A finely painted 19th century Indian manuscript leaf depicting a nighttime elephant ride by torchlight. Sight size: 9 inches by 6 inches. A slight vertical rub in the image area just to the right of the elephant (not terribly detracting), otherwise in good condition.

Four Chinese blue and white porcelain wine cups. Each with double ring around the rim, crane motif three times around the circumference, single ring atop raised foot, and mark on the base. Slightly sugary, opaque glaze associated with Kangxi production. Certainly Qing dynasty. Three in good condition. One with crack from rim. Each, diameter about 2 7/8 inches and height about 2 1/8 inches.

A German, domed top chest with ornamental hand wrought iron hardware, heavily oxidized and worn original surface and paint, and marked in white “T Adam Schuch reifst nach New York”. The chest looks like 17th century work. The name and destination likely added in the 18th century upon immigration. Reasonably good decoration considering the history. Length, 35 inches. Height, 17 1/2 inches. Depth, 18 1/2 to 19 inches (varying due to movement of the wood at the joinings).

This chest may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

A good, Chinese moss agate snuff bottle. Color variegation ranges from from a milky pale aubergine to a dark mossy green with areas of earthy red inclusion and structure. Natural, pleasant, minute pits appearing lightly placed on the surface. Ever so slightly convex, level foot. Similar concavity to the top. Light green quartz stopper. Bottle height, nearly 2 1/4 inches. With stopper, 2 3/4 inches.

A Hepplewhite mahogany shield back chair. Carved wheatsheaf motif splat. The frame of the back, and the supporting stiles, are scribed inside the edges. The work of an able furniture maker of the late 18th century to earliest 19th century, made in the popular manner of Hepplewhite. We favor an American Federal attribution. Secondary wood is a darkly oxidized hardwood with hand kerfs and planing. Peeling back the under lining more wouldn’t help us with identification. Good condition with old surface and with no losses or restoration. Expected movement and minor stress of the wood. A strongly made, handsome and serviceable chair, complementary to any period interior. Back height, 36 1/4 inches. About 17 1/2 inches to the upholstered seat. Seat depth about 17 inches. Seat width about 18 1/2 inches at the front.

An appointment would be necessary to inspect this chair

A fine, modern footed dish with red, green and yellow overglaze and with cobalt blue and manganese underglaze decoration. The hexagonal, everted rim with red border defining a cloud band around conforming hexagonal cavetto with chidori (sparrows) alternating with polychrome squares - borders of decoration all picked out with manganese (giving an iron effect but fading nicely into the blue decoration rather than spoiling it with fade to brown. The splayed foot with a cloud pattern in modern interpretation of the Nabeshima tradition. As we describe this unusual object, it should become more apparent that it is rather substantial (though small, sturdy potting) and not commercial production. The dish - top and bottom - as well as the foot retains impressed decoration and texture in the porcelain over which the decoration was added with deference... the blue glaze, for example, lightly filling the recesses of, perhaps, a hemp impression over a more broadly ridged surface and leaving the highpoints almost white. The same molded and impressed texture can be felt top and bottom of the dish and the cloud pattern on the foot can also be felt when running one's finger along the decoration. The unglazed foot rim reveals a fine, white kaolin with smooth feel to the touch. Unfortunately, though the molded and impressed decoration rather nicely retained texture, a square impressed mark inside the foot did not and offers no legible mark. We are comfortable proposing an attribution to Hajime Kato (1900 - 1968) but can not make any definitive claim and estimate accordingly. Perfect condition. Diameter, point to point, 6 3/4 inches (17.145 cm). Height, 2 1/4 inches (5.715 cm)

A Hirado blue and white porcelain bowl. Dragon decoration on the interior center. Flowerhead in mokkogata reserves decoration along the interior below the rim with pale iron oxide wash. Intricate dragon and phoenix decoration around the exterior. The unglazed bottom and foot with the smooth biscuit characteristic of the kiln. Taisho period. Good condition. Diameter, 5 1/2 inches. Height, 2 1:8 inches.

