Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (2763)

Antique Japanese porcelain brush washer and brush rest in the form of Daruma. Derived from BodhiDharma, the monk founder of Zen Buddhism, this is a whimsical and utilitarian object for the scholar's table. After a long meditation, Daruma opens his mouth in a wide yawn, creating the water container portion of the brush washer. He stretches his arms up over his head, his hands together, making a perfect brush rest...

Antique Japanese painted ceramic figure of seated Daruma. Made from a mold and painted, this is an unusually expressive and detailed depiction of Bodhidharma, the monk founder of Zen Buddhism. He has his traditionally intense expression and, in this case, his robes are decorated with flowers. Daruma is a popular good luck symbol for prosperity and perseverance.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 10" high x 7 1/2" wide x 7" deep.

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's storage chest). Made with keyaki (zelkova elm) wood frame and front. Sugi (cryptomeria) wood sides and top. 2 large sliding panels open to a large compartment. Below this are 4 drawers of various sizes. Iron hardware includes warabite shaped drawer pulls. Deep reddish wiped lacquer finish.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 37" high x 35 1/2" wide x 18" deep

Antique Japanese tall basket for ikebana flower arranging. Woven of narrow split bamboo. The design is slightly open at the bottom, tightens up in the middle and turns into a bold weave towards the mouth of the basket. Comes with a bamboo insert.

Age: Meiji Period 1868-1912

Dimensions: 16" high x 5 1/2" wide

Japanese antique choba tansu (merchant's chest) with locking bars and safe box. Made with keyaki (zelkova) wood frame, hinoki (cryptomeria) wood drawer fronts, sugi (cypress) wood top and side panels. The upper portion has three large full-width drawers held into place with a locking bar. The lower portion has two medium sized drawers held in place with another matching locking bar. The lower right hand side has a safe box opened by a hinged door...

Antique Japanese rectangular bronze letter box. Decorated with a highly raised design of Benten, the Goddess of knowledge, music and eloquence. She is standing on a water dragon who looks up at her admiringly. With a plectrum in one hand, she plays her biwa. Waves churn around Benten and her dragon. The sides of the box are decorated with raised waves and remnants of gilding. The interior of the box is lined with wood...

Exceptional antique Japanese small personal box made with beautiful keyaki (zelkova) wood burl. Two small drawers on the top, one of which is outfitted with interior lidded compartments. Below, are 3 full-width drawers of gradating depth. Patinated bronze hardware with square drawer pulls on the larger drawers and flower bud pulls on the top drawers. A matching square handle on the top for carrying...

Antique Japanese ikebana basket for flower arranging. Woven of both wide and narrow split bamboo with a gnarled root wood rim and handle. Tall and narrow with elegant natural form.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 21" high x 9 1/2" wide

Antique Japanese bronze temple bell or bonsho, with a handle of dragon heads called a ryuzu, protrusions called chi chi or nyu to improve resonance of sound, the tsuki-za striking panels, and the mei-bun inscription of the bell's history. Inscription dates the bell to Meiwa 4, 1767, during the Edo period. Commissioned by Ninomiya Juemon, village head and rest of villagers...

Antique Japanese 2-section isho tansu (chest on chest for clothing) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. The top section has two large drawers and the bottom section has two large drawers and two small drawers on the lower right hand side. Iron hardware includes large round lock plates on the large drawers and matching small round lock plates on the small drawers.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 41 1/2" high x 34" wide x 15 3/4" deep

Antique Japanese 2-section isho tansu (chest on chest for clothing), made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Top section has two large drawers and the lower section has two large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side. The safe is opened by a hinged door to reveal two small interior drawers. Iron hardware with unusual daikon (radish) shaped lock plates. Lovely foliated iron corner bracing and safe door hardware...

Antique Japanese bronze candlestick with a whimsical scene of a cat chasing a mouse. The cat slinks around the round base while the mouse clings to the candle pricket high above. The animals are especially well modeled and have highly detailed fur. The base of the candlestick is cast with an archaic motif made popular again during the Meiji era...

Antique Japanese scroll painting of blossoming morning glories on a vine. painted in vibrant mineral colors on silk. Signed by the artist. "Kido Son, 貴堂草衣, (1899-1984) was born in Kyoto. He studied painting at the Kyoto Municipal School of Painting and under Yamamoto Shunkyo (1871-1933)...

Antique Japanese calligraphy scroll painting by the Confucian scholar, poet, koto musician, calligrapher and artist, Ryū Kōbi (also called Ryû Sôro) (1714-1792). Sumi ink on paper. With three seals, one being his trademark Dragon seal.

This work is Waka poetry done in traditional 5-7-5-7-7 syllables or a 5-line wake poem. Which traditionally calls up an image of nature that then alludes to an emotion. This poem is one written long ago by the famous Chinese poet Zhang Ji (A...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made with all kiri (paulownia) wood on the front and sugi (cryptomeria) wood on the sides and top. The tansu has a full-width drawer on the upper portion above a compartment with sliding panels on the left and two small drawers on the right. The lower portion of the chest has two medium sized drawers on the left and a safe box above a small drawer on the lower right. The safe has a door with heavy iron hardware which opens to two small interior ...

Antique Japanese small ko tansu made all of sugi (cryptomeria) wood with lovely raised akita sugi wood on the front. Three large drawers with squared iron drawer pulls and rectangular locks. On the lower right hand portion are two small drawers with ring pulls.

Late Edo/Early Meiji Period (circa late 1800's)

Dimensions: 21 1/2" high x 23 1/4" wide x 12 3/4" deep

Antique Japanese low Todana tansu with one large drawer and a compartment opened with sliding panels. Mostly made of Sakuranoki (Cherry) wood, the sliders have horizontal slats over Keyaki (Zelkova) wood panels. As well, the side panels of the tansu are also made of Keyaki. The sides and back of the tansu are reinforced with sakura wood bracing. Hardware includes iron Warabite drawer pulls and lock on sliding panels.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 20" high x 34 3/4"...

Japanese pair of shrine figures depicting two Lucky Gods, Ebisu and Daikoku. On the left is Ebisu, a popular god of business prosperity and abundant crops as well as the patron of fishermen. Carved from wood, he stands with a fish under one arm and a smile on his face. On the right is Daikoku, who represents prosperity and is the protector of crops. He is the patron of cooks, farmers and bankers. Carved from wood, he stands on bales of grain with a big bag slung over his shoulder. Ebisu an...