Another historical masterpiece in the development of Japanese culture: grey Shino Chawan, distorted cylindrical shape - hanzutsu, covered with a whitish Shino glaze over an iron oxide engobe, resulting in a beautiful grey shino glaze, which partly turns to red shino (aka shino).

A decoration of a branch with a leaf and berries on the front and a criss cross grass pattern on the back has been incised into the engobe resulting in white shino colored lines...

A massive Japanese solid Keyaki (elm) hardwood Kannon Biraki merchant's chest. Decorated with hand-forged iron plating, the motifs seen throughout the piece's hardware include the image of Ebisu, one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Fortune, proudly holding up a freshly caught fish, a large Mokko (melon) shaped lock on the front pair of doors, with flowers and pine trees adorning the drawer below in the form of its lock and handle plates...

We continue to offer you the most important chawans and present you this wonderful Tsutsui-Iga Chawan, dating back to the Momoyama period or even the Muromachi Era.

Cylindrical shape - hanzutsu - built up from clay coils and squeezen into shape, the foot roughly cut on a hand wheel. This technique is usually affiliated with the Muromachi period, but was used in Iga well into the Momoyama period...

An interesting dish of barbed, lotus petal, form with a bulls eye base, janome, decorated in Nanga style, monochrome (sumi-e) landscape paintings in the Chinese Literati tradition of Southern China, a school particularly associated with the Nagasaki area and the work of the Kameyama kiln, where it is believed artists of this school provided designs for use on their wares. The dish is in the style of the Kameyama kiln, but is marked with a simple two character mark in seal form reading “tama-y...

Japanese two section isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Sado Island area. Original dark reddish lacquer finish. With hand-forged iron hardware, decorative plating incised with motifs of cranes and turtles with many tails, both symbols of longevity. The lower unit holds a corner safe box with two small drawers concealed inside.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 41" L x 16" D x 41" H

A namasu or serving dish of unusual quadrilobed form with scalloped suhama style rim; a stylization of a wave washed beach. An auspicious form referencing Horai-san, the isle of the Immortals and therefore a wish for a long life. The bowl is decorated with a central mon of a stylised Lotus motif, perhaps also containing elements of the aoi-mon, and karakusa. Surrounded by four panels containing an unusual four toed Water dragon emerging from stylised waves...

This is a beautifully decorated satsuma plate by Shizan. As you can see in the images, this rare Meiji Era piece is in excellent condition. The plate measures 4 3/4 inches across.

This is an outstanding Japanese cloisonne enamel Teapot or Sake Pot. The workmanship, quality, gilded wires and glow to the enamel show very much like the work from Namikawa Yasuyuki. The enamels and gilding are fabulous. It has a unique fine shape and measures 6" across to the spout. body is a high gloss black ground as well as the lid. These are decorated with various colorful gold wire kites and scrolls. Delicate gilded leaves are scattered about...

Charming Japanese kanban (shop sign) hand carved from solid carved Keyaki hardwood with gold gilt lettering. Carved with the image of a snarling bulldog in red lacquer and beige pigments. Shop sign for Bulldog sauce shop.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 36" L x 1" D x 23" H

Kaji-banten worn by a fireman (fire-fighter) with all hand-stitched sashiko. It has katazome (stencil-resist-dye) "gissha", wheels of a cow carriage motif. It has rather rare green lining. In excellent condition except for some wear and rips in the lower front. 19th century. 126cm x 122cm

Unusual Japanese gyosho bako tansu (merchant's chest). With original red lacquer finish, this large piece holds three very deep drawers, each with squared kakute iron pulls on stylized pine tree mounts. The top drawer features a large central lock with flying crane motif, while the lower drawers feature chrysanthemum locks. The sides of the tansu also have two handles for traveling.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 22" W x 27" D x 39" H

Japanese two section tansu, made with Kiri (paulownia) wood with natural finish front drawers, and original black lacquered frame. The piece has pine tree shaped hand-forged iron lock plates, with warabite iron pulls. The locks are incised chrysanthemums and the corner hardware is fan iron plating. The piece holds a side lock box with a large decorative iron chrysanthemum plating and keyhole. Inside the box are two small drawers with triangular plates and round pulls...

