Japanese nobori banner, hand painted (dyed) with samurai Yoshinaka (Kiso no) and Tomoe Gozen, a woman warrior. Dimensions: 15 3/4" wide and 147 1/2" long. Hand woven soft cotton with hand spun yarn. Early 1900s. Excellent condition but please expect some minor stains because of the age. It may hang better without the side handles on the wall.

Yoshinaka is a member of the Minamoto family (Genji) from the late Heian period (794-1185)...

Glaze degradation and corrosion

Fukusa, Japanese Gift Cover, Pine, Bamboo and Plums on Fans: This type of fukusa is a covering placed over a gift at the time of a gift-giving ceremony such as "Yui-noh" which is held prior to a wedding. This is an elegant old satin silk Fukusa in excellent condition. It is not as shiny as it looks in photos. The lining is an old, red (light red color, not orange as it appears in some photos) crepe silk with padding on the rims...

Ming Dynasty Blue + White Bowl, condition: fair, has minor chip on top rim and foot, no hairline nor repairs, size: H. 8cm x 14 3/4 diameter

A Fukagawa porcelain 8 3/8 inch diameter serving bowl. Iris decoration from Chuji Fukagawa's own 19th century design book. Blue underglaze and red, yellow and gold overglaze enamel decoration. Mt. Fuji mark inside the foot ring. This bowl, together with two other sizes of bowls we are offering separately in the same pattern, formed the traditional Japanese graduated bowl set. Late Meiji or early Taisho...

This is an antique fukusa, Japanese gift cover with cranes. A pair of crane is a symbol of longevity and harmony. The embroideries on this fukusa are particularly beautiful. One small hole in the front (smaller than the one in the back) did not show in the photos...

There is no visible image of God in Japanese Shinto religion. For this reason, people find the spirit of God in their surroundings, especially in nature. In the noh play “Takasago”, an old couple is seen together on the beach of Takasago (today’s Hyogo prefecture) sweeping pine needles under the trees. The old man Jo and old woman Uba are the spirits of the pine trees that were grown in Takasago and Sumiyoshi. The two trees are located far away but they are together with their spirits...

Antique Japanese fukusa (gift cover), Yuzen-zome (paste regist dye) on silk kabe-ori (coarse crepe silk), early 1900s.

For a man to be a well balanced nobleman, there were requirements to be filled. 'Kin Ki Sho Ga', the four accomplishments of gentlemen, were chosen at an early time in China, practicing Kin (koto, music instrument), ki (go, Chinese chess), sho (calligraphy) and ga (painting)...

This is an old silk satin obi in maru obi style (design runs on both sides from one end to the other). This obi was probably made from a uchikake gown. It is very soft and feather light with soft padding inside. The padding is wrapped with floss silk inside to keep the soft material and padding intact - you need many years of experience...

This small elaborate Buddhist monk's medicine bottle is sewn into a larger pouch of burgundy homespun wool fabric with yellow/gold silk lining. When worn, the stopper would be securely held in the bottle by a system of handmade cords and bands. The medicine bottle would be worn outside the robes and suspended on the Monk's belt. These were used for both travel and ceremonies.

An incredible Japanese antique Kanazawa kaidan staircase, with hand quartered sawn keyaki drawer fronts and black sliding door framework. Mixture of sliding compartments and pullout drawers. Attached original hand rail that is very unusual. Stunning original lacquered reddish orange coloration. Overall the chest is in excellent original condition with everything working just as it should.

Early Meiji Period (1868-1912), circa 1880s...

Chinese Yixing Teapot w Gold Mounted & Signed

Description & Size: 9.52 x 12.7 x 8.25 cm (3.75" x 5" x 3.25")

Weight: 174 gram (6.13 oz)

Age: 19th Century

Production: Handcrafted & Forged

This is a rare & beautiful Chinese yixing teapot handcrafted in red clay with mounted solid gold rim & spout...

A set of 10 Hirado porcelain lidded bowls decorated in underglaze blue with mountain landscape on one half and prunus on the other. The interior has a central floral roundel and wave design on the rim. Each marked Hirado, Kasho. The original wood box, tomobako, inscribed "Hizen Hirado yaki", Kodai (ancient), Prunus, Sansui ga (oriental style painting of mountains and water). One bowl is damaged - 9 sets plus a lid. Late Meiji/Taisho period.

This mark (signature) is illustrated in "Hir...

This is an old silk fukusa from Meiji period (1868-1912). This type of fukusa is a covering placed over a gift at the time of a gift-giving ceremony. Lined with a deep red crepe silk, this fukusa is almost in perfect condition.

Pine trees are considered as sacred in Japan. Here, an ancient pine tree is mostly done with the gold couching, overlaying of threads (wrapped in gold) rather than going in and out of the base fabric. The color of gold is particularly pretty here contructing to t...

A very serene and rare 18th Century Thai silver miniature Buddha in Dhyana Mudra pose (the less common deep meditation position)nicely mounted on a small wooden base. Wonderfully aged natural patina. Good condition, Size: H. 1 1/8" (3 cm.) x 3/4" (2 cm.)

This is “kataginu” (shoulder cloth), only the upper part of kamishimo without a trouser. Kami-shimo simply means top and bottom in Japanese. It was a high ranking samurai’s formal attire when they attended official meetings at the Edo castle. It was worn over kosode (kimono with small sleeves) with trousers. The shoulders are arch shaped and this was the style that developed in the late Edo period (1603-1868). Longer trousers (approx. 1.5 times longer) were chosen for special occa...

The head of the Buddha, carved with benevolent expression, almond-shaped eyes, fragmentary pierced elongated earlobes, straight triangular nose, his hair arranged in rows of stylized curls. This extremely hard to find pre-Khmer piece dates back to circa 350 AD, probably Khrom. Made of black hard stone it is 7 In (17 cms) height of the piece mount not included. Estimated value: U$D 4000 / 5000

Very rare, this oceanic artifact was brought back by from New Guinea by a pilot sometime in the 1950's. The dog teeth and boar tusks are held together by hand twisted stings woven and interlaced tightly around the widest ends.