Huge cotton cloth with dynamic and vivid Shishi (lion), peonies, waves and tachibana (citrus) with tsutsugaki (glue resist dye). The tsutsugaki technique is excellent and lines are very smooth and powerful by a prominent craftsperson. Judging from the shape and size, it might have been used for "Shishimai" (lion dance) at the festival, held in Fukui, Toyama or Ishikawa Prefecture. In excellent condition. Meiji period (1969～1912)

An exceptional Oki-goro Incense Burner in the shape of a dark glazed Catfish by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Namazu Koro dated the 6th month of Taisho 10 (1921). This would have been placed over a dish in which a burning incense cone would have been placed. It is 48 cm (18-1/2 inches) long, 23 cm (9 inches) tall and appears in excellent condition...

Unusual cloisonne vase in flattened geometric shape, with narrow base and neck, the background color a very soft yellow, with floral and scrolling elements in shades of green, blue, white, red and deep yellow, the bands at top and bottom in blue, red and mustard yellow with turquoise blue interior...

You are considering a rare and beautiful Archaic Chinese Jade Scepter or Tablet, "Gui," dating to circa 2000BC. The piece measures 7.5 inches (18.5cm) in length and is, as one would expect, carved (drilled and polished) entirely by hand. As the photos will show, the stone is predominantly a gray-green nephrite, with some areas of darker brown. There are "striations" visible on the surface, which may indicate that the piece had been wrapped in a cloth/textile, which left an imprint...

A crow at rest upon a rock raises its head in a gruff cry by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Karasu Okimono. It is pierced in the back, allowing it to be an oki-koro incense burner. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. A nearly identical piece was published in the 1923 book Sozan Toko, attributed to his late period...

Were one to describe THE piece which epitomizes the vase aesthetic of Suwa Sozan I, it would be this epochal Red Fish design flaring celadon bottle. This is a superlative example, exquisite detail and come enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 29.5 cm (11-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Suwa Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875...

A Chinese bronze garlic-neck wine bottle, Western Han dynasty,2nd-1st century BC, of unusual elegant compressed form, 25 cms high, 22cms wide. Provenance: The estate of the award winning costume designer Anthony Powell (1935-2021). Purchased at Christie's London circa 1999.

Antique Japanese Karatsu ware chawan (tea bowl) with crackle glaze and kintsugi. Beautifully crafted with a small flattened area for the hand to grasp and a magical elegance to the touch. Evaluation done in the 1930's by TZ Shiota when the family was inheriting the collection from their great grandfather, Federic Torrey...

Antique Japanese Yatsushiro Ware chawan (tea bowl) with gray and cream color Hakeme glaze. Magnificent deep tea bowl with gray white crackle glaze and indention for thumb. Evauation by TZ Shiota (#4) done in 1930's, a tea ware expert from San Francisco Bay Area...

Keman in cut, chiselled and gilded copper alloy détails in shakudo. The keman were suspended from the ceilings of the temples and replaced the baskets of real flowers. This model already existed in the 13th century at the time of Kamakura. It is therefore difficult to date them, I think this one is Japan Edo period. The inscription in Chinese characters should give us a precise date. Good condition, gilding a little worn. 44cm x 31cm.

A Chinese Canton enamel dish vividly panted with two cockerels beside flowers issuing from rockwork within a border of plum flowers, cracked ice, ruyi heads and waves, the reverse with three flower sprays. Qianlong, 18th century. 23 cms diam. One small area of restoration to the white on the back of the rim. Otherwise in good condition bar the odd usual stress crack.

A large table made of layers of lacquer carved through to reveal the various colors by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Guri Joku and bearing the Teishitsu Gigei-in Seal of the Imperial Art Academy. It is 65 x 40.5 x 20 cm (25-1/2 x 16 x 8 inches) and is in excellent condition. The artists seal is expertly incised into the back of one ball shaped foot...

Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original wooden box titled Kagyu-tsuki Take Kake-hana-ire (Bamboo Hanging Vase with Snail) bearing the Teishitsu Gigei-in Seal of the Imperial Art Academy signed inside “Sozan, with Amateur Skill” followed by the artists seal in red. It is 49 cm long and in excellent condition. The only other I have ever seen in this style is published in the rare 1971 book Suwa Sozan Sakuhin Shu page 59...

An exceedingly rare (in fact the only one I have ever seen) Tenmoku-Dai stand for a Tenmoku Chawan by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kuruwa Tenmoku Dai (Curved Circular Tea Bowl Stand). It is made of layer upon layer of lacquer, carved with scrolling designs revealing the depth of the lacquer in a style known as Guri. The artist has carved his seal into the inside of the base. It is 15 cm (6 inches) diameter7.5 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition...

A Fine and Rare Korean 8 Panel Pictorial Ideographs (文字圖)-19th C. : Korea, Joseon dynasty, 19th century, separated from a framed screen (unframed screen)...

First we hear the clang of the hammer striking the bell, then the steadily approaching clop of his wooden shoes before the horrifying creature dressed in the robes of an itinerant priest appears; a ledger in one hand noting our sins. This is a very rare ceramic figurine by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Nenbutsu Oni and bearing the seal of the imperial Art Academy...

Antique Japanese ema of a horse. This ema is a dedication plaque that was made as an offering in a shinto shrine. Horses are considered vehicles of the gods, so this ema was made at the highest level in order to convey an important wish as speedily as possible. Painted in mineral colors on keyaki (elm) wood.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 29 3/8" high x 43 1/4" wide x 2" deep

Chogappo made of fragments of ramie which is recycled from old textiles. Pojagi is the general name for the wrapping cloth and "chogappo" is one kind of pojagi which is patchworked with asa (choma or hemp) fragments. (Reference source: "Korean Embroidery and Wrapping Cloths from the Choson Dynasty" published by Japan Art & Culture Association in 1995). Hemp or ramie ones are for wrapping summer clothing. In excellent condition. Late 19th to early 20th century. 100cm x 104cm