of Tiffanys An exceptional Chinese scholar's desk paperweight (zhenzhi), finel...

One of a pair No. 2– Stunning Chinese handcrafted Bonsai Tree/Flower in white and green / gray white and green jade (for the leaves) and agate/hardstone (for the pink and yellow flow...

A Chinese Wooden Black Painted Pillow Box, Early 20th Century Description: The box features a black finish adorned with hand-painted golden garden scenes and floral patterns. Prove...

A rare Japanese Koto made from carved Paulownia wood and lavishly decorated with lacquer Maki-e circa late 19th century of Meiji Period (1868-1912). The ...

A large and dramatic Chinese Gongshi (known as meditation stone or spirit stone) from Taihu (Lake Tai) balanced on display stand. This scholar rock features a relatively red and poro...

This enormous figural fountain pen store display is unsigned, but presumed to have been made by the Waterman Co. of France in approximately 1965 and d...

This elegant container is a 19th-century Chinese document box, once used by a Qing-dynasty scholar-official to store stationery accessories such as brushes, seals and ink sticks. Cra...

Horagai conch shell trumpet with beautiful patination and bronze mouthpiece. This Horagai conch shell trumpet is a rare and valuable piece of Japanese history and culture. It was made in the Late Edo period (18th-19th century) and is in fine original condition with expected abrasions due to the significant age of the item. The trumpet is made of a conch shell with a bronze mouthpiece. It measures 34x 16.5 x 13 cm (13.5 / 6.5 / 5 inch) and weighs 1.2kg (2.5 lb). The trumpet has a beautiful patina, resulting from years of use and exposure to the elements. The bronze mouthpiece is also in good condition and shows no signs of wear. The trumpet is powerful and can produce a loud, clear sound. It was traditionally used in Japanese ceremonies and festivals and is still used today by some Shinto priests...

Amazing vintage glass vase. Displays a back a red glass exterior with an orange interior.

A large Chinese export hardwood scholar's brush pot or vessel crafted in a beautifully restrained and minimal cylindrical form. The pot is crafted from a dense red-brown rosewood, an...

Along with paper, ink and inkstone, the brush is one of the Four Treasures of the scholar’s studio. Arguably the most important tool, the brush served as a direct link to the artist’...

Experience the allure of this Republic period snuff bottle, a vibrant piece that embodies the rich artistic tradition of the time. Crafted with a deep red glass overlay, well imitati...

SUISEKI, KAMUY KOTAN STONE – Kamuy kotan stone from the canyon called ‘Kamuy-kotan’ (‘Whereabouts of God’ in the Ainu language) in the western part of Asahikawa city in Hokkaido, Jap...

A magnificent and unusually large matched pair of vintage Chinese structural seal blanks (chops), masterfully carved from substantial blocks of natural mottled red and sage-green soapstone. Standing at an impressive 7 ¼ inches tall with a robust 2-inch square profile, each monumental block is topped by a meticulously detailed, deeply pierced high-relief carving of horses interacting across an architectural mountain landscape. Together, the pair forms the complete, highly auspicious "Eight Horses of King Mu" (Ma Dao Cheng Gong) motif, a traditional Chinese symbol of rapid success, vitality, and career advancement. The long vertical side panels and square bases remain entirely smooth, unengraved, and free of cinnabar ink, highlighting the pristine, untouched nature of the stone. Beautifully balanced with an excellent structural heft, this pair serves flawlessly as premium library bookends or standalone desk sculptures for a curated interior. Excellent vintage condition with no cracks, no chips, and completely free of any restoration or repairs. The natural soft mineral surfaces are beautifully preserved, with pristine, sharp geometric edges on the uncarved base blocks. Note:With their substantial 7-inch presence and bold oxblood palette, this matching pair serves as the perfect sculptural punctuation mark for a lacquered library étagère, an executive desk, or flanking a collection of rare art books...

‘Kamuy kotan seki’ (Kamuy kotan stone) from the canyon called ‘Kamuy-kotan’ (‘Whereabouts of God’ in the Ainu language) in the western part of Asahikawa city in Hokkaido, Japan. Quite a unique abstractive blackness as the God (‘Kamuy’=’Kami’) with no processing by human hands, except attached with a wooden stand (undetachable) as such a calm and sacred piece of Art of Japanese ‘Suiseki...