55" tall by 30" in diameter. Dated Showa 25 ( 1950) . From Muneatsuji Temple in Gifu Prefecture. This Temple is connected to the Rinzai temple of Myoshinji in Kyoto. (Full translation of what is written on the bell is available). Made by Fujiwara Sadaatsu. Inscription says it was made for world peace.

Gold and silver steel cigarette case. Work in the style of Komei. The landscape decorations are in gold and silver relief. Examination with a magnifying glass does not show us the typical scratches of a damascene work (nunome zogan). The borders are worked with floral motifs in slight relief, the hollows being filled with black lacquer. two golden metal chains to hold the cigarettes. These two chains are extendable by a clever spring system hidden in each link...

Kawase Hasui
Woman walking in snow with dog
Date: Early postwar.
Image size. Approximately 5.75 x 3.75 inches.
The woodblock print is tipped at the top to an original early postwar Christmas card.
Condition: Print is excellent. Card is slightly worn.

Ohno Bakufu
Flying Fish (Tobiuo)
Series: Familiar Fishes of Japan (Dai Nihon gyorui gashu)
Size: Oban. Approximately 16 x 11.25 inches.
Date: 1938.
Edition: No. 260 (noted on back in pencil).
Publisher: Kyoto Hanga-in. Publisher's seals on back in English and Japanese.
Artist's signature and seal upper right.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print employing mica and gofun highlights.
Condition: Light toning to former matte edge. Verso toned...

This 20th century export Japanese ivory okimono is 7 ¾ inches high, 2 ½ inches wide and 1 ¼ inches deep. It depicts a well dressed young geisha wearing formal straw hat and carrying an instrument ready to perform. There is a red artist signature on the side. It is in excellent condition.

A beautiful miniature Japanese Old Ivory Netsuke Frog Sumo Wrestler. In it's excellent condition H: 1-1/8" Signed

This is one of the original works of Tokisada Nakamura, who signs as Masatoshi in this miniature sculpture that depicts Oni, the little demon, crossing a river in the company of a Man and a Woman. The Oni is carrying a skull ended mast, and he is holding on to the woman's arm. The man is carrying, over his left shoulder, a large Mokugyo and a couple of giant lotus flowers. He is picking up his robe to prevent it from getting wet...

This mid 20th century carved ivory netsuke of a sumo wrestler is 2 ¼” high, 1 ¼” wide and 1” thick. It depicts a sumo wrestler dressed the traditional outfit staring straight ahead, ready to fight. The expression on his face is just great. The signature “Yoshido” is on his left foot. Aside of some color that has been rubbed off, it is in excellent condition.

Rain at Shinobazu Pond
Sealed "S". Artist unidentified.
Date: ca. 1940s.
Print size: 3.75 x 2.75 inches.
Publisher: Unsodo. From a group included in an Unsodo client sample book.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print attached along top edge only to original holiday card.
Condition: Tiny dot in sky.

A beautiful old Japanese netsuke with mouse play on the top of a drunk cat, very elaborate and cute. In excellent condition L:7/8" Signed. Sold to Pleasanton

A fine Carved Ivory Netsuke of a man carrying the moon on his back signed Giyoku Seki a masterful piece. Measuring 2.5 inches 5.5 centimeters.

Paul Jacoulet
Souvenirs d'Autrefois: Japon (Memories of the Past, Japan)
Date: 1941.
Print size: Approximately 6.25 x 4.25 inches.
Publisher: Self-published, from a series of surimono.
Reference: No. 78, The Prints of Paul Jacoulet (Miles).
Print is tipped along its top edge at the inside of an original Christmas card.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Lower margin has very faint matte line. Card has tape marks.

Wood board used by a "nushi", a lacquer-ware artisan in charge of lacquering urushi. It has natural dripping and dried glue(natural) while lacquering. Both sides are beautiful. In good condition. The first half of the 20th century. 9.5cm x 91cm x 0.9cm

Kobako in the form of a dark brown tree trunk in a cross section. The back of the lid is made of golden hiramaki-e lacquer on a black background, representing in a close-up a branch of a Japanese cherry tree with its three fruits, with light brown outlines revealing a ring of the tree. Inside the box and base in nashi-ji lacquer. The Japanese cherry tree (Prunus serrulata) is an emblematic tree of the country, producing the cherry blossoms (sakura)...

Large natsume in black lacquer covered with gold powder (maki-e). Gold and silver snowflakes decoration in togidashi maki-e on nashi-ji background. The interior is made of dense nashi-ji lacquer.

The natsume is a tea box intended to contain matcha tea for the preparation of the tea ceremony. It is named for its resemblance to the natsume fruit, i.e. the jujube (also called the Chinese date). It is round, short and has a flat lid. It is often made of lacquer...

Kawase Hasui
Mt. Fuji Seen From Oshino (Oshino no Fuji)
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.625 x 10.5 inches.
Date: 1942. First edition.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Publisher's "G seal" in right margin (used 1942-45).
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Reference: Hotei #465.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Japanese limited edition woodblock print by French artist Paul Jacoulet (1902-1960) titled "The Squatting Man. Chinese" (L'Homme accroupi. Chinois) published November 20, 1947. This image is illustrated on page 66 (plate 88) of “The Prints of Paul Jacoulet” by Richard Miles, 1982. It is described on page 108. The print is pencil-signed and bears the red owl seal at the lower right corner of the image. The seal of the carver and printer (Maeda/Honda) is at the lower right margin corner...

Conceived by 20th century master ceramicist Kawai Kanjiro (1890 - 1966), the combination of “shinsa” (cinnabar glazing) and “tsutsu-gaki kamon” (raised-relief slip-trailing floral design) used in the creation of this work is one of his most recognizable motifs.

Like so many great artists throughout history, Kanjiro refused to confine himself to one genre...