Japanese dark lacquered Funa Tansu, or ship safe box with heavy hand-forged iron hardware and plates. The interior of the box holds six small drawers opened by kan (ring) pulls, one with a lock plate. The piece has a warabite handle for carrying on top.

Edo period

Dimensions: 16 3/4" x 11 1/2" x 13 3/4"

Japanese Sashimono war banner, to be worn attached to the back of a samurai's armor by special fittings. In the form of a group of medicine gourd bottles in gold gilt lacquer. The largest gourd stands the tallest on top of the Sashimono pole surrounded by smaller gourd bottles. The Sashimono captures the high drama of the fully outfitted samurai warrior in all of his glory...

19th century netsuke of a puppy wearing a collar with a bell and lying on an old straw sandal. Wonderful quality carving - see its right front paw lifting a straw rope that it is about to chew, its chubby body and perfectly rendered texture of woven straw of the sandal. Signed KAIGYOKUSAI in rectangular reserve on the bottom for Masateru, whose more common signature is KAIGYOKU MADO MASATERU (Kaigyoku’s grandson, Masateru)...

Hand-forged iron Jizai Okimono articulated spiny lobster. Each iron plate is carefully repousse hammered, creating a natural realism. The lobster is fully splayed on steel plates and armature wire. All ten legs and long antenna and articulated with multiple joints on each leg. Exquisitely crafted, showing off a very high skill of the metal worker. With artist signature underneath the lobster.

Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 13" x 7" x 5" (8 1/2" on stand)

Antique Turkish rug, hand-woven, all wool in bright red, green, navy blue, and cream natural dye colors. In rural areas, often times goat hair is incorporated in the weave along with sheep's wool. Motifs of praying arches and medallion repeats with tribal influences.

late 19th century

Dimensions: 3'3" x 4'10"

Very unusual 19th century lacquered wood sashi type netsuke carved in a shape of a cloud dragon with its head turned back onto itself, its neck forming himotoshi. Does not photograph well, impressive when handled. Elegant and clever carving, all 4 legs are in different positions, nice rendition of its face and hair. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black starts showing, gold lacquer highlights, excellent wear and patina on the surface...

Stunning set of ten Japanese Ya (arrow) Yumi hawk feather and reed arrows with gold gilt lacquer and iron tips. Once used to shoot long distances by long bow primarily before the main introduction of firearms by the Portuguese in 1543. The "no" (shaft of the arrows are made from yadake bamboo and can have different shapes – straight, or tapering, these being straight.
Typically they use bamboo from the Kanto area...

Japanese two section futon tansu made with solid Keyaki (zelkova) hardwood. The top section holds a large open compartment behind two sliding Keyaki burl front panels with openwork carvings. Below are three drawers with mokko shaped iron pulls. The bottom section has another pair of sliding panels with horizontal slats. Behind the left panel are two large drawers and behind the right panel are two drawers and a small safe door with ornate iron plates, holding a third drawer inside...

Antique Japanese group of 6 tsuba (samurai sword hand guards), made of iron. Each tsuba is unique. From top left to right: suksahi tsube with aoi leaves and tiny inlaid gold details, sukashi tsuba with boat with sail in the mist and signed Masayoshi, sukashi tsuba with three gourds aubergine motif, sukashi tsube with boat and sail, sukashi tsuba with pine branch and mist, wangata tsube with two characters...

An unusual Japanese Keyaki burl front bar tansu. The drawer faces are each labeled in Japanese kanji. The top "drawer" is actually a lift away panel. The middle two drawers are slightly recessed behind a vertical locking bar with ornate iron plates. The lowermost drawer face has a middle iron lock plate continuously below the locking bar. When the bar is removed, more kanji is written in sumi ink, possibly with the identity of the original owner...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made of keyaki (elm) wood burl with heavy iron hardware. The upper most portion of the chest has a large full width drawer above a compartment with sliding panels. The middle of the tansu has a horizontal row of three small drawers. The bottom portion of the tansu has a series of three drawers stacked in a vertical row and held in place with a locking bar...

Japanese samurai hanpo cheek guard armor. Black lacquered iron with 4 lamellar neck guard, laced with dark blue silk cords. The cheek guard is lacquered in red. Mounted on steel plates.

Edo period 19th century

Dimensions: 7" x 4" x 7" (10 1/2" height on stand)

Please visit our website www.artecollezione.it A Japanese wood okimono of a pair of wooden chicks on tree trunk. Tokyo School, signed Ohno Meizan, an apprentice of famous artist Takamura Koun. Period: Taisho 20th century Sizes: 17 x 10 x 13 cm. Condition report: Very Good condition + Certificate of Authenticity Worldwide delivery

Antique Japanese rare kuruma tansu (wheeled chest). Made of solid quartered sawn keyaki (zelkova) wood with hand forged iron hardware. The upper portion of the chest has a large compartment opened by sliding panels with horizontal slats and heavy iron latch. The bottom portion has one large drawer. There is a small hidden compartment between the two portions of the chest...

Antique Japanese small table top screen painting. A scene depicting a Spring landscape of green rolling hills and trees. A red sun (also a symbol of Japan) hides behind a finger of haze. On the left side of the screen, butterflies flit over a lizard who is hungrily eyeing a bee. Painted in light mineral colors on silk.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 15 1/2" high x 38 3/4" long

This is a very beautiful and stylish Japanese Cloisonne vase. It looks like it could have been made a piece made by Kawaguchi Bunzaeoman but it is signed with a tiny script by Ota. It was primarily created in the basse-taille style with traditional cloisonne then used with the flowers and leaves. The vase is heavy for its size and the enamel is thickly applied. It stands 7 3/8 inches tall as s 4 1/2 inches across. Condition is good, but in the darkest purple translucent enamel there is an odd ...

19th century Japanese silver two pronged kanzashi - a hair pin - with ear pick spoon on the terminal and decoration of a sacred key and Daikoku’s magic mallet. Excellent and clever piece implying a wish of wealth to the owner, with superb quality work - see the incised wood texture of the mallet. I did not test the metal, but confident that it is silver, the sacred key is gilded. Some tarnished areas, can be cleaned if needed. Length 6 3/4 inches.

Antique Japanese hand scroll painting of Legends of Mount Shigi based on a painting called Shigisan-engi. The long narrative scroll depicts miracles revolving around a monk named Myoren who lived on Mount Shigi. According to the legends, Myoren was drawn to Mount Shigi by a Buddha statue. He built a shrine there and, that winter, he survived on rice provided to him by his roving rice bowl. This rice bowl would go down to the storehouse of a rich farmer every day, fill it's self up and re...