Catalog (37)

Rustic round platter, called ishizara in Japanese, used in kitchens and commoners’ households. Pale yellow glaze that typically leaves the foot free. The plate is slightly warped, as is common with ishizara. Seto ware, Edo period.

In the Meiji era this plate was additionally decorated in moriage technique with overglaze enamels that required lower kiln temperatures. Images is a warrior hare, dressed in more or less Chinese warrior dress, a spear and war-fan in his hands, a halo with three sacred jewels behind his head. He is in the company of a horned goblin with a war-club, together sitting on the back of a winged dragon-fish (Shachihoko).
Rim decorated with karakusa.

Mingei (folk art). Older ceramics, redecorated with appealing motifs were subsequently offered for sale to tourists who started traveling Japan in the Meiji era.

Japan, Edo period, 1800-1850 with Meiji era overglaze decoration.

H 2-2.25 x diam. 13.75 in.

Few underglaze chips in the rim of the platter, overpainted by the karakusa motif. The brown enamel on the dragon fish is irregular, but not flaking or chipping. All in all very good condition.

More photos available upon request

Sculpture of a long-nosed tanuki, walking with a hat on its back and a flask in its left paw. The piece is built around a large piece of root wood that comprises the torso, legs, the enlarged scrotum and tail. The head is a separate piece of root wood, the ears inserted. The sake flask is a small piece of root wood, and the hat is carved from a slab of a different wood species.

Hat and sake bottle are attached to the tanuki with braided silk cords.

Mingei.

Root wood with black staining.

Japan, Meiji-Taisho era early 20th century

H 15.5 in.

Thin cracks around the neck, where the head is attached to the body. Black stain is flaking. Other small chips and thin cracks commensurate with age and materials used. All in all, still in very good condition.

More images available upon request

Mask made of kiri (Paulownia) wood, showing the wide-laughing and dimpled face of god of good fortune (shichifukujin), Daikoku. The base of his hat just sitting on the top of his head.

The broad grain of the wood was used to accentuate the round cheeks, nose and nostrils. The wood was formerly stained with a reddish-brown color, now almost completely worn off. Around the eyes there are remnants of a light-colored pigment.

There are two small holes in the top of the ears in which the attachment cords would have been fastened.

The mask was made perhaps for Kyogen, the comic interludes of a noh performance. Since it has folky characteristics, it may have been used in rural theaters, on village stages or by itinerant street performers.

Japan, 19th century

H 8.25 x W 7.5 in.

The mask comes with a black lacquered metal stand. H with stand 13 in.

Chips in the pigments on the front, unimportant chips in the wood on the edges on the back. All in all very good condition.

Solid wooden folk art carving of a giant penis. Strapped around it are red and white twisted cotton cords (imenawash) with paper strips (gohei). Penises of this size were donated to Shinto shrines dedicated to fertility, in the hopes of getting pregnant. Or they were carried around during fertility festivals.

Cryptomeria (sugi) wood, red and white cotton, paper

Japan, 20th century

H 24.5 inches (62.2 cm)

Excellent condition

Clay doll figurine of a standing Shiba puppy dog, dressed up with a multi-layered collar with bells.

Very soft clay modeled in a mold and fired at low heat. Painted with gofun (ground eggshell producing the white color), natural/mineral pigments and gold, applied after the figure has cooled. The soles of the paws are left uncolored (light brown)

Japan, Meiji era, about 1900.

H 7.4 x L 7 x W 3.25 in.

The black and white of the dog’s fur is soiled, rubbed, and somewhat crumbling and fragile, showing partially the underlying brown clay, some touch-ups in the black areas; all in all, in good, stable condition

Clay dolls – kawara ningyo - have been produced in large quantities all over Japan at least since the early Edo period. They were made as toys and souvenirs for travelers. Clay was hand-modeled or put in molds to make different shapes, which were fired at a low heat. Subsequently, each figurine was painted with bright (mineral/natural) colors. It is a craft, mingei or folk art, with regional differences in colors and subject matter. In Koga, Nagasaki, the subject was mostly figures related to the foreigner traders that were living in the Nagasaki area, such as Chinese, Portuguese and Dutch, but also monkeys and other animals.
In the early days, a large variety of models were made. Although the dolls are still made today, the number of different models has been reduced.