Height: 9.2 cm (3.7 in)
Width: 4 cm (1.7 in)

High quality Satsuma vase by Kozan; features figural and floral panels with birds in rural settings; panels surrounded by the finest gilt borders and raised diaper work; signed Kozan; excellent condition

Japanese Imari ware porcelain charger with the image of a large koi fish in blue cobalt underglaze, with red and blue ground of scrolls, plum blossoms, the plate with fluted foliate petal edges, the underside with blue floral motifs and bands. The underside has a blue marking.

Circa 1800s

Dimensions: 14" x 2 3/4" H

Japanese pair of Fukugawa Imari ware porcelain bottle neck vases. With imagery of blue and gilt enamel phoenixes against a ground of red cherry blossoms, blue waves, floral medallions and gilt outlines. The long slightly fluted neck with medallions on a gilt design ground and gilt rim, tapered to a rounded body with short tapered foot, blue lotus petals and double ring above the foot, each vase signed with a Fukugawa mark signifying the pieces date from 1900 - 1920...

A collection of twelve samurai arrows, or yajiri, mounted on a custom built museum display stand.

Dimensions: 8 3/4" x 3" x 16" H (overall)

A collection of samurai arrows, or yajiri, mounted on a custom built museum display stand.

Dimensions: 5 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 9 3/4" H (overall)

Antique Japanese scroll painting of a flying goose, sumi ink on paper. With calligraphy signature and red chop. This scroll has the original two tomobako (storage boxes).

Early Edo Period Circa 1600's

Dimensions: 22" x 48 1/2" H (entire scroll) 15 1/4" x 11 1/2" H (artwork only)

24" x 3 1/2" x 3 1/4" (red lacquer tomobako)

A Japanese Butsudan, or Buddhist shrine for in-home use. The exterior of the shrine is lacquered in red with black lacquer and gold gilt pigments. The gilt hardware of the butsudan are highly ornate with motifs of chrysanthemums, lotuses, vines, and dharmachakra wheels. The lower area of the shrine features two pull-out platforms and hidden drawers...

One of a kind, a treasure with a special cultural and historical significance.: Kuro Raku Chawan, named 'Departing Geese', by legendary Tamamizu Ichigen (Ichigen I) with perfect kintsugi.

Ichigen was an illegitimate son of Kichizaemon Ichinyu (Ichinyu IV). He was raised in the Raku family until he was in late teens...

Japanese zenibako (money safe box) made with Keyaki (zelkova) burl wood in original red lacquer finish. The zenibako is fitted with brass hardware including side handles in a mokko (melon) motif. The hinged lid has a large front lock plate with matching key, and a calligraphy inscription on the underside. The interior of the zenibako holds two open compartments.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 20 1/2" x 12" x 7 3/4" H

Japanese two section tansu made with Kiri (paulownia) wood. The chest's four front drawers feature large, round Kiri wood mon (family crest) motif lock plates , while the Warabite style drawer pulls have small pierced plates below them in the style of a crane mon. The bottom section holds a small corner safe door with two small drawers inside.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 40 1/2" x 17 1/4" x 42" H

Japanese two section clothing tansu, made with Kiri (paulownia) wood. Decorated with classic round iron locks and handles. The lower section holds a corner safe box.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 37" x 16 1/2" x 43 1/4" H

An unusual Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) constructed of Kiri (paulownia) wood with natural finish. This unusual piece contains a top compartment behind sliding panels as well as another below it, the lower compartment containing two shelves and a set of 3 small drawers with decorative locking plates, opened by kan (ring) pulls. The middle inner drawer contains a secret hidden compartment. All in original condition...

Japanese pair of 2 panel byobu screens, with hand-painted scenes of small flying birds, a pond with foliage, a blossoming plum tree branch with gold flecks.Applied gold clouds and pigment on silk. enclosed in a black lacquered frame dating circa 1930.
Yamashita Chikusai (1885-1973) was born in Kyoto and studied under the important turn of the century master Yamamoto Shunkyo (1871-1933) from the age of fifteen, becoming one of his highest ranking pupils. He regularly exhibited at the Bun...

