Japanese hand-forged iron jizai, used for suspending a tea kettle over a fire pit within the home. Made with a charming iron fish with incised details of scales, face, and separately attached fins.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 8" w x 48" - 53" long

Sodenashi (vest) made of silk crepe fragments which are: katazome (stencil-resist-dye), stripes with yama-mayu (wild silk), itajime (clamp-board dye), plain etc. All vegetable dye such as indigo, benibana (safflower), shikon (root of purple grass). In excellent condition. The second half of the 19th century. 37cm x 57cm

A terracotta figure of the Three Wise Monkeys - Mizaru who is covering his eyes, Kikazaru who is covering his ears and Iwazaru who is covering his mouth. All three embody the proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The figure is combed terracotta with blue, black and brown paint. The robes of the monkeys are painted with Japanese symbols on the back. Provenance: A Pvt. San Franciso Collection

Date: Meiji (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 8.5" X 5.5" X3.5"

Rare Japanese Yonazawa Keyaki (zelkova) burl front tansu with original golden honey lacquer finish. The round lock plates on each drawer feature the emblem of the Taira clan, whose mon is the swallowtail butterfly or ageha...

A fine Kakiemion dish painted in sometsuke style with a Fuyo-de pattern with four landscape vignettes in European style adapted from a Delft original attributed to Fredrick van Frytom (see image no 6) which in turn provided elements of the so-called Deshima or Scheveningen with contrasting panels of stylised Peonies, Botan karakusa. A central motif of wreath form composed of Pomegranates...

A nagazara or long dish of bean-pod form, a very unusual shape, decorated with auspicious un-ryu, dragons and clouds, in its central reserve, surrounded by Matsu-fuji, entwined Pine branches and Wisteria vine, a traditional Japanese motif associated with longevity. The reverse decorated with further auspicious Dragons and precious objects, cash and scrolls with flaming pearls...

A good Kakiemon long dish, nagazara, of a wide boat, sanpan, shaped form decorated with stylised lotus karakusa. The reverse decorated with Karakusa motifs and a Fuku in seal characters within a double square. An identical dish is illustrated in the Shibata Collection, see volume 5 no 154, there dated 1690-1710. The dish is in good condition no cracks, chips or restoration. It measures 20.8cm long and is 14cm wide, standing 3.8cm at the rim. It weighs 365 grams...

An Arita porcelain small bowl with barbed lotus style lobed rim, a namasu, typically used in Japanese cuisine to serve various pickles. Potted in mid 17C transitional Chinese style without a foot-rim as such, but an unglazed ring, kodai. The interior of the bowl painted in ko-sometsuke style. One half painted with Su Shi’s “First Ode to the Red Cliffe”, divided into twelve columns reading from right to left...

Japanese Buddhist scroll painting of Eight Armed Kannon , the bodhisattva of compassion, seated in a lotus position. In her other seven arms she holds a staff, a trident, a bow and arrows, a Dharma wheel, and other attributes with symbolic meaning.

Standing figures are arranged below the seated Kannon, each holding various offerings for the bodhisattva such as rice, sake, dumplings, silk fabrics, and other material objects...

Japanese iron tsuba, or hand guard for a samurai's sword, with openwork motifs of peonies and scrolling leaves, with silver and gilt inlay pollen, detailed on the reverse, with signature.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 2 3/4" x 3"

Japanese tachi-kake or samurai's sword stand, black lacquered and rich intricate shell inlay work, with a reishi mushroom shaped finial.

Late Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 10 1/4" x 8 1/4" x 25" H

A pair of wood sculpture of Ebisu and Daikoku which are two of seven gods. Ebis is for good business and Daikoku is for luck with money. They are put on the ouse shrine. In good condition but some parts are missed in Ebis (left). Late 19th to early 20th century. Base:15cm x 5cm, Height:12cm

Japanese circular jingasa with a gradual domed top, rough textured to simulate leather. The composition is of bamboo, paper, layers of Urushi lacquer work with green lacquer, the edges decorated with two gilt mon of the Mori Clan. The interior is finished in green textured lacquer with red lacquer accent...

Early edition Japanese Edo period woodblock print titled “Snowfall at Shimasaku in Iki Province." The image is No. 68 from the series “Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces” by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) dated 1856. Signed within a red cartouche at the left. The title and subtitle cartouches are at the upper right. The seal of the publisher Koshimuraya Heisuke is at the lower right. This is one of Hiroshige's most sought-after snow scenes with a bokashi cloud in the sky...

Antique Japanese bronze sutra container of a pagoda form with very tall finial and calligraphy inscription. The bronze shows beautiful green patina inside and on the foot and the lid shows old corrosion. The burial of sutras in sutra mounds began in 1007 when Fujiwara no Michinaga had a gilt bronze sutra container inscribed upon its burial at the Kinpusen sutra mound in Yoshino. It is apparent that a variety of reasons lay behind the creation of these sutra mounds...

Antique Japanese 3 drawer gyosho bako or merchant's box, with original red lacquer finish. The top of the box has a carrying handle and the 3 drawers are opened by hirute shape iron pulls with square locks and corner hardware.

Dates Edo age c1800 Dimensions: 17" x 14" x 15 1/2" H

Unusual Japanese Kiri (paulownia) tansu with 8 drawers and a lift away panel opening to a shelved interior with spacious room. The 8 front drawers feature small round locks and warabite pulls. Original finish and condition.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 25" L x 12 1/2" D x 19 1/2" H

Japanese lacquer suzuribako or calligraphy writing box. The box is wood with lacquer, gold gilt sprinkled lacquer, and inlaid shell on the lid, adorned with scrolling leaves, floral medallions and motifs of sparrows. The box interior is red lacquer with gold lacquer patterns. The inside box contains an attached inkstone, a brush, and a small brass water dropper. Underneath is a shallow compartment for the storage of calligraphy papers...