$1,200.00
On the back are two ‘loops’ to hang the tile up.
Japan, Seto, Meiji era, 1870s-1900.
H 10.6 x W 39.25 x D 0.25 in.
Excellent condition
The tile might have been part of a wooden bench or bed, mounted as the back or head board.
Very rare.
$450.00
Inside of the cover signed with black lacquer seal: Tairei; bottom of box impressed seal of the wood worker who made the box: ‘To’ inside a double gourd.
Comes with the original wooden storage box. Outside of cover inscribed: Ko…, tabakohako (Small…, tobacco box). Signed inside of cover: A spring day in Showa 26 (1951), Tairei saku and red seal Tairei. Bottom inscribed, as well.
Japan, Showa era, 1951
H 1.25 x W 3.25 x D 2.75 in.
Excellent condition
From the collection of Ed and Julie Lewis, Chicago
Takai Tairei (1880-1971) was trained in the workshop of the Imperial Artist Ikeda Taishin. He lived in the Aoyama ward of Tokyo. In his young years he made inro and pipe cases in the Zeshin/Taishin style. Later on, he produced boxes and trays with lacquer decorations directly applied on the wooden objects (kiji makie), such as the one presented here. After World War II, Tairei made his living by manufacturing lacquered jewelry: obi pins, brooches and rings, while continuing making kiji makie objects. His brother-in-law was the famous lacquer artist Akatsuka Jitoku, who was married with his elder sister Takai Kei (1877-1946).
$550.00
Inside of the cover signed in gold lacquer: Tairei.
Comes with the original wooden storage box. Outside of cover inscribed: Hozuki, .. tabakohako (Lantern plant, small box in tobacco box). Signed inside of cover: Tairei saku and seal Tairei.
Japan, Showa era, 1950s
H 1.5 x W 3.8 x D 3.4 in.
Cover with crack (through fruit), traditionally restored with dove tails.
From the collection of Ed and Julie Lewis, Chicago
Takai Tairei (1880-1971) was trained in the workshop of the Imperial Artist Ikeda Taishin. He lived in the Aoyama ward of Tokyo. In his young years he made inro and pipe cases in the Zeshin/Taishin style. Later on, he produced boxes and trays with lacquer decorations directly applied on the wooden objects (kiji makie), such as the one presented here. After World War II, Tairei made his living by manufacturing lacquered jewelry: obi pins, brooches and rings, while continuing making kiji makie objects. His brother-in-law was the famous lacquer artist Akatsuka Jitoku, who was married with his elder sister Takai Kei (1877-1946).
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Signature at the end of the scroll, on the far-left side: Yamato-e Miyagawa Choshun zu. Gourd-shaped red seal: Choshun.
Very fine and detailed paintings in black ink, mineral colors and gofun (pulverized calcified shells) on paper. The hair and some of the garments are painted in black lacquer which has a sheen to it. The photos show the hair as gray, which is a light reflection. In reality, the hair is jet black.
The scroll consists of four pieces, joined together and laid down on thin Japanese backing paper for stability. Wooden scroll knobs. Comes with a futomaki, protective roll.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century
Height 10.75 inches, length ca. 130 inches.
More photos available upon request
Condition:
Missing areas along the lower edge, mostly in the first quarter of the scroll, few small missing spots and areas throughout the scroll, and restored tears. All of this stabilized by the background paper.
Provenance: Private collection Portland, OR, purchased from Brodney Gallery in Boston, MA
Miyagawa Choshun (ca 1683-1752) was a painter in the ukiyo-e style, founder of the Miyagawa school of painting. He lived and worked most of his life in Edo. Early on, he was influenced stylisticly by Hishikawa Moronobu, borrowing groups of figures from Moronobu’s paintings. He painted in hanging scroll format and created hand scrolls. He did not design woodblock prints.
$200.00
From the center of the cover, the surface has been divided into eight ‘cake slices’. The decoration in underglaze blue (sometsuke) runs continuously the center of the cover, with a small flower in the middle, to the bottom. Each slice has been decorated. Two slices with birds with a flower in their beaks, two with a landscape, four with geometric motifs.
Signature in underglaze blue: Tokusen.
H 2 x W 2.25 x D 2.25 in.
Excellent condition
Comes with the original wooden storage box, cover inscribed: shôzui hakkaku kogo (octagonal incense box), box signed on the side: Tokusen tsukuru and seal Tokusen.
Nishimura Tokusen III (1928-2007) was a famous potter from the Nishimura family in Kyoto. His grandfather opened the Tokusen-kiln on Gojosaka, which he took over. Tokusen trained under his father, Tokusen II, Kusube Yaichi and Kiyomizu Rokubei VI. However, given the seal on the box, it may be that this piece was not made by Tokusen III, but by Tokusen II. Nothing is known about him.
