An early Eighteenth century export dish decorated with a central motif of a Large Vase on a Veranda containing an arrangement of Cherry flowers and Peonies. The border is divided into a series of fan shaped reserves of increasing size. Each separated by further vertical bands of blue brocade inset with Kikumon, The design is something of a departure from the more usual regular formats based upon the Kraak fuyo-de pattern...

A heavy porcelain jardinere or plant holder very finely painted with flowering peony and other shrubs in shades of underglaze blue and standing on three Chinese Ming Dynasty style Lion head feet. This item was made in Japan during either the late 19th or early 20th Century. Condition: excellent - no damages and no restoration. 21cm (8.25 inches) high; 31cm (12.25 inches) diameter.

An interesting dish decorated with an Arita Kraak style export pattern, see Mededelingenblad Nederlandse Vereniging van vrienden van der Ceramiek nr 101/102 plate 29 for the almost identical pattern executed entirely in underglaze blue. However it would appear here made for domestic consumption in somenishikide style in a combination of underglaze blue and enamels. The shape is unusually deep with a flared rim...

The subject is taken directly from a famous Neo-Confucian text on filial piety known as the "Twenty four Exemplars" (Japanese nijûshikô ) by Guo Jujing. This is the first exemplar in the series entitled Xiào Găn Dòng Tiān His Filial Piety Moves Heaven and Earth ...

A lovely Japanese porcelain Imari bowl with 2 ho-ho birds in the center symbolizing yin yang. Two more elaborate birds are painted on the inside panels. Unusual to find a decagonal bowl, it is in excellent antique condition with expected wear to the gold trim on the rim. Measures 7" (17.8 cm) across by 3" (7.6 cm) high. Signed on bottom. Dates 1700

A finely moulded Arita dish the upper third painted with a simple landscape containing a flowering Japanese Apricot, ume, symbolic of Winter partially “obscured” by the rim of the dish and Bell flowers, kikyo, Gentian, symbolic of Autumn. The remaining lower portion decorated with a stencilled, katagami, brocade pattern of hexagonal diaper with florets. The edge of the dish has a thickly applied dark iron brown glaze...

A fine Kakiemon dish painted with a tako-karakusa, octopus scroll, arabesque ring to the border of the foliate moulded dish. The centre of the dish decorated with a symmetrically arranged ring with a repeating pattern of a stylised Pine grove, matsubara...

A fine moulded porcelain dish of “Ko Sometsuke” kaiseki type decorated in underglaze blue largely in kakiwake, reverse painted style, with a floral arabesque to the rim. The cavetto plainly painted in blue wash and the well of the dish painted with auspicious pendant Buddhist jewels, yoraku, with three reserves each containing a figure of a Namban in a spotted tunic and hose with a ruff to his neck, and a matching frills to his waist and the hem of his tunic...

This nikuchi, or seal paste box, was created by one of the very few Imperial Court Artists of late Meiji and bears an attractive and subtle design etched on the cover. Seal paste boxes are used to hold the red ink paste used for endorsing official documents and works of art by way of an in-kan (official seal)...

Know more for his works of powdery-blue celadon, on occasion Sozan also produced fine white porcelains as well. This delicately-crafted porcelain kashibachi (sweets bowl) is one such example. Displaying a wonderful low-relief vine and leaf pattern on a backdrop of nearly eggshell thin ivory-white porcelain—this is a rare and interesting composition by Sozan I.

Suwa Sozan I (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture...

A dish decorated in a Chinese literati style with a composition featuring principally a scholar’s refuge, Ting (Chinese), Teshi (Japanese ) beneath a rather curious gnarled tree with fan like foliage, presumably a Pine, and an auspicious ruyi (lingzhi) cloud pattern. This cloud motif, unki-zu, is essentially Chinese, xiangyun, relying on the homophone yun, yun, cloud, which sounds like yun, good luck or fortune, combined with Tian, heaven, so signifying heaven sent good luck...

A circular dish with slightly everted rim decorated with a landscape freize to the cavetto. The pattern is split into equal halves, by a zigzagging screen wall on one side, and an S shaped motif with ruyi cloud shaped motifs. The first portion of the design shows a pair of scholar’s playing Go sitting beneath a Bodri Tree set in a landscape with a scholar’s refuge cum tea house and oddly oversized autumn flowers, kikyo, bell flowers, and suisen, Japanese narcissus...

