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Aizen Myoo sits on his typical lotus throne on top of the vase full of jewels, surrounded by a circular, red, flaming nimbus. Around the foot of the jewel filled vase are sacred treasures scattered around.
Daiitoku Myoo rides in standing position a long horned buffalo who jumps over waves, while Daiitoku draws his bow.
Rich brocade mounting with the chrysanthemum and the paulownia crests.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.
Painted silk of each: H 16.8 x W 9.3 x in. (42.7 x 23.6 cm).
With mounting H is approx. 50.5 in.
Restored tear in the upper half of the Daiitoku-painting, otherwise good conditions.
Comes with a plain (uninscribed) wooden storage box.
Aizen and Daiitoku are two of the Myoo who – in Esoteric Buddhism - subdue evil spirits and convert nonbelievers to the teachings of Dainichi Buddha.
$250.00
Impressed maker’s mark in bottom: Jocho? tsukuru.
Japan, Seto region, Oribe, Meiji era, ca. 1900. Diam 7.25 x H 0.8 inches
2 old small chips and some frittings on rim, consistent with age and use
$1,800.00
He is dressed in Chinese garment, standing on the back of a kida (a beast that is half turtle, half dragon-snake), holding an enormous sword. Behind his back a nimbus with seven discs, representing the seven stars of the Big Dipper. To the left of the rock base the head of a snake pops out. (Probably a snake was wound ”around” the giant turtle and broke off. When the sword was replaced, the restoring person found the snake head and did not know that the snake head should pop up on the side of the turtle, and not from the rock.)
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Height case: 8.25 inches (21 cm).
Case: Usual wear and tear, on back label with the text: 19th century Japanese lacquer shrine of Buddha. C. 1820.
Figure: Sword replaced, snake broken off from side of dragon-turtle and glued to the wrong spot, traces of glue on back of turtle (excess glue from underneath deity’s feet), crack in head along the seam of the blocks, polychrome pigments curling up and chipping off at places (showing the underlying gesso).
Otherwise good condition.
$1,000.00
Japan, 18th/19th century.
Height 7.5 inches, width 6 inches at the neck. Ash glaze partially rubbed off at upper edge and at the body commensurate with holding and using, otherwise very good condition.
$2,000.00
Behind the door, there are two full width drawers, one half-width small drawer and two mid-size ones with iron locks.
The exterior of the chest is made of keyaki (Zelkova) wood, which is unusual. Drawers made of the softer, kiri wood with iron hardware. Wrought iron handle on the top of the chest. Door, corners and edges fitted with sturdy and very decorative ironwork, ornamental lock.
Bottom inscribed in black ink by carpenter.
Japan, 19th century
H 19 x W 16.25 x D 19.5 inches (48 x 41.4 x 49.5 cm)
Traces of usage (stains, dents, scratches), some of the iron hardware reattached or replaced or missing, 4 bottom slats re-attached or perhaps replaced at an earlier date. All damages acceptable as traces of usages. All replacements acceptable as necessary maintenance, while the chest was in practical use. All in all very good condition. NO KEYS.
Funa dansu are strong boxes used by sea men. They were used to carry business papers, money, writing supplies, seals and other personal things. They are small in comparison to chests that were used on land. The earlier ones are rather simple. The exterior of kakesuzuri-type ship’s chests was traditionally made of sugi (Cryptomeria) or kiri (Paulownia) wood. Kiri wood is fire resistant. Keyaki is much harder, and more expensive, and was more often used from the late Edo period on.
Due to the nature of their use, all funa dansu have traces of usage.
$1,800.00
Wood with a polychrome lacquer layer on top of gesso.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.
Height 18.5 in., width 17.25 in., depth 12 in.
Beautiful patina. The lacquer rubbed in places, partly down to the bare wood, lacquer stabilized, some thin cracks in the lacquer surface, but basically in good and stable condition.
$600.00
On the outside bottom there is a paper label with inscription in ink, stating: An old Buddha from 150 -200 yrs. old that used to be carried by the Japanese who prayed to it for strength. 1922 (or 1932)
Japan, mid Edo period (around 1800).
Height case: 2.75 inches (6.9 cm).
Case with minor traces of usage, and all in all in very good condition.
Statue: Snout of one boar (second from right) chipped, some attributes damaged or missing, otherwise very good condition.
Marishiten is the deity of prosperity, venerated in the warrior class, and by entertainers.
