FREDO'S COLLECTIBLES - ARTS & CRAFTS

During the many years spent overseas, I’ve acquired an assortment of interesting, even exquisite or antique pieces. Some were presents or farewell gifts from foreign friends. They serve to remind me of them and my enjoyable stay in that particular country or the places I’ve visited during the course of my work or vacation.  I took particularly interest in the native arts or crafts distinct to that country. Each piece has a story to tell. A few are very simple pieces. I was fascinated by the skill and the genius shown in turning natural or  ordinary materials (such as wood, clay, stone, silica, mineral, bamboo, rattan, reed, seashell, coconut) into beautiful pieces of art or craft. These skilled locals also made products that are useful to their community, like household goods, utensils and clothing. Over the millennia they traded their goods with other peoples and international trade was born. All these reminded me of my recent travels on the famous Silk Route, visiting early cradles of civilization like the Nile River Valley and the Yellow River, and reading about the pioneering voyages of Admiral Cheng Ho and of the Venetian Marco Polo.

jade piece incised deco Chinese	double gourd water container incised patterns Cambodia 1996
antique bronze elephant 2 halves Cambodia 1995	bronze tall coffee pot Egypt 1970
alabaster sphinx c lighting Egypt 1970 gift	kris c bone handle & sheath Indonesia 1985 gift
reed globular basket Botswana 1994	reed  food cover Botswana 1994
large cylindrical porcelain teapot in polychrome c stand Chinese 19/20c gift	large globular porcelain soup pot in polychrome c cover Chinese 19/20c gift
large round blue-white porcelain dish Chinese 19/20c gift	ovoid vase green glazed Burma 15/16c
vase bulbous green-underglaze red Johore kiln Malaysia 1980	bottle globular 2rings brown glaze Johore kiln Malaysia 1980
pair bronze hex container c globular cover Egypt 1970	pair bronze scarabs Egypt 1970
pair bronze pharaoh on alabaster stand Egypt 1970	antique bronze bangle Egypt 1970
antique brass weighing scale Chinese	bronze figurines of farmer and wife Vietnam 1997
bronze cow bell Switzerland 1979	bronze Viking ship Norway 1979
bone carving of dancer 1979	bamboo carving of Geisha Japan 1972
Chinese painting peacock on 4 wooden panels 1968	Balinese oil painting of a Ramayana story  Indonesia 1984 gift
oil painting fruit seller Indonesia 1983	framed painting Rama atop Garuda battle scene from the Ramayana epic Cambodia 1967
framed Apsara dancer in gold foil Cambodia 1995	framed Apsara dancer in gold foil  Cambodia 1995
framed lithograph tree in autumn New York USA 1972	framed lithograph trees New York 1972
5 wooden plaques 3 c applique pots 2 c horse and rider China 1990 gift	2 sets of wooden plaques depicting 4 seasons c MOP inlay Vietnam 1997
ceramic representation of ancient Sigiriya Fresco Sri Lanka 2004	framed glass painting goldfish c stand china 2005 gift
antique brass gong c incised pictures & Arabic script Egypt 1970	round bronze plaque depicting pharaonic scenes Egypt 1970
small round bronze plaque depicting  pharaonic couple	small bronze wall plaque of Arab lady Egypt 1970
wooden plaque with MOP inlay in geometrical pattern Egypt 1970-72	wooden plaque with dancer in bronze Cambodia 1967
wooden carvings of African couple Ghana 1994	wooden totem pole USA 2004
primitive wooden carvings  of a family Indonesia 1985	wooden plaque carving of an ancient royal Cambodia 1995
antique chinese teak covered box c inlaid MOP Cambodia gift	scenic view of chinese covered box inlaid mother of pearl (see left)
antique teak covered box Cambodia 1995	antique teak covered box top opening and drawer Cambodia 1995
antique teakwood covered box c brass handles Cambodia 1995	antique burrwood covered box1 Cambodia 1995
antique burrwood covered box2 Cambodia 1996	carved wooden puzzle with different compartments Cambodia 2004
wood carving lion Burma 1998 gift	wood carving nude lady Burma 1998 gift
enamel tiffin carrier c ladle chinese gift	large conch shell Fiji 1994
pair of wooden ducks New Zealand 1970	goldplated ornament year of tiger c wooden stand 2008 gift
onyx carving of seal Canada gift 1994	alabaster covered box gift
paua shell paper weight  NZ gift 1970	paua shell salt & pepper c stand NZ gift 1970
3 antique bowls greenstone c deco Cambodia 1998 gift	pair of small  oval chinese covered box gift
small globular chinese blue-white covered box gift	small ceramic polychrome vase gift
ceramic elephant tea container Sri Lanka 2004 gift	small ceramic pup gift
cloisonne rectangular display plate gift	pair cloisonne round plates gift
ceramic egg gift	small square ceramic dish Canada 2004 gift