Late Meiji - early Taisho (1910s-1920s) Japanese ceramic stoneware covered mizusashi (fresh water jar) for use during tea ceremony. Mizusashi is of particular importance among tea ceremony utensils: generally brought into the room by the host, it has to have reasonable weight when filled with water, and at the same time be relatively large to work harmoniously with other utensils. Cylindrical jar of E-Shino (painted Shino) ware made in Mino province (current Gifu Prefecture). Pleasing shape, cov ...click for details
1930s Japanese bronze tea ceremony hibashi (chopsticks for handling charcoal in hibachi brazier) in original signed box. Finely made of bronze with high copper contents, elegant and practical shape with thinner and thicker areas for convenience of holding, embossed areas at the working end for better handling of charcoals. Superb patina, beautiful wear, pleasantly heavy. Each chopstick is marked HYAKUO MUNEYUKI SAKU (made by Hyakuo Munechika), and I believe the maker to be a member of Myochin fa ...click for details
Japanese bamboo chashaku (tea scoop used for powdered tea during tea ceremony) of simple elegant shape with its back decorated in gold on red lacquer with long branches of pine needles. Superb quality work - see the raised texture of the needles. Comes in original box with cord, and with ukon nuno (turmeric cloth), must be about 30 years old. Box cover has an inscription and is signed by lacquer master SEIZAN followed by his seal. Excellent elegant object in perfect condition. Chashaku length 7 ...click for details
19th century Japanese bronze mizukoboshi (also called kensui) - a basin used during tea ceremony for receiving the water in which chawan (tea bowl) is rinsed. Beautiful beaten texture to the surface, cover with cut-out design. Elegant and very cleverly designed functional piece with beautiful patina to the metal, in great condition. Very good piece for scholars table. Height 3 1/8 inches, diameter 4 1/4 inches.
Taisho period (1920s) Japanese hammered copper chakin tarai - bowl used in tea ceremony for soaking tea cloth & whisk. Beautifully hammered body with petal-shaped rim and silvered inside. Obvious signs of usage on the inside, very nice delicate malachite colored areas on the outside. Signed in the center of the bottom MASAYOSHIDO TSUKURU (Made by Masayoshido) with surrounding inscription which can be translated as “Great Bear Bank Corporation” - the bowl must have been a company gift. Produc ...click for details
19th century Kyoto ware Japanese ceramic octagonal kashiki dish with enameled on the inside with a phoenix in flight above blooming flowers. Used for holding sweets served with tea. Very pleasant potting, sand-colored stoneware with beautifully crackled glaze. Decorated in Ninsei style with green, light green, red, black and blue enamels. Some wear to enamel, closed line (see Enlargement 2, at about 4 o’clock). Marked in ink on the recessed bottom - I could distinguish RAKU character, but could ...click for details
19th century/Meiji period Japanese pottery kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony) in a form of a crouched monkey wearing a hat used in Sambaso dance. Raku pottery produced in the Kyoto region, wonderful potting with well captured posture on the animal assuming human attitude. Pink/caramel glaze with white and black enamels. Stamped SETSURAKU on the bottom. Great subtle piece in Japanese taste. Height 3 7/16 inches.
19th century/Meiji period Japanese pottery kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony) in a form of a nesting chicken. Wonderful potting with great facial expression and well delineated feathers, dark yellow enamel, buff colored pottery body. Bottom shows the seal of the potter and impressions of the knife used to cut off the potted piece. Great piece in Japanese taste. Length 2 1/4 inches. Part of a small East Coast kogo collection.
19th century/ late Meiji period Japanese pottery kogo (covered box for incense during tea ceremony) in a form of cloth ball with strap handle. Characteristic Oribe rich green and aquamarine glazes pooling in some areas and producing deeper shades of color. Oribe ware (named after Furuta Oribe - a famous 16th century tea master) was produced in Mino and Seto kilns, and is particularly Japanese in taste and was not made for export. Actual rough cloth was used during potting with the result of its ...click for details
19th century round Japanese kogo (covered box for incense during tea ceremony) made in cloisonné technique. Very simple elegant shape with decoration of variously shaped reserves on the background of scrolling vines. Very pleasant finish with original pitting, gilding to the rim, no chips, star cracks, loss of enamel or restoration. Early piece in terms of Japanese cloisonné, from the period of transition from Chinese to Japanese style. Diameter 2 3/8 inches.