A fine and unusual Hizen-yaki, Kakiemon type, small foliate dish. Chocolate brown rim in iron oxide. Unusual blue and white decoration of a samurai with a young monk across the saddle on horseback - bow drawn to ward off pursuing Buddhist monk. This appears to depict one of many tales of old Japan - perhaps The Take of the Heike as relates to Minamoto Yoshitsune and the warrior monk Benkei. A reading of the kanji may shed light. The back with auspicious symbols, key foot rim, and two character mark in underglaze blue inside the unglazed ring foot. Ca 1800. Good condition. 5 inch diameter.

A finely appointed and carved rosewood (probably Sheesham wood) small tantalus box. Indian, British Raj period - 19th century. With four custom blown glass bottles with monogrammed old Sheffield silver plate tops - original to the box. Original key. Approximately 4 3/4 x 4 3/4 x 4 inches high. As this object is trimmed with 19th century Indian ivory, though original to the object, we can sell it only within the state of Maryland unless you can obtain acceptable CITES certification at your expense. As the box is made of organic materials from the 19th century, there is movement and minor loss from drying and shrinkage of the materials over much time. It is otherwise in good condition though missing one of four feet (which may have been added later in any event). A good conservator, retained by the buyer, could be expected to reconcile movement of the materials.

A fine Japanese blue and white porcelain dish. The foliate rim with chocolate brown glaze, the white porcelain body and glaze, and the fine attention to detail all suggest Kakiemon type. The cavetto with decoration of flowering plants including peonies, prunus and others. The center decorated with a bird (perhaps a flycatcher) in fruited branches, rockery and bamboo leaves below. Both the cavetto and center with reverse technique where the underglaze cobalt blue forms the background of the decoration. Finely defined chatter marks inside the footrim centering five spur marks. Remnants of an old label adhere to the back. The decoration has the feel of Chinese inspiration. Emulation of traditional Chinese porcelain decoration, and certainly Chinese porcelain marks, is not without basis. I have not come upon quite this decoration before and would consider it, along with the quality of this work, to be rare and early - probably Genroku era. One hairline issues from the rim where a flake on the front has an old repair, otherwise good condition. This dish would be an excellent candidate for a proper kintsugi (gold lacquer) repair. Diameter 8 7/8 inches (22.5 cm), Height 1 1/16 inch (2.7 cm).

A small Japanese porcelain footed dish. Chrysanthemum sprays in the cavetto, issuing from the rim. Butterflies further adorn the bowl. Probably late 19th century Koransha production. Some Nabeshima characteristics are used including the deep form of the dish, the tall foot with comb pattern, precious objects decoration around the outside, partial blue underglaze decoration in the bowl finished with polychrome enamel, and cash motif along the flattened rim. Departure is made from Nabeshima style, however, with the prolific use of various colors and abundant details. Excellent condition. Dimensions will be added later.

The small, scalloped bowl with persimmon, light teal and yellow floral decoration with red and black outline. A molded decoration of dragon with jewel in the center. A nicely executed chocolate brown rim consistent with tradition. The verso plain and exhibiting impurities and open bubbles in the white glaze. Raised on a ring foot exposing a relatively refined clay. This could be work from another Arita kiln, but perhaps as likely relaxed Kakiemon production after collapse of the supporting export market. We estimate later 18th century. Good condition. Diameter, 5 1/2 inches. Stands about 1 and 1/2 inch from the foot.

A large Japanese footed dish. Ao-Kutani palette polychrome enamel Chinese style decoration of a fisherman in landscape and the crimped cavetto with karakusa pattern with three pomegranate and stem reserves. A chocolate brown glazed rim. The back with two prunus sprays and the base with blue underglaze double ring and Fuku mark. Subtle, broad chatter marks can barely be seen within the foot under the glaze. “Ao” refers to blue and complimentary colors yellow, green, aubergine and iron red enamels used on a matte white glazed biscuit porcelain. Ao-Kutani and Ko-Kutani are often confused. “Ko” refers to old Kutani (at least 17th century). Most, not all, Ko-Kutani pieces are in the Ao palette. An entrepreneur going by “Yoshidaya” revived the Ko-Kutani tradition in the 19th century and all such works are in the Ao (blue) palette. A 19th century example similar to this dish (same motif) can be seen in The Met, accession #91.1.144 (Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891), in their Gallery 199 as of this writing. This dish is probably a bit later and is in excellent condition. About 9 3/4 inches diameter. Stands just over 2 inches from the foot.

