The Yoruba peoples inhabit a large part of southwestern Nigeria. They have been known to place their trust in the powers of the fetish to assist them during times of need. A fetish – aka Nkisi – is a wood carving that the village shaman (aka Nganga) uses to protect, heal and grant desires to […]

    This mask was used in a dramatic form of Indonesian dance called Topeng. Such masks are used to interpret traditional stories concerning fabled kings, heros and myths.   Hand made and hand painted in the mid-1900s and acquired in Cirebon in West Java (about 200 miles east of Jakarta).   In good condition […]

    Located in the Rattanakosin Kingdom (the traditional center of power), Wat Photharam (currently called Wat Pho) consists of a Buddhist temple complex. The complex is associated with King Rama I, who in 1782 rebuilt and expanded on an existing temple. Today the temple complex houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, […]

    The largest ethnic group in Mali are the Bamara… about 2.5 million. In the northern region of the Bamara territory are the Marka (aka Warka), known for their unique and artistic masks covered with brass or copper and other adornments.   The masks are generally carved with a comb on top plus fibers. […]

    Jayavarman II was a 9th-century king of Cambodia, widely recognized as the founder of the Khmer Empire, the dominant civilization on the Southeast Asian mainland from the 10th Century until the mid 15th century. He has been regarded as the king who laid the foundation of the Angkor period of Cambodian history.   […]

    Canopic jars were used by the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process. Internal soft organs of the deceased to be mummified were stored in these jars . . . away from the body. Lungs were stored in a jar representing Horus’s son, Hapi (baboon); the stomach in Duamutef (Jackal); the liver in Imsety […]

    A very special and rare find! The Tai-Shan people are believed to have migrated from Yunnan China. The Shan – who call themselves Tai – form one section of the large Tai ethnic group. They span from1315 to 1948.   This particular Buddha is from East Central Myanmar, Kengtung. It is a temple […]

    Cloisonne, cloisonné, cloisonné . . . how simply gorgeous. The detail – with copper wire forming the partitions – is just stunning. And don’t get me started on the enamel work!   This piece is from the early 1950s and is in perfect condition. This is an excellent example of Chinese craftsmanship.   […]

  Adorable hand painted kylins in porcelain.   Wucai, which has its origins in the earlier Doucai ceramics, first appeared during the reign of the Ming Dynasty Emperor Jiajing who ruled the Chinese empire between 1521 and 1567. Its manufacture continued through the Ming Dynasty and into the succeeding Qing Dynasty.   Jingdezhen, often called […]

    This stunning bowl is 99.9% pure crystal with an integration of sapphire crystals along the outside of the bowl. Love, warmth, compassion and joy are located in the center of the chest at the heart level. You will feel the vibrations there as it is tuned to the “F” note, ~ 440 Hz […]