A circular dish with slightly everted rim decorated with a landscape freize to the cavetto. The pattern is split into equal halves, by a zigzagging screen wall on one side, and an S shaped motif with ruyi cloud shaped motifs. The first portion of the design shows a pair of scholar’s playing Go sitting beneath a Bodri Tree set in a landscape with a scholar’s refuge cum tea house and oddly oversized autumn flowers, kikyo, bell flowers, and suisen, Japanese narcissus...

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl, with cobalt blue design of waves and an array of scholar objects in mint green, lilac, yellow, and red glaze. Edges are decorated with "comb" design along foot. Underside has interesting signature mark of a budding flower. 19th century. Size: 6" diameter, 1.5" height

A moulded hexagonal bowl, hakkaku hachi, decorated to the exterior with an iron red ground inset with alternating reserves containing ribbon bound scrolls, makimono, and artemisin leaves, mogusa-ha, two of the Eight Chinese precious objects, Babao, hachitakara, and a band of stylised eight petal flowers, presumably Tessen the clematis flower, with leaves and pine branches...

This finely crafted tripod incense burner is one of several often-employed motifs used by renowned Meiji/ Taisho ceramic artist Suwa Sozan I. With a design borrowed from ancient Chinese porcelain production, this piece displays horizontal bands on a field of luminous light-blue—contrasting nicely with the lid which is a dark varnished wood.

Suwa Sozan (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture...

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl, with blue gourds hanging from a vine and two red flower buds with gilt pigment accents on the stem and around the bowl's rim. Blue butterflies decorate the outer edge and "comb" design along foot. Provenance sticker from Japanese antique dealer Shiota in San Francisco. 19th century. Size: 6" diameter, 1.5" height

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl with scalloped rim to resemble a lotus, with blue cobalt florals designs along the outside and "comb" style design along the foot. The interior of the bowl has a black squirrel hunting for grapes. Provenance sticker from Japanese antique dealer Shiota in San Francisco. 19th century. Size: 5.5" diameter, 2.25" height

Ca. early 1800s

This porcelain dish is in the shape of an abalone shell with underglaze blue and overglaze enamel decoration. It is raised on a low footring with an underglaze blue four character mark reading, “Made in the Great Ming.” There is minor glaze wear to the interior and minor firing flaws. There are no cracks or restorations.

Length: 6 3/8 in., Width: 5 3/8 in., Height: 1 ¼ in.

Finely drawn chrysanthemums on a field of ivory porcelain. The flowers are placed on the outside and inside edges of one half of the bowl drawing the eye away from the center and giving this piece a unique perspective.

Seifū Yohei IV, Seizan (1871-1951) was the second son of Seifū Yohei III (1851-1914) who was awarded the title of Teishitsu Gigeiin or “Imperial Court Artist” in 1893...

This extraordinary piece depicting two shishi guardian lions locked in playful combat, is done in fine white porcelain from the Arita region of Japan...

An intriguing and rare dish that borrows its overall arrangement from a Chinese export Kangxi precedent, but given a distinctly Japanese twist. It is a parody on the theme of the Four Gentlemanly or scholarly accomplishments, Kinkishoga or Siyi, calligraphy, painting, reading poetry and playing music, mitate-e. Here the scholars are replaced by Bijin, elegant ladies at leisure, set in a large Garden arranged in a continuous frieze that is adapted from a Chinese export plate of the Kangxi period...

A fine Imari bowl and cover decorated with a pattern composed of Autumn flowers, akikusa de, and Banded hedges, shibagaki. A wheel cut Johanneum inventory number incised to the interior of the foot-ring of the bowl indicating that it belonged to the collection of Augustus the Strong, and was acquired before 1722. Both cover and bowl marked with an enamelled choji motif. The bowl and cover are in superb condition, no cracks, chips or restoration. The porcelain and the enamelling are of excellent...

This large, finely crafted tsutsu chawan was done by renowned Meiji/ Taisho ceramic artist Suwa Sozan I.

Suwa Sozan (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture. After a short stint in the military he took up pottery design and painting under Touda Tokuji in 1873. From this point forward, he divided his time mainly between Kanazawa and Tokyo working at a number of kilns and research institutes. While in Tokyo, he made the acquaintance of famed cons...

A hog mouthed beaker of conventional form decorated with Flowers of precious appearance or sometimes referred to as Tang Flowers, karahana. A six character Dai Min Seika nensei mark is painted within the foot-ring. The beaker is in good condition with no cracks, chips or restoration. It measures 9.2cm in diameter and stands 6.2cm high. See Shibata Volume V no 231 for a beaker of different form but with an almost identical pattern. There dated c.1690-1720. Shipping at Cost.

