A striking baluster from vase decorated with sinister crows hunched in the silhouette of a leafless winter tree signed on the base Satsuma Kinunzan and dated on side the fifth month of 1911. This fits in perfect with our Kwaidan theme this month, the brooding figures austere against the bleak winter sky, something ominous, a lingering threat...

A delicate kiri-wood tray decorated with a fledgling among grass puffed up against the cold by important 20th century artist Domoto Insho enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kosuzume Seifu (Small Sparrow, Pure Wind) and signed inside Insho Saku. It is 19 x 19 x 2.5 cm (7-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 1 inch) and is in excellent condition.

A very fine and elegant Chinese octagonal lacquer and Pewter TEA CADDY, 19th Century, depicting various figures in a Palace Setting. Overall in good condition with minor inconsequential signs of use due to the considerable age. Size: L. 16 cm. (6 1/4").

Cotton cloth with katazome pattern which is called "Narumi-Kongata", imitating Arimatsu-Narumi shibori pattern. It is called "Urumi-zome among craftspeople. It uses plural stencils and requires high dyeing technique. In good condition but has two mending patches for the cut which used to be the neck part and in one side of selvedges. The Meiji period (1868 to 1912). W:33cm, L:180cm

A striking image of an itinerant monk carrying his few earthly possessions though the cedar forest in draped in a mino straw-raincoat and hat, all performed with colored thread in silk embroidery. Behind glass, it has been well protected over the last 100 plus years. The wide dark frame is stained Nara (a form of oak) emulating the arts and crafts style. The inner joints have shrunk, a testament to age...

Cloth with katazome (stencil-resist dye) which is hand spun and vegetable indigo and pigment dye. In good condition, however slightly colors faded. 19th century. W:32.5cm, L:180cm

Cotton cloth with "Kikai-suji shibori", Machine-pleated Stripes and vegetable indigo dye. Kikai-suji shibori was developed in 1910s and it was very popular then. Vegetable indigo dye. In excellent condition. 1910s to 1930 W:30cm, L:144cm

A very unusual basket made of pine cones bound together on edge enclosed in the original wooden box dated New Years of Showa Six (1931) titled Chiyo no Matsukasa (Cones of the Ancient Pine). The basket is 20 cm (8 inches) diameter, 33.5 cm (13-1/4 inches) tall and comes with the original bamboo insert. It is in overall fine condition. I have never seen another like it.

A sage admires pine boughs billowing out over the waves from his seat upon a stone carved into this fine bamboo tea container capped with a wooden lid opposite the archaic characters Seishin (Pure heart) signed Chikuzan on the bottom and enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Take-sei Chatsubo (Bamboo tea container). The fine kiri-wood box has been decorated on all surfaces with a landscape of Mu-chi style forested hills and a long verse by Chikuzan...

Three antique heavy copper inscribed Yantras. Undated, estimated to be19th century or earlier. Sizes from left 21x18 cm 21.5 Dia 21x20.5 cm Can be viewed in central London and shipped worldwide with insurance and tracking.

Chinese transitional period compressed ovoid form jar decorated in underglaze blue with birds and insects flying among bamboo and flowering plants emerging from rockery set against a white porcelain ground. The upright glazed neck is decorated with downward pointed leaves. Glazed interior and flat slightly recessed unglazed base. 17th century. Measures nearly 12" high. Very good overall condition. There is a fine old brown chicken foot crack in the interior (see image)...

No two faces are the same on this incredible Toyoraku ceramic stacking box covered in gold and silver Maki-e lacquer dating from the 19th century. Inside is typical Oribe style green over crackled cream colored glaze with floral designs in iron. Outside lightning strikes in silver separate the multitude of intense lattice designs in fine gold lines on black lacquer. Stacked they are 15 x 13 x 17 cm, each vessel 15 x 13 x 4.5cm tall, and in excellent condition...

A beautiful rendering of a Lohan Monk, Ming Dynasty or slightly earlier, 13th.-15th. century AD.

An excarvated head carved in very hard and dense black stone, in the round with oversized ears and pronounced arched eyebrows and downcast eyes. The head superbly polished, still with traces of the ancient carving methods and a deeply encrusted or embedded earthern patina.

The head is mounted on a modern and very attractive black marple base.

Size: 23 cm...

Chinese Qing dynasty Kangxi marked baluster form cabinet vase densely decorated in underglaze blue on a white porcelain ground with four vertical rectangular landscape panels surrounded by a background of flowers floating on water. Geometric bands at the top rim. Slightly flared base and unglazed stepped foot. A robust and well executed six-character kaishu Kangxi period mark in a double ring is on the glazed base. 6 3/4" high. Possibly of the period and no later than circa 1900...

