“Welcome to Vanishing Arts Gallery. Our vast collection of unique art, antiques, and artifacts spans centuries, continents, and countless generations of gifted artists and craftsmen reflecting a broad range of cultures, traditions, and beliefs. Sadly, most of these handcrafted items and the skills used to create them have already vanished or are on the verge of disappearing. We hope you enjoy exploring our collection, learning about the significance and history of our unique and distinctive items, and finding that special piece that will enhance and energize your life and personal space.”

Our Collection

Over the past 40 years we have amassed a collection of distinctive and authentic art, antiques, artifacts and jewelry of which only a small portion is currently on our VA site. We will be continually adding items, so visit our site often to view our large inventory of engaging historical treasures. Our full collection can be viewed by appointment only. Feel free to share with us any additional knowledge you have about the items featured in our collection.

We have provided artistic and descriptive information on each piece as well as a Blog Library of researched and annotated papers that can be accessed directly through the Blog Tab on top of each page or through links in Item Descriptions and Additional Information section of each piece. These papers provide further cultural and historical context and information as we strongly believe the more knowledgeable one is about these items the more one can appreciate and respect their significance. As with items on our site, we will be adding to the compilation of Blogs in our library. We are happy to provide additional images and further information about their condition, function, possibilities for display, or shipping concerns upon request.

Item descriptions and attributions regarding dates and tribal, cultural, and geographic designations are provided in good faith based on our knowledge and experience and the opinions of others we have consulted. Old and ritual objects are periodically repaired or restored during their life by those in the culture entrusted with their care. This is especially true for Chinese antique carvings, many which were damaged during China’s modernization. Buyers should expect ancient and antique pieces to have imperfections and old repairs consistent with their age and use, which we believe enhances their appeal. Although we have noted repairs, restorations, and imperfections, we might have missed some that are not readily visible. Some pieces have been professionally modified for maintenance or stabilization to prevent further deterioration or for cosmetic reasons noted in their description.

Please examine all our photos closely. Any item that can be demonstrated to be different from the information we provide may be returned. Contact us immediately about your concerns so we can take appropriate action. Read our Return Policy for more information.

For clarification and standardization purposes we have classified items as follows:

Period and Date of Origin

Period Date of Origin
Ancient Before 1200 C.E.
Pre-Modern 1200 -1700
Antique 1700 -1920
Antique/Vintage 1910 -1950
Vintage 1921-1980
Contemporary 1981- Present Time

Region and Place of Origin

Region Place of Origin
East Asia China, Japan, Korea, Tibet Autonomous Region
Southeast Asia Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Middle East Iran
South Asia Afghanistan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Africa Central, East, North, West, Horn of Africa
Ancient Mediterranean Alexandria (Egypt), Judea/Biblical Israel, Magna Graecia, Roman Empire (Including North Africa)
The Americas North America, Mesoamerica, South America