Akanthos Eclectic Interiors Antiquities

Late 19th-early 20th century Chinese hand decorated porcelain figure. Beautifully hand decorated Chinese porcelain figure. This stunning colorful finely detailed figurine or sculptur...

A well carved Indian white marble Jain temple relief fragment featuring an image of a Jina, circa 12th century, Rajasthan or Gujarat, India. The Tirthan...

Japanese Haniwa terracotta head of a warrior, Haniwa figures are Japanese terracotta funerary figures that accompanied the dead buried in early Japan, ...

An exceptional Indo-Portuguese colonial mother-of-pearl veneered casket with silver mounts India, Gujarat, 2nd half of the 16th century, the silver mounts Goa or probably Lisbon Measures: H. 16 x W. 24.6 x D. 16.1 cm An exceptional Gujarati casket with a rectangular box and truncated pyramidal lid (with slopes on each side and a flat top) made from exotic wood, probably teak (Tectona grandis), covered with a mother-of-pearl mosaic. The tesserae, cut from the shell of the green turban sea snail (Turbo marmoratus, a marine gastropod) in the shape of fish scales, are pinned to the wooden structure with silver ball-headed nails. The casket is set on bracket feet on the corners. The masterfully engraved decoration of the silver mounts follows the most refined and erudite Mannerist repertoire of rinceaux and ferroneries dating from the mid-16th century. The high quality and refinement of the silver mounts and, likewise, the silver nails that replaced the original brass pins used to hold the mother-of-pearl tesserae in place indicate the work of a silversmith probably working in Lisbon in the second half of the 16th century. The Indian origin of this production, namely from Cambay (Khambhat) and Surat in the present state of Gujarat in north India, is, as for the last three decades, consensual and fully demonstrated, not only by documentary and literary evidence - such as descriptions, travelogues and contemporary archival documentation - but also by the survival in situ of 16th-century wooden structures covered in mother-of-pearl tesserae. A fine example is a canopy decorating the tomb (dargah) of the Sufi saint, Sheik Salim Chisti (1478-1572) in Fatehpur Sikri in Agra district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, north India. This is an artistic production, geometric in character and Islamic in nature, where usually the mother-of-pearl tesserae form complex designs of fish scales or, similar to the dishes also made using the same technique, with the thin brass sheets and pins, stylized lotus flowers. The truncated pyramidal shape corresponds, like their contemporary tortoiseshell counterparts also made in Gujarat, to a piece of furniture used in the Indian subcontinent within the Islamic world prior to the arrival of the first Portuguese. This shape, in fact, is very old and peculiar to East-Asian caskets, chests or boxes used to contain and protect Buddhist texts, the sutras. A similar chest is the famous and large reliquary chest from Lisbon cathedral that once contained the relics of the city's patron saint, Saint Vincent. Both match in shape, having the same kind of socle or pedestal and bracket feet, and in their engraved silver mountings, featuring the same type of refined, erudite decoration. Their differences lie in the silver borders that frame the entire length of the edges of the chest (both the box and the lid), pinned with silver nails, and on the lock plate, shaped like a coat of arms in the Lisbon example. Given the exceptional dimensions of the reliquary casket...

Very expressive Imperial Court singer dressed in elegant ceremonial robes with long sleeves and hands in motion. Gray terracotta. Thermoluminescense Test by Ralph Kotalla Lab NE: 05K091003 (Worldwide oldest private laboratory specialized in TL testing...

Porcelain "Blanc de Chine" Statuette of a Guanyin stand on a lotus leaf, holding a lotus flower. China. Early 20th century.

This is a truly exceptional set of 18th century Samurai armor that is sure to impress any collector or enthusiast. The patinated iron used in its construction has aged beautifully, giving the armor a truly unique appearance that is sure to catch the eye. The brocade silk and cotton padding used to line the armor not only provide a comfortable fit for the wearer, but also add an extra layer of decorative flair. One of the most striking features of this armor is the crests of the Hirate samurai clan that adorn it. These crests are a symbol of the clan's identity and heritage, and their presence on the armor speaks to the deep connection between samurai warriors and the clans they belonged to. The Kabuto...

An old and exceptional completely lacquered akoda-nari suji’bachi kabuto (helmet with raised ridges) with a bronze maedate (decorative front piece) shaped like a spade, and mounted b...

Tibetan wooden Buddhist Mahakala mask (Shaman Exorcism Mask Yama God of Death) with stand. Age: Tibet, 19th Century Size: Height 33.8 C.M. / Width 25.5...

Green Glazed Large Lidded Vessel from the Yuan Dynasty. This is a fabulous large lidded vessel from the Yuan Dynasty, circa 14th century. The vessel was made as an offering jar with...

This is handcrafted Tibetan handheld spinning Prayer Wheel. This spinning prayer wheel was made from Sky Iron and has detailed handcrafted Tibetan traditional design with Copper wire...

This amazing Archaic Jade pendant, was realized in China in the early 20th century. In very good condition, except for signs of aging. Provenance: I...