18th century small Chinese agate carving in a shape of a double gourd with tassels, was used to be sawn onto clothes. Beautiful carnelian agate with wonderful finish. Height 11/16 inches (18 mm).

Late Ming Dynasty (beginning of the 17th century) small fine celadon jade plaque for sawing onto clothes with carved design of a Chinese Immortal wearing a long robe and holding a tall staff. Beautiful material, true nephrite jade, nice work, wonderful feel of age. Height 1.27 inches, weight 7.2 grams.

Late 18th to early 19th century carving in a shape of archaic Chinese chime stone. Beautiful celadon color material, true nephrite jade, wonderful work, in perfect condition. Length 2.3 inches, weight 15.4 grams.

Late 18th to early 19th century small fine white jade plaque / pendant with pierced and carved design of a Chinese scholar wearing a wide robe and standing on rockery. Beautiful material, true white nephrite jade, wonderful work, in perfect condition. Height 1.26 inches, weight 4.2 grams.

Late 19th to early 20th century small Chinese jade carving of a coin, each side with a low relief carving of 2 bats in flight among clouds. Beautiful true nephrite jade of white color, very good carving, beautiful finish to the surface, very pleasant to hold. Diameter 0.7 inches, weight 5 grams

Late 19th to early 20th century Chinese jade carving of a resting dog, its head turned back. Wonderful true nephrite jade of celadon color, very good carving with great sense of volume, beautiful finish to the surface, nicely heavy, very pleasant to hold. Length 2 1/8 inches, weight 116 grams.

Isetemkhebit (II) Worker – Ast-m-Ax-bit (II)

Bab el-Gasus Shabtis - Cache II - Tomb of the Priests of Amun.

Also known as Isetemkheb, Isetemkhebi, Istemkheb, Asetemachbit, Asetemakhbit.

The name means ‘Isis is in Ipu (Akhmim)

Two shabti series from Isetemkhebit have been attributed to A.126, but it is likely that they are two different ladies. Five different burials have been found named to Isetemkhebit...

Menkheperra B – mn-xpr-ra

Bab el-Gasus Shabtis - Cache II - Tomb of the Priests of Amun...

Rare 19th century Japanese stoneware Kuro Oribe chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) of cylindrical shape with rounded shoulders. Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag). Beautiful free potting, typical elliptical lines on the foot left by a string used to cut off the piece from potter’s wheel...

19th century or earlier Japanese sword set of fuchi (bordering piece between the sword guard and the handle) and kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with gilded relief design of small birds in flight by clumps of bamboo, all on finely punched ground texture called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar. Excellent quality work, in great condition. Kashira length 1.4 inches, fuchi length 1.52 inches.

Late Meiji to early Taisho (1910s) Japanese boxwood okimono of a sleeping monk. The subject is a metaphor for a failure to reach enlightenment - instead of seeking and understanding the profound power of Buddha’s teaching the monk falls asleep. Nicely carved, wonderful tranquil face, pleasant patina. Signed YOSHIHISA on the bottom - for information on the artist see NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, p. 1232. Height 2 inches.

Late Meiji (1890s to 1910s) Japanese pink coral obidome (sash ornament) with carved decoration of a blooming rose. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, it is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Clever design, wonderful carving, very beautiful natural coral, nice finish and patina. Metal fixture with two loops on the back for an obi cord (marked 14K, but looks like nickel plated brass...

Late 19th century small Chinese / Tibetan mala - Buddhist rosary consisting of 108 Chinese angel skin coral prayer beads and 4 jadeite ones that serve as spacers dividing the prayer beads into groups of 27 each. Must have been made for a child as the beads are small (about 4 mm in diameter). True white coral with beautiful areas of slight pink. Traditionally Buddhist rosary of 108 even-sized beads is used for mantra recitation...

Rather unusual late Qing Dynasty (1890s to 1911) Chinese seal carved out of a natural boulder. The stone is of military green color, softer than jade and appears to be magmatic in nature - see the folds of its outside produced by cooling of the rock. The impression of the seal is shown on the third photo which is flipped left to right to present the image as it will print on paper...

Late Qing Dynasty (1890s to 1911) Chinese soapstone seal carved on the top with crouching one-horned chimera. Inscribed with 6 characters on the side. The first photo shows the image of the bottom flipped left to right, so the seal can be read. Excellent carving, wonderful face and body bulk, beautiful patina. The bottom is carved with raised characters, red seal paste in the grooves. Very beautiful variegated peach colored stone with red areas giving extra depth to the carving...

Late Meiji period (1890s 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with carved low relief cherry flowers and two metal roundels with cutout brocade patterns, design continuing on the back. Very well made, wonderful work in Japanese taste, tiny areas of insect damage here and there, otherwise in great condition. Length 3.57 inches. Part of East Coast collection of Japanese hair items.

Nespakashuty – ns-pA-qA-Swty Worker Typ 1

Bab el-Gasus Shabtis - Cache II - Tomb of the Priests of Amun.

Also known as Nespakachouty, Nesipakashuti, Nesipakashuty

The name means ‘The one who belongs to the God’

God’s father of Amen-Re, the king of the gods, Overseer of the treasury of the domain of the Divine Adoratrice of Amen...

Old song bird catcher from the Minang people of Central Sumatra. I bought this in Padang in 1988 and it was already old at the time, so I can date this to about 1950. A classic honey trap, right out of the KGB spy book. A hot and seductive female bird is placed in the back of the cage and when a dumb male bird comes along and lands on the perch in front this will trip a peg that will cause the net in the front to come down and now he is caught. See last two enlargements...