The Silk Roads Gallery

Cari and Jon Markell, owners of Silk Roads Design Gallery, together have 40 years experience as dealers of Asian art. Cari has a B.A. from Boston University in art history and M.A. from the University of Chicago. Jon has a B.A. and an M.A. in art history from the University of California at Berkeley and M.B.A. from Columbia University. He is a candidate-member of ASA (the American Society of Appraisers).

Jon and Cari are members of numerous art organizations and museums. Jon was a board member and Programs Chair of The Ethnic Arts Council of Los Angeles, Cari was a board member of the Southeast Asian Council of The Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena, and they both currently serve on the board of the South and Southeast Asian Arts Council of the LA County Museum. Much of their collection of Thai neolithic ceramics has recently been published in Prehistoric Thai Ceramics, by Armand Labbe, and other of their pieces have been published elsewhere. They have also donated and sold pieces to numerous art museums, as well as many fine private collections.

The Markells are currently doing reserch on carved wood Chinese Buddhist, Taoist and Popular Religion deities and their use in temples, monasteries and home shrines, and they will publish their findings in the future. They are also engaged in discussions with museums for an exhibition of their collection of Buddhist deities.

Silk Roads Design Gallery is an Industry Partner Member of ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) and a member of SDSA (Set Decorators Society of America). We are experienced shippers, and work closely with shipping specialists to deliver works of art anywhere in the world safely, efficiently and at a reasonable cost.

We also offer restoration and appraisal services.