Sculpture of Daikoku sitting on a rice bale with a big grin on his face, spilling countless jewels (tama) from his treasure bag.
Keyaki (Paulownia) wood, carved in a slightly abstracted manner, called ittobori.
Unsigned. Mingei (folk art)
Japan, 19th century.

H ca. 11 x W 10½ in.

Tension cracks (consistent with material and age), several scuff marks, painters tape on bottom.

Daikoku is one of the seven gods of good fortune. He stands for good fortune and wealth. The rice bales (good harvest) and treasure bag are two of his typical attributes.

Rustic round platter with wide rim, called ishizara in Japanese, used in kitchens and commoners’ households. Pale yellow glaze that typically leaves the foot free, turning a pale pink and then dark in the center. The plate is slightly warped, as is common with ishizara.
Nine spurmarks in the center.

Mingei

Seto ware, Japan, Edo period, 1800-1850

H 2-2.25 x diam. 12 in.

Several small scuffs and frittings in the rim, one large chip on the underside of the time, showing that the rim is hollow

From a private collection of mingei ceramics in New Jersey

Large and rustic almost round platter, called ishizara in Japanese, used in kitchens and commoners’ households. Plain light greenish-yellow glaze that typically leaves the foot free. The many pinpoint spots where the glaze did not completely cover the stoneware has allowed dirt to penetrate, giving the surface a lively spotted face. Glaze has dulled over time from constant usage.
Five spurmarks in the center.
Mingei

Seto ware, Japan, Edo period, 1800-1850

H 2.75 x W 14.5 x D 14 in.

Repaired chip on rim, one old chip under rim, several smaller scrapings and damages all commensurate with age and heavy usage. Fissures in the glaze that have no impact on stability, usability or visual appeal.

From a private collection of mingei ceramics in New Jersey

Small, sturdy platter, called ishizara, used as kitchen ware. Gray stoneware decorated with underglaze iron black and cobalt blue tama (sacred jewels) and characters, covered by a creamy, yellowish translucent and finely crackled glaze. Five spurmarks. Mingei.

Seto region, Japan, Edo period, 1800-1850

H 2 x Diam 10.5 in.

Several knicks and chips esp. on the rim edges and a short, old crack commensurate with age and heavy usage. All in all very good condition

From a private collection of mingei ceramics in NJ

Tall slender vase, slightly narrowed in the waist, with a square shoulder and short wide neck and mouth.
The finely ribbed body of middle brown coarse clay is covered with two elongated patches of thin, translucent reddish-brown glaze. The lip with splashes of greenish glaze, on the inside gray glaze.

Karatsu ware. Japan, late Edo period, mid-19th century

Height: 12.25 inches (30.5 cm).

Firing crack in bottom, NOT through and through (does not leak), otherwise mint condition

Sambaso dancer with the typical high hat (striped eboshi) with a sun disc (round circle) on each side. In his left hand he holds suzu jingle bells; his right hand, on his back, holds a fan. Single block carving (ichiboku); keyaki (zelkova) wood, carved in a faceted way, resembling ittobori, and stained dark brown.

Japan, Taisho era, 1910s-1920s.
H ca. 18 inches.
One repaired crack from the bottom going up into his left shoulder, some scuffs and chips at edges, several tension cracks. All in all very good and stable condition.

The dance Sambaso originated in noh (kyogen) theater, as a prayer for prosperity (abundant rice harvest) at the beginning of the program. The dance was adapted for kabuki and bunraku, as well. It was performed at the opening of the new kabuki season, which coincides with the beginning of the new year, or at the opening of a new theater.

