Japanese antique woodblock print by Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769-1825) of a woman and boy. The lady holds a bamboo branch festooned with decorations possibly for the Tanabata Festival. In the upper left is a blossoming branch hung with paper strips of writing (tanzaku). During Tanabata this writing would be wishes.
Toyokuni I started work in the studio of Toyoharu at the age of 14. He was heavily influenced by the print artist, Utamaro...

This ancient Roman artifact is a large, vibrant red terracotta bowl known as "Terra sigillata" that dates back to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. The bowl's walls are thin and convex, while its base is flat and shaped like a wide disk. This unique piece of pottery provides an intriguing glimpse into the artistic and functional skills of the ancient Romans and is a testament to the enduring legacy of their civilization...

Ancient Roman red terracotta ware from the 2nd-3rd centuries A.D. "Terra sigillata," an offering bowl of typical rounded form, with averted rim, incised with circular lines, resting on a low ring base. This type of red terracotta ware was made throughout the Roman Empire between the 1st and 5th centuries A.D.

"Terra sigillata" is a fine type of Roman ceramic, coveted for its smooth, red slipped finish that emerged around 40 B.C...

Ancient Neolithic, circa. 5500 - 2750 BC. Eastern European, Cucuteni – Trypillia – Tripolye, culture hand sculptured clay ceramic figurine of a Mother Goddess.

This female ceramic figurine made by the Neolithic Age people known to scholars as the Cucuteni -Trypillia culture...

Ancient European Neolithic 5500 - 2750 BC. Cucuteni Trypillia Tripolye Culture Mother Goddess Ceramic Figurine.

This female ceramic figurine made by the Neolithic Age people known to scholars as the Cucuteni -Trypillia culture.

These people, known for their massive settlements that rivaled the earliest cities in Mesopotamia in size, flourished on the territory of Eastern Europe in what is now Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova from, 7,500 to 4,750 years ago...

Ancient European Neolithic 5500 - 2750 BC. Cucuteni Trypillia Tripolye Culture Mother Goddess Ceramic Figurine.

This female ceramic figurine made by the Neolithic Age people known to scholars as the Cucuteni -Trypillia culture.

These people, known for their massive settlements that rivaled the earliest cities in Mesopotamia in size, flourished on the territory of Eastern Europe in what is now Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova from, 7,500 to 4,750 years ago...

Ancient European Neolithic 5500 - 2750 BC. Cucuteni Trypillia Tripolye Culture sculptured ceramic figurine of a seated Mother Goddess.

This female ceramic figurine made by the Neolithic Age people known to scholars as the Cucuteni -Trypillia culture.

These people, known for their massive settlements that rivaled the earliest cities in Mesopotamia in size, flourished on the territory of Eastern Europe in what is now Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova from, 7,500 to 4,750 years ago...

Ancient 2nd - 3rd century A.D. Gandhara finely sculpted in grey schist stone figure of a seated Buddha.

The haloed Buddha Shakyamuni seated in in meditation posture dhyanasana with his hands folded in his lap and his feet covered by the pleated robe, the folds of the sanghati flowing over both shoulders, revealing the anatomy of his torso, and covering his legs, the wavy hair tied in a bun over the ushnisha, seated on a throne carved with going downwards stylized geometrical pattern...

Rare antique 17th century Polish armored cavalry "Pancerni," a large combat lance head made of hand forged steel.

DETAILS: The leaf-shaped blade with a double-edged, tapered blade with a sharp point is reinforced on one side with a central rib with hollowed sides and flattened on the opposite side.

The integral ferrule with the conical base extending to the flattened tang is pierced on the end with a rectangular hole for the peg that fastens the blade to the wooden haft...

Bag made of one kind of hemp, probably imported one, such as jute or sisal, which is used for coins. It has many mending patches. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:38.5cm, L:70cm

Inro with 4 squares decorated with Toba riding his mule, on the reverse a rooster under a bamboo. Toba, the rooster and the bamboo are inlaid with mother-of-pearl and lacquered with gold powder on a background of red lacquer in slight relief. The mule is inlaid with pewter. This style of inlay is from Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuo) who was active in Japan at the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th...

These polylobed wooden cups covered with a thick layer of sculpted cinnabar red lacquer were to be used as planters...

A skeleton sits among the dried grasses, alone and forgotten, perhaps reflecting on his life in this earie painting by Buddhist priest Higuchi Ryuon dated Meiji 6 (1873). Ink on paper, it is 41.5 x 179.5 cm (16-1/4 x 70-1/2 inches) and is in fine condition; completely remounted in a border of two subtle shades of black with colorful piping and features black lacquered rollers with mother of pearl flakes. It comes in a kiri-wood box.
Higuchi Ryuon (1800－1885) was a priest of the Jodo s...

A set of three spouted nesting bowls decorated in the traditional Mugiwara pattern of alternating stripes of russet red, pale blue and orange emanating like rays from the center. The larger bowl is 9.5 cm (just under 4 inches) diameter, 5.5 cm (2 inches) tall. The smallest is roughly 7.5 diameter, 4.5 cm tall and all 3 are in excellent condition, enclosed in an old kiri-wood box.
This traditional pattern is called ``Mugiwarade'' because its vertical stripes resemble ears of wheat. It has ...

A Dojin licking Dango-treats dances in erratic dashes of soft wet lines and swift dark strokes of flying white on this vertical presentation by Edo period eccentric Doi Goga. Ink on paper it is 43 x 184.5 cm (17 x 72-1/2 inches) and has been completely remounted in dark silk with bone rollers. The creature clutches the raku-in stamp in his upper hand, the other stamps seem to follow his feet like footsteps. It comes enclosed in an age darkened wooden box. Known as the “Mad monk” Goga had...

A nice and substantial Late Gothic type of chest key, European, probably German, c. 1550-1590 AD.

The key with enforced bit with slots, decorated hollow stem with fluted collar and an oval bow.

Size: 108 mm.

Ex. Important old Danish collection of keys.

A lovely key for a treasury chest or money trunk, late 15th./16th. century.

A large and solidly built key with an elaborately carved hollow stem and the oval bow decorated in the center in gothic manor. A rare key!

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery patterns and even tiny statuettes. A numb...

A nice thick key for a strong-box or treasury chest, c. mid 16th. century.

The key with a large, enforced bit with elaborately carved slots. The stem and the bow of the typical late Gothic design. With much old copper from a coppering in the time of use.

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery pa...