A Japanese totai cloisonne (on ceramic body) bottle vase. Blue, white, rose, green, red and yellow enamel decoration of flowers. A silver rim encasement original to the vase. Good condition. Height: 5 inches

A Kakiemon style porcelain six lobed dish. Cobalt blue underglaze and red, green, yellow, blue and black outline overglaze enamel decoration of 'three friends of winter' (pine, bamboo and prunus). Assymetry of decoration, as well as palette, typical of Kakiemon type porcelains. But the quality of decoration (though good inside the dish), potting and mark speaks to a more general 'Arita' attribution. Some kiln grit adheres inside the foot rim. 19th century. Condition is good, with a few small glaze flakes outside the rim on one lobe, and with some wobble to the potting, and minor kiln faults and light scratches. Diameter from 5 7/8 inches (15.1 cm) to 6 1/4 inches (15.7 cm) [recall the mention of "wobble"]. Height from 1 5/16 (3.3 cm) inches to 1 1/2 inches (3.7 cm).

Kashmiri kangri in typical Mughal dynasty form (coal fueled warmer). Also sometimes called kanger or kangar. Used inside overcoat-like cloak (gingerly if you can imagine) or as a hand warmer if more form-fitting attire. It is difficult to imagine a metal example would have been used as such. This example may have served an alternative purpose. Metalworked examples of the form are not common - the typical materials being reed covered pottery (insulating one from burns.) Later, Raj silver services on rare occasion used the kangri form for service pieces such as creamers, sugars, tea pots, tea dumps, etc. We believe the present example should be at least early 19th century. This would make a wonderfully unusual and antique conversation piece. The whole with details crisply chiseled into the repousse decoration. The openworked, upper portion with a pair of pea fowl parading along the rim above a band of flower heads. The lower, bowl portion with similarly chiseled decoration of intricate vine and flowers among saz leaf paisleys forming a regular pattern atop a rather finely stippled ground. A flower head band again appears above a decorated, waisted foot with lattice worked, splayed rim. The beautiful verdigris patina appears to be an old, authentic patina acquired naturally over some time. We have found depth and persistence of a patina combined with an absence of metal corrosion to be a good indication of authentic, old patinas. The condition is good. A couple small areas of brighter green in the patina suggest a relatively high copper content. Color consistent with this premise shows from a minuscule 1.5mm point of disturbed patina on the side and some more along the foot rim. A bend along the foot rim suggests a commensurate degree of malleability. It could be used with potpourri or as a stand alone decorative work of art. Height: 6 5/8 inches (16.8cm)

An armorer's tsuba, with very slightly raised rim on the strong, flat iron plate. Pierced decoration of a shrimp with pleasing, subtle swell along the antennae and legs (mostly on the ura.) Small, irregular brass inlays for the eyes (missing from one eye - not conspicuous.) The kogai-ana plugged with a copper rich alloy. Oval form about 2 7/8" (7.3 cm) by 2 3/4" (6.985 cm). Thickness at rim about 5/32" (.39 cm). Late 16th century to early 17th century - perhaps Momoyama period. Or possibly earlier with hitsu-ana added (though old). Good condition with varieagated hues in the dark, lustrous patina likely with extant lacquer adhering and accounting for some of the black color (note that the tsuba has an overall dark, mottled patina which our lighting doesn't adequately portray). Subtle tekkotsu evident - some old, worn pitting with the surface now smooth, almost soapy to the touch.

A Korean water dropper in shape of a carp. Cobalt blue glazed porcelain. Joseon dynasty, 19th century. Good condition, with kiln grit adhering to the foot. Length, 2 3/4 inches.