The deity is represented seated surrounded by his multiple arms holding various attributes. Excellent quality of sculpture, on its skull multiple small heads (10+1) pegged, pretty draping, beautiful facial expression, the eyes and the third frontal eye in glass or rock crystal. Thick, solid lacquer, beautiful gilding. Avalokitesvara wears all her jewelry. Complete set with its glory and its original base...

A rare late Edo Period (19th cent) Shishi Lion Foo Dog Statue made of iron rich Bizen clay, wood fired in an Anagama kiln.

Shishi (or Jishi) is translated as "lion” but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits...

Unusual grey pottery jar from the syncretic Buddhist Dali Kingdom circa 982CE–1253CE, which was located in present day Yunnan. The Dali State was not fully absorbed into the Chinese Empire until the Ming Dynasty, although it did accept Mongol control and were by and large allowed to manage their own affairs as long as they contributed soldiers. This jar has mysterious animal appliqued faces well as Buddhist images set against peepul tree leaves (Bodhi Tree)...

Two Kome-bukuro (rice bag) made of cotton fragments which are hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye. They are stripes, kasuri and fine katazome (stencil-resist dye). Both have writing with sumi, Echizenya, the shop's name and "Hane" which is located in Shimane prefecture facing to the Japan Sea. Kome-bukuro was used when people dedicated rice or grains to temples or shrines. Both are in excellent condition, bags and strings. 19th to early 20th century. Large one:31cm x 27cm, Small one:23cm x 27cm

Rice bag made of hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye cotton fragments which are kasuri, katazome (stencil-resist dye) stripes etc. It was used when people dedicated rice or other grains to temples or shrines. It has beautiful fine katazome cotton cloth for lining. In good condition but string in the hem is damaged and cord for binding is lost. 19th to early 20th century. W:37cm, H:27.5cm

A classic bun-shaped Koro incense burner by Miyagawa Chozo pierced with Incense-clock-patterns enclosed in the rare original signed wooden box. It is 8.8 cm diameter, 7.5cm tall and is in excellent condition. The box contains a hand written note in old Japanese describing the origins of Makuzu-ware.
Miyagawa Chozo (1797-1860), also known as Chobei was born a direct descendant of Chokansai and would be the father to Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan I (1842-1916). The name Kozan was granted by Prin...

Rice bag made of fragments of hand-spun cotton with stripes, checks and katazome (stencil-resist-dye), all vegetable indigo and brown dye. The cord is hemp. The square cloth in the bottom is fine and beautiful katazome with "two cranes facing" motif. Kome-bukuro was used when people dedicated rice to temples or shrines. In excellent condition except for a few holes and mending patches. The latter half of the 19th to early 20th century. W:57cm, H:28cm, Bottom:30cm x 28cm.

A vase by Kiyomizu Rokubei V featuring auspicious calligraphic characters opposite a boy staring at the moon from atop his ox decorated by Domoto Insho enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 22 x 15 x 37 cm (9 x 6 x 14-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Kiyomizu Rokubei V (Shimizu Kuritaro, 1875-1959) initially studied painting and decorating technique under Kono Bairei, one of the foremost painters in Japan in the Meiji era. After graduating the Kyoto Municipal Special ...

A Chinese White Glazed Brush Washer. Circa, 14th Century, Dehua Kilns, Yuan Dynasty. Found in the Philippines. In bamboo form with its gently rounded sides divided into upright segments and is joined by a raised horizontal band around its exterior wall. Its chalky white body is covered in a white glaze, stopping short above the feet. Measurements: diameter (4.6”inches) across. Condition: some age related wear around the body with tape stains on the bottom but is in very good condi...

A glistening incense burner in the shape of a court cap by Eiraku Zengoro enclosed in the original signed wooden box dating from the 19th century. Gold designs gleam on the regal plum surface. It is 15cm×10.5cm,18cm (6 x 4 x 7-1/4 inches) and appears to be in perfect condition.
The Eiraku family is one of Japan’s most important and historically significant lines of pottery artists in Kyoto, tracing back to the 16th century. The skill of Eiraku potters earned the honorific title of Sen...

An interesting small collection of 9 bone carvings in the form of skulls, carved in the openwork, with lids at top and bottom, Tibetan c. 19th. century.

