Four tours overseas.
A lifetime of looking closely.

Every piece in this catalogue was gathered personally, over decades, across multiple trips through Asia — not sourced sight-unseen from a wholesaler or bought in bulk lots. Snuff bottles, netsuke, celadon and jade carvings, arms and armor, signed prints, and estate jewelry: each one was chosen individually, examined by hand, and catalogued with its history as best it could be established.

Why authentication matters here

Snuff bottles in particular are one of the most heavily reproduced categories of Asian antiques on the market today — on some marketplaces, the overwhelming majority of what's listed as “antique” is recent production. The same is true, to a lesser degree, of netsuke and Japanese swords. Telling a genuine 19th-century piece from a well-made modern one takes more than a glance at a photo — it takes knowing what to look for, and having enough real examples in hand to know the difference.

How each piece is examined

Every item is assessed by hand, under magnification, before it's listed — loupes and microscopes for carving technique and tool marks, close attention to material construction (cased versus solid glass, ivory versus bone versus resin, folded steel versus cast), and wear patterns consistent with genuine age and use rather than artificial aging.

Other collectors and owners regularly bring pieces from their own collections for an opinion on whether they're genuine — and get an honest answer either way, whether or not it's the one they were hoping for. Everything listed for sale here is held to that same standard.

That examination is checked against a personal reference library of over 100 books, auction catalogues, and published collection catalogues — cross-referencing carving style, form, and material against documented examples sold at major auction houses like Christie's and Bonhams, and against well-known published collections that serve as reference points for what genuine period work actually looks like.

None of this replaces your own judgment as a buyer — descriptions here note condition and attribution as accurately as this process allows, and any question about a specific piece's history or examination is welcome before you buy. Get in touch any time.