Ivory netsuke of a sitting courtier (recognizable by his tall hat) wearing formal garments and holding an open fan in his hands. Extremely well carved out of beautiful even ivory with cross-hatching pattern seen on the bottom of the piece. Excellent clean carving with expert polychrome decoration, wonderful level of detail, perfectly captured facial expression. Signed RYOSEI on the bottom - this very distinct carver is discussed in CONTEMPORARY NETSUKE by Miriam Kinsey, p. 225...

Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Snow at Hinuma Swamp, Mito, 1947.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.75 x 10.75 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the 6 mm seal, indicating a lifetime edition produced between 1946 and 1957.
Condition: Some toning and fading.
This print is difficult to find in this edition.

This rare Noh theater mask is a representation of Ikkaku Sennin, the one horn character born of a doe...

This Noh theater mask is a representation of Mikazuki (third day moon, in Japanese), a divine character who appears in many plays.

Please let me know if you have some questions.

The mask is beautifully crafted and in excellent condition.
Dimensions: 21 x 14 cm (8.4 x 5.6 in)

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A pair of Japanese carved wooden statues of the deities, Ebisu and Daikoku. The small shrine comes from Izumo Taisha, one of the few major shrines in Japan. The central deity of Izumo is Okuni Nushi no Mikoto and the name Okuninushi is also read Daikoku, hence the association with the fortune god. The shrine contains a stamp on the door with the name of the shrine. Age: 1960s. Size: height 3.25" width 2" length 3.5"

approx. 37cm in height, 12cm in diameter (14.6in, 4.7in)

Very scarce as a hidden modern Mingei masterpiece hardly seen today.
Original extra-large vintage kokeshi doll of papier mache, by Igarashi Yutaka (1928-1982), an influential and representative artist in Nasu Heights, who had succeeded the tradition and the style of local art crafts of Nasu region and combined his creativity into works as well...

Lovely Art Deco bronze flower vase from the early Showa period, C.1930. Base has a rim of jewel-like elegance in fine relief. The top rim also has a wonderful diaper motif. Very good condition. Ask for shipping quote form California warehouse. H:9" x Diameter: 8"

A fine Japanese lid rest or futaoki as it is known in the tea ceremony. The lid rest is done in a technique known as karakane or bronze and has been hammered. The tachizuru or motif of standing cranes is often seen in various tea accessories representing the rise of auspiciousness. The lid rest comes with a tomobako with the name of the lid rest and the artist, Seishu. Age: Late Showa Period Size: diameter 2.1" height 2.1"

Splendid Japanese incense container, also known as kogo, used for tea ceremony. The persimmon has a small lady bug sitting near the head of the persimmon. The incense container contains an inscription reading: Rakushisha, which is a small hut in the Sagano district of Kyoto. The hut was the summer home of Matsuo Basho's disciple, Mukai Kyorai. The hut was given the name when a hurricane blew all the persimmons off the trees planted in the estate...

approx. 12-12.5cm in diameter, 8.5cm in height (4.7-4.9in, 3.3in)

Considered as the one of best masterpieces of vintage E-Shino chawan (Pictured Shino tea bowl) by Kawamoto Seiun, a representative modern master‐hand of Seto.
Molded massively in the elegant Japanized distortion and completed with aesthetic smoothness for refined practical use of tea.
Marked with a letter of "Kawa" ('river') as his signature...

This delightful facial expression is the reason for our acquisition of this Ebisu doll. While Daikoku and Ebisu dolls are often paired and displayed, "single" Ebisu dolls are much harder to find. Ebisu is one of the Lucky Gods (Shichifukujin) and is symbolized as the god of prosperity and abundance. This doll is a nice size (12.5" tall) and as you see in the images, it is constructed in a more "refined" (or precise) manner than many other clay dolls...

Ivory netsuke of seated Hotei holding a hand drum on his shoulder. Hotei is incarnation of Maitreya - the Buddha of the future - and one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, the fat and happy God of abundance and good health. Very nice carving with good level of detail (see his feet and finely worked texture of his robe), wonderful smiling face, nice patina. Signed SHOZO on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 984 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick...

A Prize Winning Japanese Lithographic Print 1957 by Izumi Shigeru. 1957 16 1/2 x 12 ins. (41.8 x 30.5 cms) We have been unable to find out much about Izumi Shigeru except that his dates are 1922-1995. There are several of his works in the British Museum. The present example, entitled "Peacock", won a prize at International Print Art Biennale in Tokyo in 1957. It is signed in pencil by the artist and is no. 2 of a limited edition of 100...

A Japanese Sosaku Hanga Woodblock Print by Junichiro Sekino (1914-1988). !969. 21 1/4 x 16 1/8 ins. (54 x 41.2 cms) This fine design is No. 12 from a series of 53 Stations of the Tokaido published in 1969 and shows the Mishima Shrine with three men warming their hands at a small bonfire...

This lovely Bizen ware is called Kogo / incense container used for Japanese tea ceremony. The shape is a seed of wisteria suitable for tea ceremony in autumn / winter. This is the work of a potter Yoshimoto Shuho. Shuho was born in 1938 in Okayama prefecture and studied pottery under Fujita Yoshiro. After Shuho became independent, he first produced Bizen ware for 10 years. Later he became attracted to the beauty of natural grace of Sue ware (type of unglazed pottery made from the middle of the K...