Asian cultures are among the oldest in the world and are associated with some of the finest and most interesting antiques and collectible objects on the planet. Innovation and top-notch artistry led to the creation of fine porcelain ware, painted silk scrolls, and paper screens seen in both Chinese and Japanese cultures.
Japanese's ancient style of dress, colorful kimonos robes inspired by the Noh theater, is highly collectible, as are netsuke, the figurines carved out of ivory or coral used to fasten containers called inro to men's obi sashes. The Japanese were also known for their ukiyo-e woodblock prints and technically superior samurai swords.
Chinese artisans mastered the skill of carving jade, a precious stone believed to have special powers, into delicate figurines, jewelry, and other objects such as weapons. Ancient Chinese potters, meanwhile, created the jade-like celadon glaze for stoneware and strong white clay now known as porcelain. Both Chinese and Japanese artists painted extravagant, intricate scenes onto their vases, bowls, and other porcelain objects. Common motifs on these vases, as well as in Asian antiques and statues, include Dragons, lions, tigers, Buddhas, flowers, birds, mountains, moons, and characters from folklore.
Interviews & Articles
Unraveling the Ancient Riddles of Chinese Jewelry

Chinese jewelry and objects of adornment are exquisite puzzles: Why does a delicate, wafer-thin pendant feature a pair of catfish … [more]
How Collecting Opium Antiques Turned Me Into an Opium Addict

You really have to work hard to get hooked on smoking opium. The Victorian-era form of the drug, known as chandu, is rare, and the… [more]
Rhino Horn Poachers Hit World Museums

Today the "New York Times" reports that as many as 30 museums in Europe have experienced thefts of rhinoceros horns in 2011. A rec… [more]
'Roadshow' Trumpets $1 Million Rhino Horn Cups, Despite Role in Species' Decline

The Internet is abuzz with news that during a recent taping in Tulsa, Oklahoma, an appraiser for "Antiques Roadshow" was asked to … [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Asian Art Museum

This online exhibition from San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum is a great showcase of several thousand Asian antiqu… [read review or visit site]
Gotheborg.com

Jan-Erik Nilsson's extensive reference on antique Chinese porcelain. Jam-packed with information (e.g. on porcelain… [read review or visit site]
Vintage Guru Reveals Her Glamour Secrets
The Killer Mobile Device for Victorian Women
Gloriously Grotesque 19th-Century Pipes
The Beautiful Chaos of Improvisational Quilts
Our Dad, the Water Witch of Wyoming
This 1959 Goggomobil Is Insanely Cute and Gets 55 MPG. Why Can’t Detroit Do That?
California Cool: How the Wetsuit Became the Surfer's Second Skin
The Unfiltered History of Rolling Papers, Plus Tommy Chong's Big Fat Jamaican Vacation
World's Smallest Museum Finds the Wonder in Everyday Objects
Fightin’ Femmes: Unmasking Female Superheroes with Author Mike Madrid



by 