Rare Asian art, including a delightful collection of netsuke, Chinese ceramics and works of art, Japanese art and design and Asian costume and textiles, go for auction next week.

The charming collection of netsuke (pronounced net-ski) will be auctioned at Christie's, London, next Wednesday, November 14th, with other Asian art auctions at Christie's to be held next Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

The diminutive sculptures, one of the most popular of all East Asian art forms, were once regarded as mere curiosities. Encapsulating the private thoughts and dreams of an earlier age, they are appealing to young and old alike, and to collectors of antiquarian and post-modern taste.

Signed and unsigned pieces are included in the collection. One of the oldest items is a tall Dutchman holding a long-tailed cockerel, which is expected to fetch between £25,000 sterling (€40,375) and £35,000.

The sculptures exude a mythic quality and are described as "essentially fantasies combining features from several different cultures". The cockerel alludes to an earlier type of figurine, the Saga ningyo, or doll. Made in Kyoto in the 17th century, they often depict a child holding a dog or bird and wearing clothes with a wave-crest motif, as in this sculpture.

A netsuke carving of Tekkai Sensei, a Chinese deity identified by his crutch and in this sculpture accompanied by a demon, is estimated at £10,000 to £15,000.

The netsuke of a mukuge-inu - a long-haired dog - and her puppy, estimated at £30,000 to £50,000, reflects another source of netsuke design. It was carved by Tametaka of Nagoya, one of the first known netsuke designers mentioned in a listing of netsuke artists dating from 1781.

A lifelike netsuke of a reclining horse by Masanao, who was based in Kyoto and regarded as among the greatest masters of the art form, is estimated at £60,000 to £80,000.

Pieces from the late 18th and early 19th centuries include models of zodiac animals, especially rats, horses, hares, frogs and toads, carved in central Honshu, Japan's main island.

Masanao of Yamada, borrowing the name of the famous Kyoto master, worked in box and other woods to develop a new style covering a variety of creatures and poses.

A highlight in this section is another horse, by Masakatsu, a pupil of Masanao of Yamada, expected to fetch £20,000 to £30,000. Meanwhile, an ivory model of two goats by Otoman, who worked on Japan's southern island, is estimated at £30,000 to £40,000.

A beautiful late Ming wucai (five colours) globular "fish" jar or guan, originally made to store wine, is expected to fetch £300,000 to £400,000 at the auction of Chinese ceramics and works of art next Tuesday.

A pair of massive archaic bronze jian (a basin or bowl) made for ritual use, dating from the early Zhou Dynasty, is expected to realise £100,000 to £200,000.

Highlighting the auction of Japanese art and design next Wednesday is a magnificent 17th century Kakiemon porcelain elephant, estimated at £150,000 to £180,000. The auction also includes a rare private collection of pre-Buddhist ceramics.

The Asian costume and textiles auction next Friday includes an Imperial "12 symbol" robe of yellow silk kesi (a textile technique for weaving) from the 19th century, estimated at £20,000 to £25,000. Only people from the court could wear the 12 symbols, enhancing its value.

An embroidered coverlet of burgundy silk made in Canton for the European market in the early 19th century is estimated at £2,000 to £4,000.

An embroidered hanging worked in silks with exotic birds and flowers also created in Canton in the 19th century is estimated at £2,000 to £3,000.

A 19th century Chinese panel of silk kesi woven with images of immortals and a musician in a landscape is estimated at £1,000 to £2,000.

jmarms@irish-times.ie