Please accept my very best wishes for health, peace and prosperity for the coming New Year. Let’s hope that 2010 sees the end of the economic downturn and that the term “slump” will soon be as antique as some of the items presented here!

Most of the newsletters of the past year have been dedicated to jewellery, but this time we’re returning to larger articles, of various uses and provenances. There are unpublished jewels in stock that will be used to replace the current ones as they are sold.

I recently acquired a collection of Thai chowfah of which I publish a part here. of which I publish a part here. These intriguing items are carved in teakwood and used at the very top of the roof of Thai temples to symbolize the eagle Garuda. In contrast to the more angular carvings typical of central plain's chowfahs, these are in the style of the ancient kingdom of Lanna (now Northern Thailand) and have a more "Porsche" design with smooth round shapes. The "beak" of the Garuda can easily be identified on the middle part of their bodies. Sadly, chowfahs of this quality are becoming quite rare since modern replacements are cast in concrete, but the originals make wonderful and unique sculptures for both commercial spaces and private homes.

You will also find a few smaller items of a more domestic nature from Tibet such as locks, a knife, tsa-tsa moulds for offering, horns for powder or calling, lime boxes and a nice gau box used to contain amulettes or prayer scrolls.

In addition, you will find several unusual objects, including a superbly carved pair of kavadi panels. A kavadi is a portable altar with which the bearer dances in a trance for the annual ceremony to worship Murugan, the Tamil God of War.

Other notable items of interest include a silver and gold seal found in Afghanistan - most probably of the Kushan period (early first millennium CE), a bronze bowl inscribed in Arabic depicting the fundamental pillar of Islam, as well as a cute toy wooden car with its carving of a baby Krishna tasting butter balls!

A selection of tribal arts, utilitarian and devotional items completes this diverse and intriguing assortment which features something for every taste. I hope you will enjoy browsing it as much as I have been collecting it for you.

I will shortly be updating the coin collection with many new gold, silver and bronze findings, plus better photos. If you are an amateur collector of historical currencies or simply curious about them please visit this section of the website again soon.

Thank you for your continued interest in these collections.

François Villaret

Click on the pictures to see all new products for January 2010

Click on the pictures to see all new products for January 2010