Pair of Important 18th Century Edo Period Cricket Cages of museum quality, made for upper class or royalty. They are exceptional in every way. The Bamboo bars and Mother of Pearl inlay are of the finest Japanese craftsmanship, as are the Wisteria wood cases and red lacquered feet. Work like this is extremely rare and highly treasured in Japan. This is a unique opportunity to own an extraordinary work of Japanese art. 9 inches (23cm) tall x 8.25 inches (21cm) wide x 5.75 inches (14.5cm) deep...

Beautiful Japanese Bonbori lanterns for hina dolls. Hand painted on silk and it is indeed one of a kind. The bonboris are placed on each side of the Emperor and Empress hina dolls during the Hina Matsuri Festival, Girl's Day, in March.

We have not seen this type of lantern until now. The silk is lifted here and there and detached from the frames with some deterioration (probably a reaction to the glue or metal). The amazing thing is how the original colors maintained without fading...

Bamboo Vests were used as undershirts under silk garments. They served the duel purpose of allowing some air circulation and protected the silk garments from body oils. These vest were fragile and they have become very rare and hard to find. They were made with small pieces of bamboo which are literally strung together to form a garment. This bamboo vest is a particularly nice one...

A Very Fine Bronze Mirror: Korea, Koryo dynasty, 12th-14th century The design is a fine cast in high relief on the obverse of this Mirror depicts a ship sailing on a stormy sea. A large dragon arises from the upper left and right with clouds of spray cap the surging waves...

A Very Fine Imperial Court Traditional Dancer Scroll Painting by Gyokuto: Japan,19th Century, The artist is not identified, but his work is so impressively done in this painting with ink, water colors and gold. This painting was executed with such detail of this portrayal of a traditional imperial court dancer wearing a brilliant colored court costume dress. This type of dress is typically worn with various heavy hair ornaments and her hat is painted with gold very intricately...

A Very Rare Pair of White Glazed Two Ear Wine Cups: Korea, Choson Dynasty, 15th Century This pair of wine cups is an extremely rare and unusual shape of two ear handle attached white glazed stir-up wine cups, the deep and wide cup set on a high ring foot and molded with two flat and tangle formed with carved notched comb handles with one hole on each side. It is covered overall with a creamy white crackled clear glaze with salmon-pink blushes on the interior and exterior...

Late 1800s

White glass made to imitate jade, good condition.

Diameter: 3 3/8 in. ext., 2 5/8 in. int.

Late 1800s

Rose-pink glass in good condition.

Diameter: 3 ½ in. ext., 2 ¾ in. int.

Ca. mid 1800s

Painted in thick blue enamels surrounding an overall floral pattern in pale green and turquoise. A cartouche with a design of a bird among flowers is painted in famille rose pallet on the two large sides. A hanging tassel design is on the two narrow sides. The lid rests on top of the mouth and is painted with a single open flower. The base is unglazed. There are two glaze chips on the shoulder and a crack to the interior collar of the lid...

Early to mid 1800s

Painted in famille verte enamels, one side showing a woman in a scholar’s studio, and the other side showing a child and a seated woman. On the long narrow sides are scenes of a woman gazing out a window into a garden. The scenes are bordered on the sides by a diamond lozenge pattern as if it were the brocade framing a hanging scroll. The smaller narrow sides have a pierced double coin design surrounded by flowering branches...

Late 1800s

Glazed on the biscuit with green, yellow and brown enamels. On the base are three unglazed spots on which the piece was fired. Stopper in the form of bat, handle in form of stem and spout in the form of blossom. Very good condition with only minor construction flaws glazed over in the firing.

Width: 3 in.; Height: 2 7/8 in.

Ming Dynasty, 1400/1500s

Set of six glazed miniatures made for an altar to be interred in the tomb of an upper-class person. Made in the shape of nuts, vegetables, a boar’s head, ingots and long rolls to provide symbolic sustenance in the afterlife...

Dated: 1906

Painted in thick overglaze enamels with a scene of fish with human bodies brandishing sticks at a large turtle-like creature. The base in inscribed in gold enamel with a date, a four-character seal and the English name, Thomas Bigelow written in katakana script. The date reads: Meiji 39 (1906), fourth month, tenth day. It is unusual to find specifically dated porcelains and particularly with an individual western name inscribed...

Ca. early 1800s

In the style of Okuda Eisen, possibly made in Kyoto at one of the Kiyomizu Kilns. One of a set of five or ten used for individual servings of sweets or other items in a tea ceremony context. Made from porcelain with thick overglaze green enamel and rapidly painted floral designs in red enamel. This style was popular in Kyoto in the late 1700s and 1800s, and was revived again in the 1900s. The amateur potter, Eisen, is credited with promoting this late Ming, Chinese-style in...

Dated: 1918

Heavy, pure silver box with gold, silver, and copper inlaid bronze plaque inset in lid. The bronze plaque depicts a scene of dragonflies amidst autumn grasses. The grass is both incised and raised. The seeds are all inlaid gold. The dragonflies are raised above the surface with silver wings and copper bodies and the smallest dragonfly is inlaid with silver and copper. The sides of the box are incised with floral medallions and the base is raised on four solid silver feet. The i...

Choson period, late 1800s

Body and rim are densely inlaid with silver in various geometric patterns. There are medallions on two sides with silver-inlaid scenes of a pair of deer and a pair of cranes, both being symbols of longevity. On the adjacent sides are movable pendant handles with fretwork inlay. The interior and base have a blackish oxidation and areas of minor rust. Condition is very good. The silver is all intact. Some lopsidedness is characteristic of this type of work and is a ...

Choson period, 1700s

Raised on low feet incorporated into the shape of the four flat sides. The top and sides are bordered by a single blue line. On each side, framed within four corners is a quickly painted floral motif. On the top is a more detailed plant and floral design. Though generally in good condition, there is evidence of use. The glaze on top is considerably worn. There are a few minor glaze chips. Fine white sand from the firing remains on the feet and a grain of sand adheres t...

Koryo Dynasty, 1100s

Painted in underglaze iron with a stylized design, possibly of a duck. Covered entirely with a grayish-green celadon glaze, barely wiped from the footring. Minor sand adhesion to the foot. No chips or cracks.

Diameter: 2 1/8 in.; Height: 1 ¼ in.