Elegant container for transporting food. Cylindrical bentwood container with round fitting cover. The handle has the same shape as the handles for buckets etc. Soft wood with reddish clear finish. Japan, Meiji period. Folk art.
Diameter 9 7/8 in. (25.3 cm), height 11 1/8 in. (28.4 cm).
Crack through the bottom of the container, repaired crack in cover, otherwise minor traces of usage. Nice and stable condition.

Sculpture of a female deity holding a jewel in her right hand and a scroll in her left. She is accompanied by two foxes, that sit to her left and right like the guardian foxes to the Inari shrines. The figures are stuck into a heavy block of dense wood. Light wood, simply carved, covered in a soot patina, underneath which bright colors are visible (lower part of garment of deity, see picture). Beautiful piece of mingei. Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
Height 10 in. (25.5 cm), width 7 ½ in. (19.5 cm), depth 3 ¾ in. (9.4 cm).
One of the hair needles broken off, two cracks in the base, hand with scroll pegged to the arm (old repair), generally very good condition.

A very similar piece in style and facial features was found, described as Korean, 19th century.

Shishi mask with movable lower jaw, of a fairly small size. Kiri wood, cleverly carved to use the grain to accentuate the curves in the face and stained with a reddish color. The bushy eyebrows, nose and mane and lines in the forehead stained black, the ears held together by cotton rope. Holes in the back of the head show where the cloth was attached. Beautiful piece of folk art. Japan, 19th century.
Height 5 3/8 in. (13.9 cm), width 8 ½ in. (22.6 cm), depth 7 3/8 in. (18.8 cm).
Bottom of lower jaw slightly rubbed, some stress cracks in upper lip, between front teeth and at back of head, black stain rubbed, one ear repaired. All in all good and stable condition.

Small shrine with inside the standing figure of Amida Buddha, both hands in mudra. He stands before a delicately open-worked halo on a double lotus flower, based on a hexagonal base. With gold decorated wood. On the inside of the doors, on the gilding in green, black, pink and white some flowering lotus plants. Japan, 18th / 19th century.
Height of case: 15 3/16 in. (39.4 cm).
Case: One part of hardware missing from left door, crack in left door (bottom), lacquer chipping off at back, some dents and small lacquer chips at edges, painting on inside of doors rubbed. Inside: Halo broken at several places and repaired, several fingers missing from both hands, otherwise good condition.

Scroll painting, sumie. Life-size figure of a heavily bearded Daruma, standing barefoot with his garment wrapped around his body. Bold, fluent brushstrokes. Inscription and seals at upper right. Seals: Hakkan’un; Kagai and unread seal. Black ink on paper. Japan, early 20th century.
Painted area: 53 13/16 x 20 1/8 in. (137.6 x 51.6 cm).
Wormage in the upper part of mounting, some very light foxing, stain in lower left corner, one tiny dent and one tiny damaged spot in paper in lower part, otherwise very good condition.

Sitting figure of a stern looking Nichiren, founder of the Nichiren sect. In his left hand he holds the scroll with the lotus sutra. In his right hand he holds a mace. Inscription in red lacquer on the back. Light wood (hollow), covered with black lacquer. Head in separate piece with crystal eyes.
Edo period, 19th century.
Height 3 ¾ in. (9.6 cm); width at bottom 6 3/8 in. (16.2 cm).
Several lacquer chips, nose repaired, lacquer cracked along wooden joints, otherwise good condition.

Two magnificent and rare end-pieces in the shape of lion-like animal heads. The pieces were held by pegs to the end of the beams in a construction. The heads show fangs and mane and curled horns. In their mouths they hold a rope or cord connected to an object that is no longer there, as if they are pulling or holding up something that was on the beam or on the building. Single piece of wood, decorated with the typical colors of red, white and green and some ochre decorations on the horns. Tibet, 18th century or earlier.
A: Approx. height 16 in.; width 15 in.; depth 15 in.
B: Approx. height 14 in.; width 16 in.; depth 14 in.
Normal wear and tear (paint chips, cracks), very good and stable condition. Repainted several times.

Very small scroll painting for in the back of a house shrine. Sumie. Daruma standing on a reed stalk crossing the river Yangtse. In the upper part a commentary or a poem. Black ink on silk. Red seal to the left. To the right the typical jar shaped seal in red.
Painted area: 7 5/8 x 3 13/16 in.
Size of whole scroll: 7 x 17 ¾ in.
Back of scroll needs fixing, scroll ends missing, painting slightly yellowed and soiled, crease at the top, some tears in lower area, due to rolling, generally good condition.
Hakuin 1685-1768.

Shrine with in the back the Grand Mandala of the Lotus Sutra, in the form of a phrase in the middle (na mu myo ho ren ge kyo), flanked by two Buddhas. In the front sits Nichiren on a high pedestal. Wood decorated with gold lacquer and other colors.
Height case 9 3/8 in. (24.7 cm).
Lacquer damage on left door of case (see picture), doors on inside and skirt regilded, fingers to left hand of Nichiren and scroll missing, mace missing, parts of base on which Nichiren sits are regilded, otherwise good condition.

Kanban with identical inscription on both sides: goko (five scents), a general, government licensed medication against all kinds of ailments. Middle brown wood with carved inscription, painted brown, gold and red. Forged iron handle on top.
Height with handle 22 5/8 in. (58.2 cm), without handle 21 in. (53.9 cm), width 7 in. (18 cm).
Some of the colors chipped out of the grooves, partly repainted and chipping again, some minor, short cracks and chips around the handle. Generally very good condition, very stable hanging condition.

Small sculpture of Fudo standing in front of a flaming halo from which three phoenix heads emerge. Fudo holds a sword in his right hand, a rope in his left. The rope is carved from wood. The halo in the back is partly wrapped around his body. Very soft wood slightly patinated. Japan, Meiji period. Height 10 5/8 in. (27.6 cm). Excellent condition.

Shrine with inside the figure of Nichiren sitting on a seven tiered elevation. Halfway up the elevation two demons are crouching, holding up the upper half of the elevation. Nichiren hold a hand scroll in his left hand, a mace in his right. He wears a richly decorated garment. Most of the decorations may have been in gold, now oxidized and gone. Lacquered wood with crystal eyes. Measurements of case: H 12 5/8; W 8 ¼; D 6 ½ in. (31.5 x 21.2 x 16.6 cm). Edo period, 18th century. Case with slight traces of usage. Figure with some cracks and missing lacquer around the joints in the wood, cracks in the face, generally good and stable condition.