Catalog: Antiques (1210)

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with multicolored lacquer decoration of various toys, metal and mother of pearl inlays, design continuing on the back. Beautifully made out of dense wood, very good lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, overall in excellent condition. Length 4.5 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of chrysanthemum flowers with leaves and buds. Beautifully made out of dense wood allowing for fine teeth, excellent lacquer work, wonderful piece in Japanese taste, in great condition. Length 3.21 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with red and gold lacquer decoration of blooming flowers. Beautifully made out of dense wood allowing for fine teeth, very good lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, overall in excellent condition. Length 4.48 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of a river bank with growing bamboo and stones in a woven rattan container - such bundles were used for shoring riverbanks during floods. Beautifully made, excellent lacquer work, wonderful piece in Japanese taste, some insect damage as can be seen on photos. Signed in rectangular reserve with 2 characters possibly reading KOTO followed by red seal. Length 3.38 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with gold lacquer decoration of numerous meadow flowers and grasses. Beautifully made, wonderful lacquer work, wonderful piece in Japanese taste, overall in good condition. Length 4.0 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with gold lacquer decoration of plant motif, design continuing on the back. Beautifully made out of dense wood allowing for fine teeth, very good lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, overall in good condition. Length 4.4 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of a small bird in flight by bamboo. Beautifully made, excellent lacquer work, wonderful piece in Japanese taste, some insect damage to the teeth as can be seen on photos. Length 3.32 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of cranes in flight on the background of pine branches. Beautifully made out of dense wood allowing for fine teeth, excellent lacquer work, wonderful piece in Japanese taste, some losses as can be seen on photos. Length 4.06 inches.

Very unusual 19th century netsuke in a shape of an old cherry trunk with a newly blooming branch. Extraordinary elegant design in Japanese taste, mother of pearl inlaid flowers with use of lacquer at their bases, excellent patina. Length 3.9 inches (99 mm).

19th century kokutan (ebony) netsuke of a standing shishi (Buddhist lion), its mouth open in a snarl, the back arch and tail raised. Perfectly captured essence of the beast, fantastic depiction of its fur with different curls on different parts of its body, great patina with characteristic ebony sheen. Signed in 2 reserves on its behind - the most probable reading is SOSHIN. Extraordinary rendition of a beast. Length 1.28 inches.

19th century netsuke of a bronze fly on a boxwood pumpkin. Elegant clever design in Japanese taste, wonderfully rendered texture of the pumpkin skin, himotoshi (cord opening) is formed by the stem, great patina. Diameter 1.31 inches.

19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke, its top with Shibayama inlay of a mosquito. Very rare creature in Japanese art, possibly unique unique subject in netsuke. Very well made, inlays include 2 types of mother of pearl and brown buffalo horn. Beautiful patina, swinging metal loop at the back for the cord. Diameter 1.6 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke in manju (rice cake) shape with pewter, mother of pearl and lacquer decoration of ivy leaves on vines. Wonderful design, beautiful work, fine wood with dense texture. Diameter 1.5 inches.

19th century Chinese scholar’s bronze seal, its top in a form of a scholar riding a horse. The impression of the seal is shown on the first photo (image is flipped left to right to present the image as it will print on paper). Very well cast and finished, beautiful patina, has good presence. Marked with the maker’s seal on top of the base. Height 1.9 inches, base 1.3 x 1.28 inches.

Vintage Chinese silver pin in a shape of a mythical animal. Judging by the flame like mane it is possibly a huodou - a large black dog that can emit flames from its mouth. Very good crisp work, in great condition. There is no hallmark, but I am confident that the metal is silver. Weight 5.7 grams, length 1.25 inches.

19th century Japanese sword menuki of Benkei carrying a huge temple bell on his back, currently mounted as a pin. Benkei was a famous 12th century yamabushi (warrior priest), and one of his daring exploits was the theft of the bell of Miidera which he carried to his monastery on the top of the hill.. Very clever design, wonderful detailing, metal appears to be silver with gold wash (worn). Height 1 inch.

19th century Japanese silver and Satsuma obidome (sash ornament) with various blooming flowers with stems and leaves. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, it is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Excellent quality painting, numerous color and gold enamels, in excellent condition, metal fitting on the back for an obi cord. Back is stamped with a single character GIN (silver). Diameter 1.48 inches.

1930s Japanese carving of an ivory bird floating on a wooden pond. Wonderful crisp realistic carving, excellent painted highlights, very nice stand with wave patterns. Old stable crack along its side, otherwise in great condition. Bird length 2 inches, stand length 3 inches, total height 1.6 inches.