$300.00
Hanging scroll with gold brocade mounting and gilded hardware, as used for Buddhist paintings. The image of the bodhisattva Kannon sitting on a rock, with a poem underneath, is painted in black ink, red and gold, in the center of the silk. She is surrounded by 37 stamps and poems (goeika, originally written by Emperor Kazan, after his retirement), collected on the circuit of 33 temples of the Saigoku Pilgrimage (Kansai area), that are dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, at and four other temples. Each temple of the Saigoku circuit has a number, reflected in the read seals. The stamps used on this scroll are the ones that have been used from the Showa era on. The additional four stamps are from the Yamato-kuni Chokuku temple and the Kiko temple in Nara, dedicated to Kannon, and from two other temples.
It has become very rare that the poems are added to the stamps. The calligraphy is very good and is certainly not to be reproduced today.
Japan, Showa era, ca. late 1970s.
Image H 48.75 x W 17.5 in.
Mounting 74.25 x 23.25 in.
Width bottom scroll 25.75 in.
Excellent condition
$3,900.00
Makers mark chiseled into the bottom of each lion dog. The name consists of a single character that can be read in a variety of ways: Yasushi, but also Hiroshi, Yutaka, Toru or Akira; followed by "saku" or "made by".
Japan, late 19th century.
Height: left 9 inches, right 9.1 inches (22.8 and 23.2 cm).
Excellent condition.
They seem to be modeled after a pair of Kamakura period komainu, made of wood, in the Daiho shrine in Shiga prefecture, which are deemed Important Cultural Assets.
$3,700.00
Height case 10.5 inches.
Figure: Some minor rubbing and lacquer chips, two tips of lotus petals on dais broken and repaired, fringe of crown on right missing, few fingertips slightly chipped.
Case: minor traces of usage.
Overall condition very good.
$600.00
Seal impressed in bottom/underside: Juzan. Refers to the Oribe potter Mizuno Juzan.
Mino ware, Oribe style, Japan. Showa era, 1950s
H 3 x W 4.25 in.
Perfect condition
There are at least two generations of Mizuno potters going by the name Juzan. The seal most likely belongs to the second generation Juzan, who lived lived 1908-1978.
$4,000.00
Wood decorated with gold and mineral colors. Gilt metal mandorla behind her head, decorated with flaming jewels.
The baldachin above the figure is decorated with auspicious symbols in mineral colors. The pedestal is decorated with a few of the Treasures.
Japan, Edo period, late 18th century.
Height zushi: ca. 11 inches.
Some cracks in the wood, flaking lacquer at the base, some cracks in the lacquer on the figure, stabilized with clear finish, all in all in stable condition.
Shichimen Daimyojin is the protectress of Minobu, the site of temple Kuonji, general quarters of the Nichiren sect and burial place of the founder of the sect. Mount Shichimen is south of Minobu.
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Almost abstracted wooden figure with dark patina. The mouth painted red, the eyes inlaid with glass or crystal painted with gold in reverse technique, the pomegranate made of a red kernel.
This is a very rare appearance, a kind of in-between form between the child robbing and devouring monster and the transformed and enlightened mother feeding on fruit and vegetables.
Japan, 19th century.
Height case: 13 inches (32.5 cm).
Figure in very good condition with one worm hole and tiny chip at seam at face. Base with repaired boulder. Case basically in fine condition with beautiful hardware on shrine.
Kishimojin, or Kishibojin, or Kariteimo, is a complex deity. Originally, she was a demon who stole and killed other people's children in order to feed her numerous own children. After Buddha Shakyamuni made her see how she made people suffer, she repented and devoted herself to protecting all children. Instead of the flesh of children, she fed her own children pomegranate henceforth.
Women pray to her for easy delivery, child rearing, for harmony between husband and wife, love, and for the well-being of the family. Childless women also pray to Kishimojin in the hope of becoming pregnant.
$2,000.00
Height 11.2 inches (29.2 cm).
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.
Jizo’s right foot and left hand repaired (old), vertical crack from his left shoulder down and from his right armpit down, along the seams in the underlying woodblocks, insides of doors strongly, but smoothly rubbed (perhaps to rub out a dedication/identifying inscription, so that the zushi could be deaccessioned from the temple); the outside of the zushi with clear traces of usage (soot), and missing lacquer due to damp circumstances at the temple.
$600.00
Light colored stoneware with white glaze, over which iron red and some black (lobster) and thick, dripping green glaze.
Signature on the outside: Kenzan.
Ogata Kenzan-ware, Japan, Meiji-Taisho era, early 20th century.
H 3.9 x W 9.5 in.
Tiny, old chip on the rim in the green glaze, otherwise excellent condition
$300.00
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
$300.00
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.
$300.00
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.