Specialties
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c1840 Japanese Imari Bowl Late Edo Porcelain
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Pre 1900 item# 381507
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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8" wide x 4.2" tall. Good condition, no chips or cracks, but enamel wear on the interior, visible in photos. Dating to the late Edo Era, c 1830-1860. This bowl dates from an interesting period at Imari, where stylistic changes were quite dramatic and a revival of interest in Chinese arts can be seen in subject matter and style. The enamelling palette is also quite distinctive, and the growing popularity of Sencha (tea ceremony inspired by Chinese Ming arts) can be seen as a significant inspiration to Imari artists. This bowl shows a Chinese inspired lansdcape and scholars on the interior, with birds on the exterior, all painted in a brilliant palette partially inspired by Chinese porcelains. The form of the bowl, tall and solid in a fluted shape, is also new to the period. Chanoyu's influence had declined by the early 19th century, replaced by the popularity of Sencha and a general interest in Chinese arts, however this has been somewhat neglected in the popular consciousness in recent times, as relatively "native" Chanoyu returned in popularity as Japan focused more in promoting what were seen as natively inspired arts in the early twentieth century. Meanwhile scholars and collectors have tended to focus on 17 and 18th century porcleain, and have yet to appreciate in full the interesting developments unique to the first half of the 19th century in Japanese ceramics.
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Fine Japanese Lacquer Natsume Standing Crane
signed
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Pre 1920 item# 379612
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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Showa Era, 1930-70. 3" wide x 2" tall, excellent condition, accompanied by a signed tomobako, and the piece signed on the bottom "Seichi". This piece employs a variety of quality lacquerwork (maki-e, taka maki-e, and nashiji ground) in silver and gold, and comes with an original box signed by the artist. This high quality example is unusual to see outside of Japan. Lacquer tea jars are used for dry powdered tea and are made in various sizes as one of numerous accoutrements in Japanese tea ceremony. Box reads "Hira-natsume, Tachi-zuru (standing crane), Seichi-saku (made by the artist Seichi").
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Edo Era 17-18c Hagi Chawan Japanese Tea Bowl
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Pre 1800 item# 350928
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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Tea bowl 5.6" x 2.6", with unmarked old box. Restored in gold and lacquer, old repairs. This marvelous earthy teabowl has an extremely natural appearance with glazing ranging from peach to greenish tones. It has been restored in the traditional Japanese method of repairing tea ceramics using lacquer and gold. Its appearance is the epitome of Japanese wabi taste, and the potting style, form and glazing date it solidly from the 17th to 18th centuries. The repairs appear old, so anyone who wishes to use this regularly for tea should keep in mind it may need additional gold reinforcement for frequent use.
Kilns at Hagi, in present day Yamaguchi prefecture, were founded in the early 17th century by invited / captured Korean potters brought from Hideyoshi’s military campaigns in Korea in the 1590s. Hagi was founded specifically by two Korean brothers, Yi Sukkwang and Yi Kyong, Sukkwang having been the head of an established potting family in Korea, brought by warlord Mori Terumoto to Hideyoshi because of his skill. Hideyoshi had Yi Sukkwang work in Hiroshima first, but soon moved him to Hagi when Mori Terumoto was forced to relocate there. From that point on the Mori clan supported the tradition of Hagi ware, and developed into two branches in the mid 17c (Fukawa and Matsumoto). The kiln was supported by the Mori clan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when the kiln struggled to transform itself without patronage, until a revival in the early 20th cnetury. The kilns produced tea ceremony wares with a light colored clay and glazing varying between peach, white, and celadon.
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Negoro Lacquer Sake Cup Muromachi - Edo
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Pre 1700 item# 332380
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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3.4" x 1.25", excellent condition, mark on bottom. Dating Muromachi to late Momoyama eras 15-16c. Excellent condition, no damage, good and desired surface patina, with wood grains visible through lacquer. Marked in Japanese. The name ï¿1/2Negoro" originated from a temple complex in Wakayama established in the 13th century where for the next two hundred years as many as 6000 monks worked at one time making the austere styled lacquer wares which would become known as Negoro (see Ford, East Asian Lacquer, p160). Using either a wood base of keyaki or hinoki woods objects would be carved or lathe turned and enameled with either domestic or imported cinnabar and black enamel coatings. Pieces showing the wear of use and time are particularly valued by collectors, in the spirit and aesthetic of Japanese Tea Ceremony. More photos and details upon request.
