Chi Lin – or the Dragon Horse – is a classic feng shui protection cure and mythological creature. Loyal to its owner and a protector to the owner’s house, the Chi Lin is of a royal status than other guardians.   Xiu Jade – aka Xiuyan Jade – is a special category of Nephrite […]

    Absolutely NOTHING beats an antique pair of these creatures with the head of a dragon, body of a horse and scales of a carp fish. The energy, the detail and the workmanship is spectacular!!   It is believed that if you look into the eyes of the female Chi Lin it will bring […]

    There are about 60,000 Salampasu people who live east of the Kasai River (bordering the DRC and Angola). History reveals that they are viewed with terror by adjacent tribes (e.g. Chokwe and Lunda). The Salampasu are governed by territorial leaders who, in turn, supervise village chiefs. Their reputation is one of fearless warriors. […]

    The history of Buddhism in Tibet has been turbulent, going through periods of revival and decline. Lama Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) was born in the Tsongkha Valley of Amdo province, northeast Tibet. He was a Buddhist scholar and saint who lived in Tibet during a time when Buddhist teachings had degenerated. Lama Tsongkhapa led a […]

  Truly Stunning!   By now you know the significance of this Hindu deity riding between the Garuda (protector) wings. If not, ask me. I have books on the symbolism .   Carved in the 1940s -1950s in the town of Ubud in the highlands of Bali. Ubud is known for […]

A very unique composition mix yielding a stately vessel. Called a Scholar Censer (incense burner) most likely because of the scholar statue – with lute in arm – on the top of the lid. The designs are a mix of graphic elements, geckos and birds, as seen around the mid-section of the vessel. Very rare, […]

    The Chimu Kingdom culture – a large adobe city in the Moche Valley near the present day city of Trujillo – began their rise in 900 AD. They were masters in crafting black pottery in various shapes and forms.   I started being interested in their rather obscure culture in 2010, when the […]

    Handcrafted by skilled and traditional artisans in a village (on the Bai River) outside Nanyang, southwestern Henan Sheng province.   Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin) Bodhisattva began His / Her Bodhisattva career by helping sentient beings (those ascribing to matter, sensation, perception, mental formations and consciousness) and vowing: “Should He ever become disheartened in saving sentient […]

    Sumatra is just one island of the 17,000 islands in the chain called Indonesia. The cultures specific to different islands have long been isolated from one another resulting is significant diversity. Sumatra – one of Indonesia’s largest islands – it is home to the Batak tribes.   Shamen – Batak Datu – are […]

    This is a rare find!   Acquired from the Hunt Slonem’s collection, an American painter and sculptor. Interestingly enough, one of his most well-known quotes is: “I would say my whole life could be summed up by the word ‘exotica’”. Wonder what the rest of his esoteric collection must have looked like?   […]