Painting of the six-tusked elephant, the companion of the bodhisattva Samantabhadra, being washed and scrubbed by two attendants underneath a tree. Samantabhadra is standing toward the left with two more attendants. Ink and colors on paper. Several seals in all margins, inscription on the upper right. Unidentified artist. China, Qing dynasty, 18th century
Painted area: 55 ¼ x 30 3/8 inches.
Several restored spots and cracks (backed with thin strips of paper), no mounting but the painting is laid down on thin Chinese or Japanese paper.

Small sculpture of the bodhisattva Guanyin, sitting on a rock with a hand scroll in his hand. Yellowish brown stained boxwood with few insets where the wood had a natural knot. China, 20th century.
Height ca. 8 inches.
Few very thin material cracks, as is normal for larger sculptures in boxwood, otherwise excellent condition.

Small shrine presenting the Buddha of Medicine and Healing, Yakushi Nyorai, standing on a multi-tiered base, holding a sacred jewel in his left hand. Wooden sculpture with finely painted gold decoration. On the gilded doors of the shrine lotus flowers and lotus leaves painted in black ink and mineral colors. The shrine is a black lacquered wooden case. Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
Height shrine: 5.5 inches (14 cm).
Some touch-ups of black lacquer on outside of shrine, otherwise excellent condition.

Small shrine presenting the Amida sanzon. Wooden sculpture of standing Amida Buddha, carefully decorated in gold, standing on a lotus base surrounded by clouds. On the doors of the shrine are painted in black ink, mineral colors and gold Seishi bosatsu with his hands folded in prayer and Kannon bosatsu holding the lotus base. The Amida triad is descending to Earth to welcome the deceased to Western Paradise (raigo). The shrine itself is a gold lacquered wooden case with very fine metal hardware. Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
Height shrine: 6.5 inches (16.5 cm).
Figure: Few repaired breaks (one hand, one cloud, one tip of a cloud), two tiny missing pieces. Shrine: chips and abrasions on edges. All in all excellent condition.

A pair of medium size guardians, nio. The one on the right with his mouth closed wards off evil with one hand and holding a now lost object in the other. The Nio on the left, with his mouth wide open, holds a single pronged vajra in one hand while warding off evil with the other. Soft wood (kiri or sugi) with lots of traces of mineral colors (red, blue, green). Japan, Edo period, late 18th, early 19th century.
Height: circa 33.5 inches.
Some repairs, few cracks, basically in very good and stable condition.

A pair of nio figures, standing on a rock-shaped base. Wood with red, black ochre and green lacquer. The eyes inlaid in glass or crystal. Typical style of an unidentified studio that has been active at least since the 18th century and that often produced oni no nembutsu, ceremonial dagger holder in the shape of demons and other often witty subject matter. Japan, early 19th century.
Height: circa 20.5 inches and 21 inches.
A: wooden kegs in feet re-placed and refitted (with pegs). A and Um: Some restored and unrestored cracks, all in all excellent condition.

De-accessioned from the Denver Art Museum. Original label still on the bottom.

Circular hand shrine, or zushi, in two halves. On the inside, one half shows, carved, the bodhisattva Kokuzo with a sword in the right and a jewel in his left hand. He sits on a lotus base, placed on a rock. Details of the carving and the background painted in gold, black, iron red and malachite green. The other half shows a two-toned gold painted decoration of a lotus pond, a rock and a cloudy sky. The outside left plain. Comes with a custom made wooden stand. Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Diameter: ca. 1 ¾ inches (4.4 cm).
Scarf tip on the right side of figure missing, scarf on the left repaired, sword repaired (all original pieces), otherwise very good condition.

Hand shrine, or zushi, of the triptych type. Inside, in the middle section sits Amida Nyorai on a lotus base, flanked by Seishi and Kannon bosatsu. Inside the left panel, and inside the right panel tennin (apsara) flying over a lotus pond. Image of Western Paradise.
Sandal wood. The outside covered in a dark, translucent lacquer, sprinkled with clouds of nashiji and on the front two kiri-mon in slightly raised gold-takamakie and the overlap in the middle decorated with gold lacquer karakusa over silver lacquer background, imitating engraved hardware. The inside carved in raised relief in different levels, the background covered in lapis lazuli, the carving decorated with gold paint and touches of malachite. Silver hinges in the shape of butterflies.
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Height: ca. 3 ½ inches; width when open: 5 ¾ inches (9 cm; 14.5 cm).
Lapis lazuli somewhat rubbed, all in all very good condition.

