Antique Japanese pair of bronze candle sticks. Simple and elegant with bell shaped feet. Most likely for use at a temple shrine.

Age: Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 13" high x 4 1/4" wide at base

Antique Japanese small bronze suiban for flower or rock arrangements. Cast with designs of irises on two sides, the ends have bronze handles in the shape of knotted chord. Stands on four small feet.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 7 1/2" long x 5" wide x 2 1/8" high

Antique Japanese teshoku candle holder made of bronze. A long handle makes it easy to carry a candle around for light as well as very stable when set down. Cut-out design is of a Hoju, the Buddhist wish granting ball...

Antique Japanese round porcelain plate decorated with blue underglaze scene of two fish and underwater plants. The plate stands on a round foot and the underside is decorated with rings and scrolling flora in blue underglaze. A small gold kintsugi repair and kiri tomobako are evidence that this was a valuable and prized part of someone's collection years ago.

Age: 17th century

Dimensions: 6 1/4" wide x 1 1/8" high

19th century wooden netsuke of a group of three eggplants: the larger one is ripe, its skin ruptured to show the flesh of the vegetable, and one of the smaller vegetables is hollowed and lacquered on the inside to be used as a sake cup. Cleverly designed, superb detailed carving - see the texture of the vegetable in the ruptured area, very pleasant wear consistent with age. Dark dense wood - ebony or kurogaki (black persimmon), extraorinary sheen to the surface...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) on horseback. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a ḍākinī with phurba in one hand. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit writing on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) wielding a sword and banner. He wears a tiger skin around his middle and a human skin tied around his neck. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) wielding a knife on the back of a fu-lion. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a beast-headed ḍākinī. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit writing on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) wielding a sword on horseback. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents...

Early 19th century boxwood netsuke of a monkey seated with its head down and turned to its left, supporting a hude bamboo shoot on its shoulder. Excellent carving with clean lines, great thoughtful expression on its face. Large and deep himotoshi (cord opening) in accordance with the habit of the time. Overall beautiful mellow patina from wear. Very clever and charming piece. Height 1 9/16 inches.

A Japanese Satsuma Gosu blue bowl of a spiral motifs with enamels and gilt. Edo period middle 19th century Sizes: 27 x 2 cm. Condition report: Good condition

Antique Tibetan bronze seated figure of Vajrasattva. Also called Dorje Sempa, Dorje means "indestructible diamond" and Sempa is the Tibetan term for Sattva in Sanskrit meaning "heroic being". Sempa in this case, refers to the role of a Bodhisattva, someone on the road to becoming a Buddha but who has stayed behind, selflessly dedicating themselves to helping others gain enlightenment...

Small round zushi consisting of two parts. The outside of both are covered in nashiji lacquer. On the inside of the one part in relief is carved in fine detail the image of Bishamonten holding a trident and a pagoda, subduing two demons. Inside the cover sits Benzaiten playing the biwa.
Bishamon and Benten are two of the seven gods of good fortune (shichifukujin), but they each hold a position in the Buddhist pantheon, as well.
Both images in plain, unpainted camphor wood...

An incredible large antique Japanese merchant Todana Tansu (storage chest with doors and drawers) in 2 sections made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Originally used in a Japanese store to stock and display wares and supplies as well as provide a beautiful functional furniture accent for the merchant. Original hand made iron locks that were used to secure the contents when the store was closed.

Constructed using mortise and tenon joinery as well as floating wood panels w...

Early 19th century Kyoto school netsuke of a seated shishi (Buddhist lion) hugging a large ball. Strong early piece, wonderful ferocious face, powerful oversized paws with beautifully defined claws, eyes are inlaid with brown horn, loose ball in its mouth. Excellent hairwork (see its mane and bushy tail), old age lines, deep differently sized himotoshi, beautiful wear and patina consistent with age, pleasantly fat, great sculpture. Height 1 5/8 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke carved as a theatrical mask of Okame with characteristic chubby cheeks. Great facial expression with a slight smile, excellent finish, beautiful wear and patina. Signed IKKO on the back bar - this remarkable artist is discussed on p. 512 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 13/16 inches.