Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (30)

A pair of Japanese Imari porcelain dishes. A later example with Namban (or Nanban - Southern barbarian) subject "Black Ship" dishes. The decoration in the Imari palette depicting Portuguese figures and their famed trading ship, that between Japan and China. Good condition. Showa period, probably mid 20th century. Dimensions: Diameter about 10 inches, Height about 1 3/8 and 1/14 inches respectively.

A teal colored cloisonne enamel vase with peony and vine decoration within fine silver wire and with subtle blue on yellow hues accenting the petals and leaves. Two character signature on the silver footrim and in the box (and with printed material) accompanied when acquired. Excellent condition. Height, 8 1/2 inches

One Japanese blue and white porcelain dish. Shonsui style decoration in roundels of birds in branches with berries and of peonies, all centered by geometric decoration along the inside of the foliate rim. The back with similar decoration of roudels, blue and white band decoration above the foot rim centering a four character mark within a blue ring. Good condition. Diameter, 7 1/2 inches. Ca 1900/early 20th century. (Seven like this available: one each may be acquired at the offer price price, up to seven.)

One Japanese porcelain mamezara (bean, or appetizer, dish.) Fine blue and white decoration of a landscape on one panel and particularly fine shades of blue decoration of a flowering prunus branch on another. Karakusa decoration on the back. Spurious Ming Chenghua mark inside the foot rim. Good condition. Length, about 6 inches. Ca 1900/Early 20th century. (Two like this available: One each may be acquired at the offer price, up to two.)

One Finely formed and decorated Japanese blue and white porcelain dish. The deep, foliate rim fired to chocolate brown along the edge is suggestive of kakiemon influence. Decoration of figure seated in royal ease pose, perhaps Kannon, in rich foliate garden setting centered by repetitive characters (perhaps suggestive of sutra or chants) inside the deep rim. The Buddhist motif is unusual. Spurious Ming Chenghua mark. Good condition. Diameter, 7 5/8 inches. Ca 1900/early 20th century. (Five like this available: Winning bidder may acquire one each at the winning bid price, up to five.)

A large Ko-Kutani style porcelain, charger sized, deep dish or shallow bowl. In the Ao-Kutani palette but with addition of red enamel to the array of blue, green, aubergine, yellow, black and chocolate brown enamel. The interior with bird perched on a peony stem, the cavetto with band of repeating diamond pattern. The back glazed green over black karakusa. The bottom yellow with black mark under a square green glazed reserve. Probably early 20th century, this quality of production can routinely be found described as 19th century. Good condition with some crazing in the glaze. Diameter, 14 15/16 inches (37.9 cm). Weight, 5.41 lb (2.453 kg)

A Bizen type kogo in form of a primitively rendered reclining sage or monk. Signed on bottom. 20th century. Good condition. Length: 5 inches (12.7 cm)

A very unusual modern Japanese pottery vase. Exaggerated chatter decoration spiraling from the foot to the shoulder, the tacky clay lifted to a very coarse texture before firing. The neck to rim, also spiraling up the vase, finished smoothly. Apparently in the tradition of the stoneware tile work kilns of Bizen and Tokoname. Studio artist marks in impressed cartouches on the foot. Excellent condition. Height, 8 inches.

A slip inlaid olive drab celadon stoneware pottery pear form bottle vase. Decoration of fish in black inlaid slip over a ground of white slip inlaid punched flowerheads. Possibly Japanese (see Korean legacy wares from provinces in Kyushu [Hizen, Higo, Satsuma] illustrated in Morse) and possibly Korean Joseon era punchong ware. Signed on bottom. Excellent condition. Indeterminate age (capped conservatively with this listing and likely at least a little earlier.) This strongly potted piece (1.01 kg, or 2.23 lb) would make a handsome addition whether Japanese or Korean to a more informed collector. Height, 7 3/4 inches (19.7 cm)

Rare "Buddha Asuka (B)" woodblock print by Kiyoshi Saito, 1955, number 40 of only 50 printed, signed in white ink and sealed in red ink both on the image area. Signed and sealed printed label "self-carved self printed" also included (attached to paper backing removed to inspect condition.)

We were not able to find a recent auction record for this image with data available. Another mid-century work by Saito (in color) titled Asuka (Kudara Kannon) [possibly confused by the artist with one of the Roku Kannon also of the Horyuji] was bestowed in 1959 by the artist to the Collection of The University of Michigan Museum of Art. It is noted that Saito was creating works in a series of early Nara sculptures around the time. A Saito subject similar to the present, muted work (but printed two years later in a run of 100) of another Nara sculpture, Miroku, was offered in Christies sale 8862, lot 306 together with a Winter in Aizu print.

The muted colors of the present work is a reflection of the somber lighting within the temples housing sculptures of this period.

