17th Century Metalwork

Hailing from the Ming period in 16/17th century, this monumental bronze vase is a fine example of the auspicious decor and markings unique to Chinese furnishings. The vase is cast wi...

A remarkable pair of Thai Ayutthaya period bronze crowned Buddha mounted on wood display stands. Thailand. 17th/18th Century Dimensions: (approx) Head: 15" High, 7.75" Wide, 6" Deep (tallest) Overall: tbd Provenance / Acquisition: Acquired from the highly reputable auction house Heritage Auctions, Dallas, Texas. 2024 March Fine & Decorative Asian Art Signature Catalog Auction #8155 Lot #78357 Condition Report: Attractive pair with beautifully aged patina, condition commensurate of age, use, and exposure. Scattered areas of desirable verdigris green patina and oxidation throughout to each. Minor loss to front shell point of one example. Small holes scattered throughout and scews/nails through each fixing both examples to wooden bases. Both well preserved and present superbly History: The first Crowned Buddha images or Jambupati Buddha statues are known to have been originated from the Pyu, where the Indian influence of Buddhist arts and non-Theravada Buddhism was extremely felt in those days. There may have been various background stories behind the crowned Buddha statues in the course of history but one of the most popular stories goes by the legend of Jambupati. This particular legend is not known in the home of Buddhism India, however the crowned Buddha statues have been attached to the name Jambupati as the Buddha is believed to have humbled a boastful and arrogant king Jambupati. The story goes on about how the Buddha transformed himself into a mighty king with a crown and jewelry and set himself a majestic yet incomparable palace. Seeing this, the king accepted the great ability of the Buddha and submitted himself to the Dharma and became a Buddhist monk. This particular story has gained a lot of popularity and stood the test of time in Burma as the number of Crowned Buddha statues in Burma is considerably great in amount. There are also other versions of the background story of crowned statues...

This squat brass vessel is an early Qing-dynasty hot water bottle, originally used to heat a bed or warm the body. The round container would have been filled with hot water through t...

A Rare Early Islamic Illustrated book cover Antique Asian Islamic Indian Mughal Persian 17 th c Very finely detailed hand illustrated featuring a ki...

Okitenugui kabuto Samurai helmet shaped as a head towel Saika, early Edo period, 17th century The Haruta armorers who moved to Kii province in the early 17th century, took the name from the village where they worked, Saika, near Wakayama, possibly on request of the local daimyo, Asano Yukinaga, a great armour amateur. Specialised in the construction of plate helmets, they produced mainly two typologies of kabuto: one with six plates covered with a chrysanthemum-shaped plate on top and one shaped as a “head towel”, called okitenugui. The latter type of kabuto employs very heavy plates crafted in a curved manner and was improved in order to make it resistant to firearms. This okitenugui kabuto features some distinctive decorations of the Haruta school, including the application of cut-out iron elements, including eyebrows, washers and lozenge-shaped decorations on the sides. The ring on the top, however, is a rare feature and could be used to hold a small war flag.

Sujibachi kabuto 62-plate samurai helmet Haruta school, Edo period 17th-18th century A lamellar helmet consisting of sixty-two plates joined with five rows of rivets. The surface is...

This Antique 17th-century wrought iron key is a fascinating artifact that transports us back to an era of intricate craftsmanship and timeless elegance. T...

A small and interesting cast bronze archaistic scholar vase with loose ring handles and taotie mask design, late Ming or early Qing Dynasty, mid 17th century, China. The small vase of archaistic hu form, and cast with archaistic designs. Sitting on a tall splayed ring foot, the round body is cast with a large band featuring a ferocious taotie (ogre) mask. The taotie mask in this case id decidedly feline, with a ruyi shaped snout above a whiskered mouth. Two flanges stick out to either side of the mask, reminiscent of ears. A wide, tall neck rises from the body, terminating in a slightly everted mouth. The archaistic cast design on the neck is not as clear, but most likely represents Fusang, a mythical island in the Eastern Sea where the legendary Fusang tree grows. The Fusang tree, home to the mythical Sun Bird...

A small and lovely Chinese cast bronze garlic head scholar's "chilong" vase, early Qing Dynasty, Kangxi period, late 17th century, China. The elegant vase of beautiful proportion...

A fine small archaistic scholar's vase in the form of a zun, Ming to Qing Dynasty, 17th century, circa 1650, China. The small vessel of elegant proportions and wonderfully cast. T...

A splendid and heavy Dutch-colonial silver filigree salver Indonesia, Batavia (Jakarta) or possibly Padang, West Sumatra, 2nd half 17th century Diam. 22.9 cm Weight 551 grams This filigree-work was probably done by Chinese masters...

Tokanmuri kabuto Samurai helmet in the shape of a court cap Momoyama to early Edo Period 17th century The wearing of helmets that reproduced the shapes of traditional ...

