Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian (155)

Vintage Chinese sculpture of a resting horse with its head raised and turned back, carved out of solid amethyst. Beautiful stone ranging from typical amethyst purple to rock crystal transparent, natural lines in the material. Very good quality carving capturing the essence of the creature, excellent finish, very pleasant to hold. Length 2.85 inches.

Glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in a form of tombodama bead in barrel shape with 5 bunnies frolicking in the snow by spruce trees during a snowfall. Tombodama can be translated as “dragonfly ball” and the name is thought to come about because when the molten glass is applied to the core bead it resembles a dragonfly’s eye. Beautifully made, very pleasant patina. Diameter 0.69 inches.

Vintage Chinese scholar’s buffalo horn seal of square section with crisply carved characters on the base and traces of red seal paste in the grooves. The impression of the seal is shown on the first photo where it is flipped left to right to present the image as it will print on paper. Beautiful light colored horn with wonderful brown patch, mellow patina, in great condition. Very nice object for a scholar’s desk. Height 2.4 inches, base 0.95 inches square.

Vintage small Chinese scholar’s buffalo horn seal of square section, traces of red seal paste in the grooves. The impression of the seal is shown on the first photo where it is flipped left to right to present the image as it will print on paper. Beautiful light colored horn, mellow patina, in great condition. Very nice object for a scholar’s desk. Height 1.48 inches, base 0.58 inches square.

Vintage Chinese silver with gold wash and enamel pendant in a form of a running dog with its tongue sticking out and balancing a ball on its nose. Very well made, excellent depiction of its fur, in excellent condition. Weight 2.6 grams, length 1.28 inches.

Unusual vintage Japanese tea ceremony small chawan - a tea bowl - with pink outside. The piece was made at Shigaraki kilns - one of the six ancient kilns of Japan - and displays typical coarse body with large sand particles, freely applied pink slip with clearly visible traces of potter’s fingers. Very pleasant to hold, in excellent condition. Diameter 4.26 inches, height 2.54 inches.

Netsuke of an abstract bird. Superb stylish carving wonderfully capturing the essence of the creature. Beautiful clean piece carved out of ivory and horn. Signed MHB on inlaid solid gold plaque - Michael Henry Birch (1926-2008) was one of the best 20th century netsuke carvers. Length 3.22 inches.

Rare subject marine netsuke of a swimming tadpole. Superb stylish carving wonderfully capturing the essence of the creature. Beautiful clean piece, eyes are inlaid with solid gold. Signed MHB on inlaid silver plaque - Michael Henry Birch (1926-2008) was one of the best 20th century netsuke carvers. Length 2.34 inches.

19th century netsuke of a sitting boy holding a turtle with one hand, and trying to break its shell with a stone that he holds in the other. Unusual subject, strong early carving, wonderful wear consistent with age, beautiful patina with yellowing on the back, where netsuke was touching silk of the kimono. Nice textile patterns, Height 1.41 inches.

Vintage Chinese jade carved plaque with oval recessed area depicting Boddhisattva Guanyin in low relief, and the rest of both front and back covered with Chinese characters spelling the Lotus Sutra. Beautiful true nephrite jade of delicate celadon color...

Limited edition large size original woodblock print NIGHT SCENE (RED) by Joichi Hoshi (1913-1979) printed in 1977. The print and the sheet are perfectly rectangular - all distortions are from photographyNumerous stars glow over a canopy of a weathered tree, a dramatic image in soft shades of gold metallic leaf, reds and browns...

Netsuke of a standing sumo wrestler wearing an apron and getting ready for a match. Excellent concentrated and tranquil face, great sense of volume to his limbs and body. Signed NORIMITSU inside the apron. Excellent sculpture. Height 2 1/8 inches.

Netsuke of standing Jurojin (one of the 7 Gods of happiness, usually associated with longevity) holding a scroll and a fan in his hands, with a reclining spotted deer (symbol of longevity) by his feet. Excellent carving - see the detailing of his face, incised fingernails, coat and spots of the deer. Great quality staining, beautiful patina. Signed SHINZAN on the bottom - for a brief discussion of the artist see CONTEMPORARY NETSUKE by Miriam Kinsey, p. 237. Height 2 1/16 inches.

Tall boxwood netsuke of 8 quails feeding on millet. Perfectly captured mood of the scene, extraordinary carving to the last detail, eyes are double inlaid with horn and mother of pearl, beautiful finish, in superb condition. Signed AKIHIDE on the bottom - this brilliant contemporary artist (born 1934) belonged to the So School lineage. Height 4.1 inches (104 mm).

Wooden okimono of a grinning skull by contemporary carver Brad Blakely (American, b. 1951). The piece represents a Nevadan Lovelock Cave Giant’s Skull, c. 1,000 A.D. Superbly quality carving, exquisite execution of details and textures, beautiful staining. Mountain mahogany & 14K gold reserve with the initial of the carver. Length 2.17 inches.

Glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in a form of tombodama bead in barrel shape with semitransparent body and decoration of Santa Claus, Christmas tree and falling snow. Tombodama can be translated as “dragonfly ball” and the name is thought to come about because when the molten glass is applied to the core bead it resembles a dragonfly’s eye. Beautifully made, very pleasant patina. Diameter 0.72 inches.

Vintage Chinese soapstone miniature brush rest carved to represent a Taihu scholar’s rock with numerous perforations and crevices. Beautiful Laos soapstone with part of the boulder’s original caramel colored skin left on the side, wonderful carving, compressed dust on the surface, in great condition. Wonderful object for a scholar’s desk. Length 1.57 inches, height 0.78 inches.

Vintage Japanese Komai metal obidome (sash ornament) with gold and silver decoration of bamboo stem 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. Nice design, great quality crisp metalwork, two fittings for a cord on the back, in excellent condition. Stamped SUMIJI on the back. Diameter 1.4 inches.