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Edo Era Japanese Buddhist Sculpture Jizo Wood
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Pre 1900 item# 308924
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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7" tall x 1" wide. Excellent conditon with a tiny bit of wear on one arm. Fine dark natural wood patina. Dates to the Edo Era, maybe 18c. This lovely sculpture is within the folk genre of buddhist carvings, and may have been from a home or small local countryside shrine. It has faint abbreviated features of simple but stylized carving, which reminds me (but has no relation to) of Byzantine icons. These kinds of folk carvings are not that common to see, especially outside of Japan. I suspect this represents Jizo, (Jizo Bosatsu) known as own of the most compassionate Buddhist deities, originating from a cult of Central Asia, his Sanscrit name meaning “Earth Womb”. Jizo is largely associated with Pure Land Buddhism which flourished in the Kamarakura Era. While Jizo played many roles and was notably recognized for intervening for those suffering in hell, the modern cult of Jizo has come to be associated today with the loss of fetuses either through miscarriage or abortion.
This is a lovely and unusual carving.
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Miniature 19c Japanese Kutani Porcelain Plate
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Pre 1920 item# 266502
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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Small: 4" x 1", excellent condition with no damage. This is probably by the Kutani artist Shoza; it came from an estate with another piece with his signature and bears a very similar style. Kutani Shoza, (1816 -1883). The best known 19c Kutani potter, Shoza came from a rich farming family, and began studying ceramics at the age of 11. He went on to become the most famous artist there, mastering numerous styles and developing new ones, with hundreds of students. The subject of Chinese sages probably relates to themes such the Chinese classical fable of "Chikurin no Shichiken" (seven wise men in the bamboo forest), appropriate to the 19th century as Chinese themes related to Sencha (Chinese style tea ceremony) arts were popular subject matter. It's a great example of this famous artist's delicate and skilled enamel painting.
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19c Good Signed Japanese Tetsubin Iron Kettle
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Pre 1920 item# 265441
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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Dating to the late 19th century, circa Meiji Era, dimensions roughly 6" x 6" when handle is held up. The signature on the lid is one of the various signatures of the Ryubundo workshop. "Ryubundo zo" was a famous Japanese family of Tetsubin Makers from Kyoto--the first Ryubundo was Ysunosuke Ryubundo, son of a Samurai, born in 1780. The body is marked but not identified. Tetsubin are popular with collectors and chajin (people who practice tea ceremony). They are made in a timely and costly process where molten iron is poured in mold made of sand and clay, after which the form is tempered in a furnace and finished with minor surface work. Very good condition, however rusty inside therefore we only suggest this be used for display. Also it appears the knob of the lid was altered with a handcarved wooden knob, and please note the handle does not stand in position but rests to the side. This is a handsome piece in a restrained style made for domestic use.
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19c Japanese Tea Ceremony Kiku Natsume
Lacquer
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Pre 1900 item# 265438
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bleu et blanc/Blue & White America, Inc.
Tokyo Time: 011-81-90-1844-8776
sold
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2.75" x 2.5", accompanied by a signed tomobako reading "Kiku Makie Natsume". Dating Edo era, circa early 19th century. Very good condition, some slight wear and faint fading from age and use. This is a beautiful lacquer natsume decorated with the imperial flower the Chrysanthemum (Kiku), which are inlaid in mother of pearl and gold. This is a good quality authentic antique piece, with an antique signed (signed in relief lacquer or paint) box it is a particularly unusual piece to see outside of Japan. Lacquer tea jars are used for dry powdered tea and are made in various sizes as one of numerous accoutrements in Japanese tea ceremony.
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