Japanese small choba tansu, constructed of Kiri (paulownia) and Sugi (cypress) natural finish wood. With hand-forged iron hardware and plates. The choba has hirute handles, with foliate edge motif lock plates, small pair of sliding middle doors with slats, and a corner bottom safe box with two small drawers inside.

Late Edo / Early Meiji Period (circa 1850's)

Dimensions: 23 3/4" x 14" x 24" H

Long Japanese half section Mizuya or buffet cabinet, constructed with Hinoki and Sugi wood.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 57 1/2" x 16" x 30 1/2" H

Long Japanese half section Mizuya or buffet cabinet, constructed with Hinoki and Sugi wood. The piece holds a large upper and lower storage compartment with four sliding door panels.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 57 1/2" x 16" x 29" H

During the Meiji period there were only five potters ever to be awarded the prestigious designation of Imperial Court Artist: Ito Tozan, Seifu Yohei III, Miyagawa Kozan, Itaya Hazan, and the artist whose work is featured here, Suwa Sozan. This mizusashi for tea ceremony is made of the finest “kinuta” celadon that Sozan was well known for—having recreated and perfected the technique used by the Chinese Song Dynasty potters. Being one of the main objects of importance in the tea ceremony rit...

Large and only slightly distorted full cylinder shaped Tsutsu (hight is bigger than diameter) tea bowl with a rounded brim, made of reddish, unrefined Mino clay with clearly visible finger marks on the wall.

The expertly thrown body was trimmed with a potter's knife around the regular food ring. In the style of Seto-Kuro bowls this bowl was covered with a black glaze.

On three sides a round space was spared from black glaze. The unglazed areas were decorated with the aoi-m...

Slightly distorted shoe shaped (kutsugata) tea bowl with a rounded brim, made of light, coarse, unrefined Mino clay. The expertly thrown body was trimmed with a potter's knife in its lower part around the foot ring.

In the style of Ao-Kuro bowls this bowl was covered with a green copper oxide glaze. A window on the side was left unglazed and split in two halves - one was decorated with a scetch of a fence in iron oxide engobe with an image of drying shibukaki on rice strings, the o...

There are only few opportunities to find antique Chosen Karatsu chawans - collectors know of what I'm talking about. Here is the second one of our collection:

Chosen Karatsu chawan from the Edo Period. The grandiose embellishment of color creates a sublime sense of tension between the dark glazed and color infusion.

The Chosen Karatsu style is a traditional style which was introduced by one or more potters brought from the Joseon Dynasty during the Japanese invasions of ...

A charming pair of Japanese porcelain satsuma vases. The panels on each vase tell a story of ghosts and demons escaping from a woven basket. One vase shows a scene of court performers in a traditional lion dance, used to repel evil spirits. In another panel is a scene of kneeling courtesans with worrisome expression and a shrine maiden attempting to purify the area. The final panel shows a golden box, with a large clawed oni forcing the lid shut to trap the evil spirits within. Each vase is sign...

Japanese temple carving depicting a dragon (Ryu) and a tiger (Tora), with background of bamboo forest and blossoming plum branches. The dragon is a sacred creature representing great power, strength, and good luck for people that are worthy. The imagery of the dragon fighting the tiger is symbolic of the opposing forces of yin and yang.

19th Century Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 26" H x 16" x 2 1/2"

A very interesting chawan (tea bowl) dating from the Korean Joseon period (Richo in Japanese; 1392-1897). This particular piece appears to date from the 17th or 18th century and comes with a box that looks to have been furnished within the last 100 years. Over the long history of tea practice in Japan, at varying times, Korean-ware came into high fashion and ships full of the finest ceramics were brought over to Japan. Such pieces have long been favored by learned cha-jin (tea people) and older ...

Antique Japanese two section Kiri (paulownia) wood clothing tansu. The piece holds 4 drawers, with heavy, square iron pulls, and large round lock plates incised with 3 circle mon. Original, natural finish wood.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 35.5" L x 16.5" D x 47.5" H