$325.00
Inside, the surface is covered in thin brown lacquer, allowing the wood grain to show. The cover is signed on the inside in makie gold lacquer: Tairei.
Japan, Showa era, 1950s
1.25 x 4.3 x 2.7 in.
Minimal traces of usage on the inside of the box, overall in excellent condition
From the collection of Ed and Julie Lewis, Chicago
Takai Tairei (1880-1971) was trained in the workshop of the Imperial Artist Ikeda Taishin. He lived in the Aoyama ward of Tokyo. In his young years he made inro and pipe cases in the Zeshin/Taishin style. Later on, he produced boxes and trays with lacquer decorations directly applied on the wooden objects (kiji makie), such as the one presented here. After World War II, Tairei made his living by manufacturing lacquered jewelry: obi pins, brooches and rings, while continuing making kiji makie objects. His brother-in-law was the famous lacquer artist Akatsuka Jitoku, who was married with his elder sister Takai Kei (1877-1946).
$300.00
Inside the surface is covered in plain black lacquer, the cover signed in makie gold lacquer: Tairei.
Japan, Showa era, 1950s
1.25 x 4.3 x 2.7 in.
Few traces of usage on the inside of the box, overall in excellent condition
From the collection of Ed and Julie Lewis, Chicago
Takai Tairei (1880-1971) was trained in the workshop of the Imperial Artist Ikeda Taishin. He lived in the Aoyama ward of Tokyo. In his young years he made inro and pipe cases in the Zeshin/Taishin style. Later on, he produced boxes and trays with lacquer decorations directly applied on the wooden objects (kiji makie), such as the one presented here. After World War II, Tairei made his living by manufacturing lacquered jewelry: obi pins, brooches and rings, while continuing making kiji makie objects. His brother-in-law was the famous lacquer artist Akatsuka Jitoku, who was married with his elder sister Takai Kei (1877-1946).
$450.00
Inside of the cover signed with red lacquer seal: Tairei; bottom of box stamped seal of the wood worker who made the box: ‘To’ inside a double gourd.
Comes with the original wooden storage box. Outside of cover inscribed: Shijimi, kiri kobako (Clam shell, small box in Paulownia wood). Signed inside of cover: Tairei saku and seal Tairei.
Japan, Showa era, 1950s
H 1.25 x 3.3 x 2.75 in.
Excellent condition
From the collection of Ed and Julie Lewis, Chicago
Takai Tairei (1880-1971) was trained in the workshop of the Imperial Artist Ikeda Taishin. He lived in the Aoyama ward of Tokyo. In his young years he made inro and pipe cases in the Zeshin/Taishin style. Later on, he produced boxes and trays with lacquer decorations directly applied on the wooden objects (kiji makie), such as the one presented here. After World War II, Tairei made his living by manufacturing lacquered jewelry: obi pins, brooches and rings, while continuing making kiji makie objects. His brother-in-law was the famous lacquer artist Akatsuka Jitoku, who was married with his elder sister Takai Kei (1877-1946).
$300.00
Unsigned, Japan, early to mid-19th century
H 0.75 x diam 2.55 in.
Excellent condition
Comes with an inscribed wooden storage box: Cha, marugata, kogo (tea, circular shape, incense box).
Although neither the kogo, nor the storage box is signed, the work is reminiscent of works by the Komazawa Risai family of joiners who were so skillful that they were allowed to create utensils for the prestigious tea schools, such as Omotesenke. A very similar box signed Komazawa Risai 8th was recently (2023) sold in Kyoto, Japan.
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The shoulder of the vase decorated in blue, white and greenish enamels and gold with leaf-like shapes, meandering lines and dots.
Unsigned. Japan, Meiji era or later? The vase itself may be earlier than the enamel decoration
H 15 in. (38 cm)
Excellent condition
Previously in the “Memento mori” collection of Richard Harris, Chicago. The collection was on display at several locations, under the title “The Death, A Self-portrait” (2012/13 London) and “Morbid Curiosity: The Richard Harris Collection” (2012 Chicago)
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Sculpted wood with dark staining, rubbed in places
Japan, Showa era, mid-20th century
H 7.25 x D 5.4 x W 3.25 in.
Very good condition
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The figure has been carved out of several blocks of wood that were subsequently assembled into the final figure. This technique is called yosegi saiku and was widely used for complex sculptures like these. The tail is stuck into the back, remaining loose. The lotus base on the back is made is in two segments, loosely inserted into the back with a wooden peg.
The rather folky character of it makes it an extremely charming piece.
Japan, Muromachi period, 15/16th century.
Height 17 ½ in., length 21 in., depth 6 ½ in. (44.5 x 53 x 17 cm).