The group finely patinated and intact but some with loose lids. A set for ritual purposes.

Size: up to c. 3,3 cm. tall or less, but more of less of the same sizes.

Provenance: Collection of Gunna Munkvad, Denmark, aquired from the 1950s-1980s.

A bag which is hand-plaited with indigo dye hemp string. It is carried on the back with various items. 19th to early 20th century. One string is cut. W:15cm, L:62cm

A very artfully done portrait of a woman with elaborate hairstyle, Eastern Javanese, Indonesia, Majapahit Empire, c. 12th.-15th. century.

A lovely head combining traditions of Hindu-Buddhist art with the fine regional Eastern javanese style.

Size: 9-10 cm. tall and c. 8 cm. wide. A substantial head.

Reff. See a very similar head of the finest Eastern Javanese style in the Art Institute Chicago, Reference Number 2001.302.

Ex. Old Danish Private Collec...

An fine style terracotta head of bodhisattva, as a prins, Gandhara, c. 2nd.-4th. cent AD

Size: 85 mm. tall - a nice large size ancient head.

Condition: Very fine, repaired to face.

Ex. Danish Private Collection

A small Japanese Arita kilns blue and white porcelain sauce dish, or mamezara, of mokko-gata form. Namban (or Nanban, Southern barbarian) decoration of a foreign figure, with dog, falconing in picturesque landscape. Painterly shironuki decoration in the cavetto of cranes flying among clouds. Edo period, Circa 1800. Good condition for its age, with two small chips inside the foot rim and a small glaze abrasion just above the foot rim. About 3 15/16 inches (10 cm) square.

A small pair of Japanese Imari porcelain bowls (or small, deep dishes) with Namban (or Nanban, Southern barbarian) subject bowls. Imari palette decoration in three reserves, each of a figure among blossoming karakusa, in the cavetto. The center with blue underglaze decoration of Shishi with auspicious objects. The verso also with decoration in blue underglaze of precious objects around the raised, glazed ring feet surrounding a recessed, unglazed band around glazed, further recessed center. Edo ...

A very rare early work by Shirakura Niho dating from the mid Taisho period clearly showing his early watercolor training under Ishii Hakutei signed with his first art name, Kinro. Light color on silk framed in patterned silk extended with classic beige and terminating in red lacquered wooden rollers. It is 45.5 x 107.5 cm (18 x 42-1/2 inches) and is in overall excellent original condition, enclosed in a modern wooden storage box.
Shirakura Kinichiro (Kinro, Niho or Jiho, Kanyu, 1896-1974...

A Kenzan style Chawan Tea Bowl decorated with blossoming plum bending over a golden rim by Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan enclosed in the original wooden box signed inside on the box floor by the aritst with an annotation inside the lid by Omotosenkei Iemoto Tea Master Seisai (1863-1937) reading Makuzu Yaki Chawan Ume-no-ga Ari (Makuzu Pottery Tea Bowl Decorated with Plum). It is 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter, 7cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
The name Kozan was granted by Prince Ya...

A fabulous example exploring the various traits of traditional Shigaraki pottery with a thick swath of glaze covering one side, telltale feldspathic inclusions bursting from the raw clay opposite. This is a classic example of 16th century Shigaraki pottery. It is 29 x 31 x 35 cm (11-1/2 x 12 x 14 inches) and in overall excellent condition. The history of Shigaraki traces its origins to around the 12th century with the discovery of exceptional clay deposits rich in iron and other minerals which ...

Chinese Qing dynasty wucai baluster form porcelain jar painted with two large phoenix birds in flight among peony flowers and leafy scrolling foliage. A narrow border holding two qilong among flowers and leafy vines is at the high shoulder below a band of scrolling foliage at the neck. Brown dressed rim. Glazed interior and flat unglazed base. 17th century. 11 1/4" high. Weighs 5 1/2 lb. (2.5 kg). There is wear to the overglaze pigments. A brown kiln kiss is on one side. Two brown hairline cra...

Cotton han-juban (short under kimono) with katazome (stencil resist dye), whose motif is a kind of "Seigaiha", the traditional wave pattern. It is hand spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. The collar cloth is also hand-spun cotton dyed with sumi (ink). n good condition but has some parts fade in color. The second half of the 19th century. W:114cm, L:62cm

Cotton cloth with beautiful katazome (stencil-resist dye) with mum motif, which is made of hand spun cotton and vegetable indigo and natural brown dye. In good condition, however colors fades a bit from washing. 19th century. W:35cm, L:168cm