A Fantastic and Rare 17th century Chinese Patinated Bronze Censer & Cover with Jade Finial Top and Wood Base. The body of this censor is intricately decorated with Archaistic decoration in hand-chassed relief. The wooden lid is designed with a foliate, leaf-like form, with a gorgeous white jade finial in the shape of a lotus leaf. The gorgeous tripod censer stands...

This is thought to be part of the decoration of a gilt-bronze Buddha made in ancient China, from the late Ming to the Qing dynasties. It is thought that it is probably an ornament t...

A Pair of Japanese Edo Period (1603–1867) iron, silver inlaid, and red lacquered stirrups (Abumi). Each of typical form, made of iron with silver inlay on the front with floral bloss...

Koboshi kabuto Samurai helmet with standing rivets Haruta School Early Edo Period, 17th century A 62-plate koboshi-bachi [helmet bowl with small s...

A Fantastic, rare, and antique Chinese Cloisonné Enamel Gu Form vase, 17th/18th century, Kangxi Period. This cloisonne vase is extremely rare to find in this quality, condition, age,...

An unusual Indonesian lobbed silver dish Jakarta (Batavia) or Coromandel coast, third quarter 17th century, apparently unmarked The eight lobbed dish exuberantly decorated with floral motifs, with the middle section replaced, consisting of indistinctly marked German silver from the early 19th century, bearing the coat-of-arms of the Von Pfeffel family. Diam. 30.5 cm Weight 461 grams Note: Lobbed silver dishes with exuberant floral decorations were characteristic of the decorative arts in the Netherlands in the first half of the 17th century. This style of floral decoration was adopted by silversmiths as well as by furniture makers working on the Coromandel Coast and in Batavia, often by workers who had fled the Coromandel Coast because of war and famine. In Batavia this style was known as “Custwerck” (work from the Bengal coast). These lobbed dishes are seldom marked. Only after 1667 the use of the town mark became obligatory in Batavia but only for silver made in Batavia not for silver imported in Batavia from other VOC settlements. The engraved coat of arms in the centre is a replacement of the original centre. The coat of arms can be identified as those of Christian Hubert von Pfeffel (1765- 1834). As a diplomat, statesman, ambassador of Bavaria in London and Saxony and councillor to the King of Bavaria, he was made “Freiherr” in 1828 and since then used this coat of arms. His son Karl Maximilian Friederich Hubert Freiherr von Pfeffel (1811-1890) in 1836 married Karoline Adelheid Pauline von Rottenburg (1805-1872), the natural daughter of Prins Paul von Württemberg (1785-1852) and his mistress Margrethe Porth. Paul was the jounger brother of the King Wilhelm I of Württemberg (1781-1864). The heraldic motto of the von Pfeffels Vur Schande habe den Huot means as much as “Beware of Shame”. Christian Hubert Theodoor Marie Karl von Pfeffel Karl Maximilian’s grandson was the last male in the von Pfeffel line. His daughter, Marie Louise (Paris in 1882 - Cornwall 1944), born and grown-up in France, changed her name in de Pfeffel. She was the great grandmother of Boris Alexander de Pfeffel Johnson, the present British Secretary of State. None of the members of the von Pfeffel family had any direct links with the Dutch East Indies but indirectly by way of the Royal House of Württemberg they did. Sophia Frederika Mathilda von Württemberg (1818-1877), daughter of Wilhelm I King of Württemberg, in 1839 married Willem III...

This fine old urn cast as an honorific nod to the ancient past of China was made circa 1600-1650. The shape or Hue was a common and well-represented form in the Han dynasty in pottery and bronze. This urn shows thin casting to the walls with incorporated toe tia or facial masks...

This monumental Ming-dynasty bell once pealed in a Chinese village, sounding out in celebration or giving notice of important events. Expertly forged, the cast-iron bell is detailed with characters in intricate relief, and its exaggerated scallop rim is traced with oversized rivets. Covered in scales and ending in expressive faces, the bell's handle is cast in the form of a two-headed hong dragon, thought to be the embodiment of a rainbow and thus visible only after rainfall. Frosted with snow or lit from within by flickering candles, this sculptural bell takes on a magical presence in the winter garden.

Statue of Guanyin in lacquered and gilded cast iron, represented seated in dhyanasana, hands in dhyana mudra, head wearing a high bun covered by a veil. China, 17th century.

A spectacular large Nepalese stupa, of cast and repousse gilt bronze or copper alloy, 16th/17th century, Nepal. The magnificent stupa of traditional form, featuring a stylized lotus base supporting a large dome. A square structure, called a harmika, sits upon the dome. Each side of the harmika featuring engraved Buddha Eyes, also called Wisdom Eyes. Torana rise above each of the four sides. A tall spire, known as a yasti, rises from the squareharmika. Attached to the yasti are a set of thirteen graduated discs, known as chatras, giving the spire a tapered form. The chatras represent Bhumi, or the foundations that support the path to enlightenment. The spire is topped by another stylized lotus platform with a rising square pillar topped...