Hand shrine, or zushi, in the shape of a lotus pod, carved in two halves. On the inside, on one side the sitting figure of Amida Nyorai on a lotus base, his hands in mudra in his lap, against a gilded background. The other half of the lotus bud is inscribed in black ink on a gold lacquer background with the mantra Namu Amida Butsu. Comes with its original brocade pouch. And with a custom made wooden stand. Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Very light, soft wood, undecorated. On the outside carved in the shape of a lotus flower in a late stage, showing the seeds in the pod in the center. On the inside, on a gold background there is a relief carving applied. There is a inventory number in black ink on the rims of bowl and cover 32.45.9.A and 32.45.9.B.
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Diameter: 2 7/8 inches (7.3 cm).
Very good condition.

Hand shrine, or zushi, in the shape of a lotus bud, carved in two halves. On the inside, on one side the standing figure of Amida Nyorai on a lotus base, his hands in mudra. The other half of the lotus bud is decorated with a mutsume pattern (imitating a triaxial weaving) in kirikane (very thin strips of gold foil). Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Very light, soft wood. On the outside red lacquer, covered with leaf gold, that is partly rubbed off again. On the inside much of the carving is decorated with brush applied gold, and kirikane for the background of both halves.
Japan, Edo period, late 18th, early 19th century.
Total height: 4 ½ inch (11.4 cm).
One hand of the Buddha missing, the other glued, lower lip chafed. Few chips and dents at edges, all in all very good condition.

A pair of slightly abstracted foxes, sitting at their haunches, tails curled wound their feet, their heads turned upwards, as they are gazing at the moon. Patinated bronze. Each of them engraved on the bottom ‘Kozan’ in archaic script. Brown patinated bronze with roughened surface. Japan, mid 20th century.
Comes with tomobako, the cover inscribed on the outside tsuki miru kitsune (foxes looking at the moon) and stamped seido sei (made of bronze); the cover signed and sealed on the inside Kozan saku, Kozan.
Height 10 and 10 1/8 inches (25.2 and 25.8 cm).
A few tiny dents at the bottom edge of one of the foxes, otherwise excellent condition.

The signature Kozan belongs to the artist Sakai Kozan, who was active in Takaoka during the Showa period, mid to late 20th century. The Sakai bronze manufacture is still active today.

Group of four altar pieces: One larger altar table, wood, red, ochre and black lacquer, and gilded at the front and top. Two smaller altar tables, wood, red, ochre and black lacquer and gilded at front ant top. One small empty shrine, black lacquered wood and gilding. Japan, later Showa period. The shrine and one of the smaller stands earlier 20th century.
Larger table 14 ¾ in. long x 5 in. high x 4 ¾ in. deep; smaller tables each ca. 11 in. long x 4 ¾ in. high x 3 ½ in. deep; shrine ca. 7 ½ in. high.
All with slight, but unoffending traces of usage, very good condition.

Two gilt bronze hangings, probably called yoraku, used as Buddhist altar decorations. They are made of a cap in the shape of a lotus leaf. From seven points rows of pierced diamond shaped and triangular metal ornaments are hanging, with glass beads between them, each with two or three bell shaped drops. One string in the middle with at the bottom a larger bell-shaped pendant. Japan, Showa period, probably later 20th century.
Total length of each: ca. 11 inches.
Excellent condition.

These kind of ornaments would be hanging from the corners of a baldachine, or large moveable shrine.

Two gilt bronze hangings, probably called yoraku, used as Buddhist altar decorations. They are made of a cap in the shape of a lotus leaf. From sevenpoints rows of pierced diamond shaped and triangular metal ornaments are hanging, with glass beads between them, each with two or three bell shaped drops. One string in the middle with at the bottom a larger bell-shaped pendant. Japan, Showa period, probably 1950 or a little earlier.
Total length of each: ca. 7 inches.
One triangular ornament bent, but not broken, otherwise excellent condition.

These kind of ornaments would be hanging from the corners of a baldachine, or large moveable shrine.

Very rare bronze sculpture of Daiitoku, one of the five Myoo. He is represented with six heads (three large, three small), six legs and six arms that are holding the different attributes, while he is sitting on the back of a reclining buffalo. Here, Daiitoku holds two of his hands clasped together. In the others he holds a staff, chakra, sword and trident. Mandorla with flames stuck into the back of the buffalo. Brown bronze with green corrosion. Japan, Edo period, 18th century.
Measurements: ca. H 12.25 x L 9 x W 7 inches (ca. 31.75 x 22.8 x 17.75 cm).
Tips of the top flames on the mandorla missing and a bit bent, otherwise excellent condition.

Daiitoku (Sanskrit Yamantaka) is an emanation of Amida Buddha; he is positioned in the West; the white buffalo is a symbol of enlightenment; he has the power to eliminate evil and to establish goodness and to defeat poisonous snakes and dragons.