Some edges of the different blocks chipped, chip to lotus base, chips to the tips of mane on head and to hair tufts at legs, all commensurate with age. All in all in very good and stable condition.
$1,500.00
Tiny signature in gold lacquer on the bottom: Gaho.
The kogo was made for the tea master Hisada Soya for the use in the tea ceremony.
Kyoto, Japan, April 1994.
H ca 0.75 in. x Diam ca 3.4 in.
Comes with a double storage box. The outer lacquered in reddish brown. Paper label on the inside of the cover: A kogo (incense box) with a beloved Imperial carriage in makie, in imitation of an hinoki suzuribako possessed by Rikyu to commemorate the 1200th anniversary of the founding of the capital Heian in April 1994
Hanshôan Jingyûsai Sôya (Urasenke Tea master of the Hisada family)
The inner box signed on the bottom “Kyoto, Gaho”, and with artist’s seal “Gaho” and inscribed on the inside of the cover: Made by Gaho, Imperial carriage, kogo, Jingyusai.
Maehata Gahō (b. 1936) is a traditional Japanese lacquer artist who is well-known for making traditional, high-quality utensils for the Japanese tea ceremony, incorporating Rimpa school motifs in his lacquer works. He is the first son of Maehata Shunsai and the eighth head of the Maehata household. He received his training in lacquered tea utensils from Murata Dōkan, ishiji-nuri lacquer from Nakamura Chokan, and Kaga Maki-e from Hoya Bisei.
Hantokoan Jingyûsai Hisada Sôya (1925-2010) was the 12th tea master of the Hisada family in the Urasenke school tradition.
$250.00
Unsigned. Stamped in the flat bottom: Yamanaka & Co. Inc., and Made in Japan.
Japan, early Showa era, 1920s-1930s.
H 1.75 x D 1.6 in.
Two small casting flaws that were repaired at the time of production.
The stamp ‘Made in Japan’ was required for objects exported to the US and other western countries in the 1920s and 1930s. The stamp of Yamanaka & Co. indicates that the piece was made for Yamanaka & Co., to be sold in one of their stores outside of Japan.
Yamanaka & Co. was founded in the 1910s by Yamanaka Sadajiro, who had come to New York in 1894 and set up a small antique store in Chelsea. In 1917 the Fifth Avenue gallery was opened, followed by branch offices in Boston, Chicago, London, Paris, Shanghai and Beijing.
$500.00
Ink, mineral colors and gold wash on silk.
Signed Wakō, seal Wakō.
Mid-20th century or a little later.
Mounting: H 67 x W 23.5 in. (inc. scroll ends)
Painting: H 42 x W 16 in.
Very good condition. Scroll ends are plastic, imitating ivory.
Comes with the original wooden storage box. Inscription outside: Kyokojitsu (Rising sun). Inside signed Wako and with red seal Wako.
Wakō is the artist name of Kasai Toshiyuki (b. 1917 in Gifu Prefecture) who was active during the Showa era (1926-1989). He studied painting under Katō Eizō (Nihonga artist, 1906-1972 from Gifu Prefecture). He was chosen for the Nitten 20 times, 9 times for the Nisshunten. He won many awards.
$800.00
The six rings symbolize the Six Realms of Existence where Jizō is active and the Six Perfections that lead to nirvana: generosity, morality, patience, vigor, concentration, and wisdom.
Mounted on a short wooden pole, covered with red lacquer.
Cast sentoku. Japan, 19th century.
H including pole ca. 10" (25.2 cm);
H metal head only ca. 4.75" (12.3 cm).
Minimal corrosion on head, otherwise very good condition. Comes with a custom-made metal base.
P.O.R.
Wood with remnants of polychrome pigments red, white and grayish black.
Japan, late Edo period (18th/19th century).
H mask 13 in.; H with stand 18.5 x W 9.75 in.
Mounted on a stand, sitting on a pole that has been inserted through the chin of the mask. Also metal wire across the back for hanging (attached with two small nails behind the ears).
Color pigments strongly rubbed, various scrapes and chafes, material cracks and some old damage
$600.00
Unsigned. Meiji era, early 20th century, Japan
L 18 x W 8.25 x H 3.75 in.
Few scuffs and dents that do not disturb the beauty of the piece.
Jindai sugi wood is old wood from the Japanese cedar that is said to be a thousand to several thousand years old, found buried in lake beds or marshes. The iron content of the wood gives it a deep grey-brown sometimes black, rich color. Most of the carvings made of jindai sugi are toads. Any other animal imaged in this wood is relatively rare.
A minogame is a turtle with long strands of algae growing from its shell. The way the algae flow down from the shell, they resemble a farmer’s raincoat made of straw, called a mino. Hence the name minogame. In order to grow such algae, the turtle is considered to be extremely old. It is considered a symbol of longevity.