Midsize storage jar, tsubo. Greyish brown stoneware, with the typical white stone inclusions, partially bursting out through the surface. The ashes in the wood burning kiln settled during the firing onto the surface of the pot and melted, creating the beautiful brownish yellow ash glaze. This is a natural process that cannot be controlled by the potter beyond the decision of placement within the kiln.

Japan, Edo period, 19th century or a bit earlier

H 11.25 inches

Very good condition

Kanban or shop sign. The sign indicates that the store would sell or manufacture ornamental pin holders for the oars on a boat (ireko), in the shape of dolls. According to the sketch pasted to the back of the kanban, this holder is mounted on the oar and is placed over a pin mounted on the boat edge. The oar pivots around that pin, so that the oar moves the boat through the water.

The pin holders are decorated as a male and a female doll in court style, their mouths wide open. The words ireko ningyo are 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 names of the different parts of a rowing oar. Ireko ningyo is almost a play of words. It means nesting dolls (doll in doll in doll), but it also means pin holder on an oar in the shape of a doll.
Wood with color pigments, iron nails. Mingei (folk art).

Japan, early 20th century.

Measurements: W 19 in.; H 8 to 10.75 in.

Paint virtually completely weathered away, upper part missing, old repairs with iron nails

A set of plain candle sticks, called shokudai, used for hanging on a wall (like sconces). Each stick is made of bamboo. On top of the stick is a forged iron hook to hang it from a horizontal beam or slat on the wall, together with a candle pricket. On the bottom is an iron sheet dripping saucer with pricket. Mingei.
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century. Very rare pieces.

L stick 1: 15 in.; depth saucer 3.5 in. L stick 2: 16 in.; depth saucer 3.5 in.

Iron corroded and connections a bit loose (not disconnected, though!), one bamboo with very thin crack the does not impact the stability or beauty of the piece. Traces of usage.

Simple wooden shishi (or lion) dance mask with movable ears and jaw. The ears and eyebrows are stained black. Behind the ears a row of small holes have been made, used for attaching the garment (the body of the lion). Mingei.
All light wood, wooden joints (ears on sticks for manipulation by hand).
Japan, 19th century.

H 6.5; D 9.5 inches.

Nice patina, minor traces of usage: small chip at one of ears, short and unimportant crack in skull. All in all very good condition.

A sitting lady in Heian era court dress and hair, clutching a giant golden matsudake mushroom. She wears a bright red hakama and light blue kimono. The shape of the mushroom has a close resemblance to a penis and the sculpture definitely has an erotic meaning.

Hand modeled, soft hollow earthenware, painted in cold-applied colors and gold.

Japan, 1960s or earlier.

H 5 in.

Colors somewhat smudged and chafed; frittings at the bottom edge. Because of the cold application, the colors are fragile and easily wash away.

Okame standing in blue over-kimono with a sweet and cheerful facial expression. Her garment falls open a little, showing a red colored underkimono or liner, indicating her profession. Cradled in her arms is a large matsudake mushroom. The shape of the mushroom has a close resemblance to a penis and the sculpture definitely has an erotic meaning.

Soft hollow cast earthenware or plaster, painted in vibrant cold-applied colors and sprinkled gold flakes.

Japan, 1960s or earlier.

H 5 in.

Colors somewhat smudged, especially the blue. Some black smudges in the white face, affecting her left eye. Because of the cold application, the colors are fragile and easily wash away.

A male figure sitting in ceremonial kamishimo dress of a striped hakama (pants) and a golden kataginu (vest) over a red kimono, his head shaped like the top of an erected penis.

Soft molded earthenware, painted in cold-applied colors and gold and silver.

Japan, 1960s or earlier.

H 4 in.

Colors and metal pigments chipping, otherwise good condition. Because of the cold application, the colors are fragile and easily wash away.

Rare subject matter