Water jar on rounded bottom. Stoneware with dark brown slip-like glaze on the lower part, leaving the bottom free and a thin translucent glaze on the neck and mouth, both with fine crackle. A slender strip of engraved rope design decoration on the shoulder of the receptacle. Seto, Mino ware. Japan, Edo period.
H ca. 8-¼ inches.
Scratches on the body, worn down patches on the mouth, otherwise good condition.

Hollow stoneware sculpture of a tiger sitting on its haunches, growling at the world, showing its shark-like white teeth. Somewhat folky piece. Incised artist’s seal, unidentified. Japan, Showa period.
Height ca. 15.5 inches.
Excellent condition.

A pair of wooden (keyaki) lion-masks used in the shakkyo-dance in the no-theater. They are small masks to be operated by the left and right hands of the dancer. The lower jaws, the ears and the tama and horn can be moved by turning the sticks that they are put on. It is also possible that these were used in the shishimai that was performed during New Year, to exorcise streets and houses of all kinds of evil. Wood with white metal eyes, gilded teeth and goat hair mane. One tip of a curl missing. Lacquer on frontal parts missing, one of the handles cracked, basically very good condition. W 6.5 in. x L 5.5 in. Japan, 20th century.

The print merely illustrates the use of the masks. It does NOT come with the lot.

Original wooden sign board for an optician (Nakatani). The central image is a pince-nez with real convex lenses set in the wood. The sign is advertising all kinds of eye glasses, concave, convex and flat lenses. Japan, Meiji period. Original piece, from the period, no reproduction.
Measurements of wood: H 13 x W 18 x T 1 inches (ca. 33 x 45.75 x 2.5 cm); height with hanging loops: 14 3/8 inches (36.5 cm).
Weathering, paint losses, usual chips and dents, some warping, all in all very good condition.

Sculpture of Daruma, sitting wrapped in his garment. Typical meditation posture. Kiri (Paulownia) wood. Unsigned. Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
Height: 10 ½ inches; width: 6 inches (ca. 26.6 x 15 cm).
Some minor rubbed spots, some fritting at edges, beautiful patina, very good condition.

Framed painting of an unidentified grouping of pairs of animals: horses, monkeys, boar, chicken and rooster and four other bird species. Black ink, gofun, mineral colors on paper. Probably Japan, perhaps Korea? Folk art. 19th century.
Frame ca. 47 x 16 inches (119.4 x 40.6 cm)
Paper creased, few cracks in the paper, some color rubbed.

Storage jar for liquids with pouring spout. The brown stoneware body wrinkled and irregular, the neck shaped by hand with many finger impressions of the potter. The body covered with transparent glaze; on the neck and shoulder a thick splash of transparent glaze, mixed with white, green and brown pigments and some small splashed underneath. In the bottom impressed seal mark in the shape of a double gourd. Probably Karatsu ware. Japan, 18th century.
Comes with wooden storage box that is not original to the piece.
Height 11 1/8 in. (28.2 cm), diameter ca. 9 in. (23 cm).
Two old thin cracks running down from the mouth.

Wooden folk art carving of a giant penis. Strapped around it are red and white twisted cotton cords (imenawash) with paper strips (gohei). Japan, 20th century.
H 24.5 inches (62.2 cm).
Excellent condition.
The piece may have stood in a fertility shrine or may have been used in a festival.

Sturdy sake bottle with creamy white glaze over grayish white stoneware with a fine crackle, the neck covered in dark brown glaze, dripping down. Seto ware, 19th century.
Height: ca. 10.25 inches (ca. 26 cm).
Neck broken and restored.

Kanban or shop sign. The sign indicates that the store would sell or manufacture ornamental pin holders (ireko ningyo) for the oar pin to fall into. The pin holders are decorated as a male and a female face in court style, their mouths wide open. The words ireko ningyo branded into the wooden board. On the back of the board paper label with a flying plover and the words ireko ningyo; another paper label shows the proper use of the ireko ningyo on the oar of a Japanese rowing boat. Japan, early 19th century.
Measurements: 19 in. (47.5 cm) wide, height 10.75 (26.8 cm) and 8 inches (20 cm).
Painting virtually completely worn off, upper side missing, old repairs with iron nails.

a) Two-sided cookie mold carved with three molds with text and two with mani-design on one side, and five molds with text on the other side. Cherry wood. Japan, Taisho period. L 15 7/8 in. (40.4 cm). b) Two-sided cookie mold with five molds with text on each side. Cherry wood. Japan, Taisho period. L 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm).
a) Traces of usage (some splintering at edges and few stains), b) repaired stress crack. Both with eyelet attached to hang on wall.

Cookie mold carved from a piece of wood too small for the intended size of the cakes, so one edge had to be added. Square molds with diamond patterns. A separate, tightly fit segment shapes the bottoms of the cakes. Cherry wood. Japan, Taisho period.
L ca. 16.75 in. (42.5 cm).
Some stains, thin stress crack at tip, pegged on edge (this is not a repair, but done at the time of manufacture), some insect damage at tip. Eyelet attached to hang on wall.

Two-sided cookie mold for two different candies. One side has 10 half globular indentations to form five spherical candies. The other side has five square molds for cookies with text. Burn mark of the manufacture. Cherry wood. Japan, Taisho period.
L ca. 13.5 in. (34.2 cm)
Stress crack in the tip, abrasions at the tip, beautiful dark patina from heavy use (obviously on one side only), metal eyelet attached to hang mold on wall. All in all very good condition.

Shop sign or advertisement for cooking oil (abura). Front incised with characters and hiragana with advertisement for a Tokyo based company selling the oil. On the back in katakana in black inky lacquer: Meriyasu. Two iron eyes in the top for hanging. Traces of white pigment in calligraphy. Japan, early 20th century.
H 32.25 in. (81.9 cm); W 10 in. (25.4 cm).
Few stress cracks of no consequence, very good condition.

Shop sign or other sign in the shape of a sitting Fukusuke (dwarf) dressed in kamishimo, holding his hands in his lap. Inscription on the bottom. One side decorated. Wood with incised decoration. Iron ring inserted on top. Japan, 20th century.
H incl. ring: 26.5 inches (67.4 cm)
Wood cracked where ring inserted, otherwise good condition.

Fukusuke are believed to bring prosperity to business, hence probably the inscription of ‘full house’ at the bottom. It has approximatly th esame meaning as a maneki neko.