Used for ceremonial purposes by the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Traditionally, the jue vessel was made of bronze with a pouring spout on either end and a pair of capped posts rising from the rim. This piece, although in the shape of a jue, is done in fine, powdery-blue celadon and is described on the tomobako as being a jue-shaped incense burner (korou).

Suwa Sozan the first (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture. After a short stint in t...

Beautiful Antique Japanese Shigaraki tea jar. Made to hold home brewed cold tea. Natural blues and Greens flow together on the original fired glazed finish. Holds water without leaks. Early 19th Century Dimensions: 18" 1/2 High X 15" Wide

A fine quality five colour Arita shallow saucer dish decorated with Cherry branches and storm waves, arashi-nami, awash with fallen rafts of cherry blossom. Presumably the design is a play on the words nami, wave, and hannami, cherry viewing, and the design derived from a contemporary or earlier textile pattern. The reverse of the dish simply decorated with cherry blossom. Dating early Eighteenth century, circa 1700-20. The dish is in good condition with no cracks chips or restoration. The dish ...

A good early Arita Ewer of European form, probably derived from a German stoneware precedent, and decorated in the style of Chinese Transitional export ware with a repeating pattern of bands of Birds and flowers. The jug stands 21.5cm and is in good condition with no chips or restorations, a short trivial hairline to the rim and to the handle, see image no 5. These are usually dated to the period 1660-80. See The Voyage of Old Imari Porcelains No 132 for a Jug of similar form and decoration ther...

A very unusual dish decorated in somenishiki-de style with a fanciful landscape featuring a Namban figure, a Portuguese perhaps rather than a Dutchman, accompanied by a servant with parasol, walking to and from some sort of compound in the background with a curious barrel shaped tower. The well of the bowl and the exterior decorated in underglaze blue with a Shou symbol, Kotobuki, and three pussy foot Dragons to the exterior of the bowl. The bowl has no attached foot-rim as such, but an unglazed...

A very unusual shallow bowl decorated in somenishiki-de style with a fanciful landscape featuring a Namban figure, a Portugese perhaps rather than a Dutchman, accompanied by a servant with parasol, walking to and from some sort of compound in the background with a curious barrel shaped tower. The well of the bowl and the exterior decorated in underglaze blue with a Shou symbol, Kotobuki, and three pussy foot Dragons to the exterior of the bowl. The bowl has no attached foot-rim as such, but an...

A rare serving dish with a reticulated border of interlocking rings, richly enamelled and gilded, the centre decorated with a reverse painted, kakewake, scene of three White Herons, san shirasagi, a classic motif found on Arita porcelain from the mid seventeenth century, surrounded by marshland plants, the distinctive heart vine, Aoi, and Kuwai, the Japanese arrowhead. The White Heron here symbolises purity. The reverse decorated in a palette of iron red and gilt with a finely painted with ka...

A very rare Kakiemon moulded dish, ozara, in a nigoshide type porcelain body dating from the first period of the Kakiemon kiln at Nangawara. The dish is moulded with various motifs and symbols of Longevity, including, a pair of cranes, pine, bamboo, a minogame, and prunus, and a pair of precious objects an artemesin leaf combined with a flywhisk. In between the framed motifs various forms of yoraku, pendant Buddhist jewels. The dish is of twelve sided form with a barbed rim suggesting the form o...

Studio Earthenware Vase by Ito Tozan, Meiji (1868-1912) Period

It is 7.5 inches (19 cm) tall by 6 inches (15 cm) wide.

It is in good condition with no repairs, chips, or cracks.

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Antique Japanese Kyo-yaki, low-fired raku ceramic kogo ( an incense container used in tea ceremonies) in the form of an adorable fat bunny with shallow eyes and long ears with pink enamel and a creamy tan crackle glaze all over its body. Chop impressed on bottom is illegible. Size: 2.25" height, 2.25" width

A dish decorated with a partially painted and stencilled dragon amongst lightning bolts framed by a double ring within a band of stencilled Wan diaper band to the rim. The reverse painted with three stencil and wash auspicious gobenka with karakusa motifs, and a six character mark nien hao for the Chinese Emperor Chenghua. This is an early example of the use of katagami stencils, a technique borrowed from textiles, apparently particularly associated with the Hikeoba and Sarugawa kilns, but a...