Condition of the present work is good, with some toning and with brown paper tape around the edges (covering up to about a half inch margin.) A penciled note (from the framer?) appears in the margin on the verso. Some ink bleed on the verso from the original printing not at all compromising the image. Not clear if this was the first framing, the print was nonetheless not removed for some time until we removed the backing to inspect condition (image included of verso before removing paper.) Sheet height about 33 inches, sheet width about 21 1/4 inches. Image height about 29 5/8 inches, image width about 16 inches.

Japanese studio porcelain Quail family. Three pieces include male, female and young. The male and female heavy (1.8 lbs and 1.29 lbs [814 g and 586 g] respectively) and of stout potting though with well defined details and clear glaze with very faint bluish celadon trace where the glaze pools - mostly between feathers around the birds' necks. These two are clearly of earlier, accomplished production though not marked. The young quail lighter, thinner potting of a purer kaolin, glaze white with no color and details not as clearly or carefully defined (probably not as old and possibly added later to the male and female pair - likely comparable to cheaper, commercial examples more readily available on the market.) Condition of all is good. We are valuing this group strictly for the larger male and female and regarding the young quail as a "throw-in". We sense that the quail pair probably dates to Taisho or early Showa. The smaller, young quail is probably quite recent but, as we said, is a throw-in. Larger (male) about 6 1/2 (16.51 cm) inches tall and about 7 inches (17.78 cm) long from head to tail.

Japanese porcelain Kakiemon saucer dish. Overglaze red, green, yellow and blue enamel decoration with black outline. Signed by a later generation Kakiemon descendant. Very good condition. Diameter 6 1/8 inches (15.5 cm)

A fine, modern footed dish with red, green and yellow overglaze and with cobalt blue and manganese underglaze decoration. The hexagonal, everted rim with red border defining a cloud band around conforming hexagonal cavetto with chidori (sparrows) alternating with polychrome squares - borders of decoration all picked out with manganese (giving an iron effect but fading nicely into the blue decoration rather than spoiling it with fade to brown. The splayed foot with a cloud pattern in modern interpretation of the Nabeshima tradition. As we describe this unusual object, it should become more apparent that it is rather substantial (though small, sturdy potting) and not commercial production. The dish - top and bottom - as well as the foot retains impressed decoration and texture in the porcelain over which the decoration was added with deference... the blue glaze, for example, lightly filling the recesses of, perhaps, a hemp impression over a more broadly ridged surface and leaving the highpoints almost white. The same molded and impressed texture can be felt top and bottom of the dish and the cloud pattern on the foot can also be felt when running one's finger along the decoration. The unglazed foot rim reveals a fine, white kaolin with smooth feel to the touch. Unfortunately, though the molded and impressed decoration rather nicely retained texture, a square impressed mark inside the foot did not and offers no legible mark. We are comfortable proposing an attribution to Hajime Kato (1900 - 1968) but can not make any definitive claim and estimate accordingly. Perfect condition. Diameter, point to point, 6 3/4 inches (17.145 cm). Height, 2 1/4 inches (5.715 cm)

A set of seven Zohiko covered soup bowls. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko marks in silver lacquer inside the bowls' foot rims. 20th century. Bowl diameter s about 4 11/16 inches (11.9 cm). Excellent condition. Combine with other pieces from this set to save on shipping.

Four Zohiko lacquer plates. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko marks in gold lacquer on the flat bottoms without foot rims. 20th century. Very good condition with only light rubbing on the bottoms (likely easily polished out by a professional.) 20th century. Diameters 7 3/4 inches (19.685 cm). Combine with other pieces from this set to save on shipping.

Two Zohiko covered rice bowls. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko marks in gold lacquer inside the bowls' foot rims. 20th century. Bowl diameter 5 1/16 inches (12.86 cm). The bowls each with small lacquer losses along the foot rim. The lacquer otherwise being in good condition with no distress or wear of note. Combine with other pieces from this set to save on shipping.

A Zohiko covered rice bowl. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko mark in gold lacquer inside the bowl's foot rim. 20th century. Bowl diameter 5 1/16 inches (12.86 cm). The bowl has two small losses to the lacquer along the foot and one small loss to the rim. The cover is in good condition. The lacquer otherwise being in good condition with no distress or wear of note. Combine with other pieces from the set to save on shipping.

A Zohiko covered soup bowl. Colorful leaf decoration sparsely applied on black ground with almost iridescent effect with gold and silver maki-e and red details. Zohiko mark in silver lacquer inside the bowl's foot rim. 20th century. Bowl diameter 4 9/16 inches (11.59 cm). Condition is relatively quite good with only a small abrasion to the lacquer on foot rim of the bowl. The lacquer otherwise is in good condition with no distress or wear of note. A quirk in the underlying wood (not an issue with condition) conveys subtly to the surface of the cover. Combine with other pieces from this set to save on shipping.