This is a representation of Shotoku taishi (574 A.D.-622 A.D.), the young princely protector of Buddhism in Japan. At the age of twenty, he reorganized Japan by promoting Chinese Confucian and Buddhist principles. His well known "Constitution with 17 Articles" was the first written law of Japan. The articles begin by emphasizing the importance of harmony, which is still the foundation of the Japanese culture. The figure is from the Kutani kilns, 7 inches tall

Antique Japanese sodenashi (work vest), made of indigo and other neutral colored sakiori (rag woven) cotton, edged with indigo cotton, beautifully worn, old reinforcement stitching in some areas adds wonderful character to this worker's vest, late Meiji Period. Size: 31" high x 20" wide

An armorer's tsuba, with very slightly raised rim on the strong, flat iron plate. Pierced decoration of a shrimp with pleasing, subtle swell along the antennae and legs (mostly on the ura.) Small, irregular brass inlays for the eyes (missing from one eye - not conspicuous.) The kogai-ana plugged with a copper rich alloy. Oval form about 2 7/8" (7.3 cm) by 2 3/4" (6.985 cm). Thickness at rim about 5/32" (.39 cm). Late 16th century to early 17th century - perhaps Momoyama period...

18th century decent size wooden netsuke of standing sennin (Chinese sage) wearing a robe and a leaf cape robe and stroking his long beard. Very strong early carving, wonderfully captured facial expression, beautiful flowing lines of the robe, superb sense of volume. Does not stand of flat surface, large differently sized himotoshi in accordance with the habit of the time, superb patina. Excellent netsuke. Height 3.55 inches (90 mm).

Massive Japanese Taisho period bronze jardinière cast with four lobes in high relief with chidori (Japanese sparrows) perched on or flying among flowering cherry branches. A lappet band extends around the circumference where the top of the incurving shoulder meets the short, straight neck with everted rim. The ovoid form body rests on a splayed base. Measures about 16” high by 20” diameter and weighs 26 lbs. Early 20th century. Very good overall condition with good patina...

19th century wooden netsuke of a blind masseur working on a client who appears to be a scholar wearing glasses and leering as he looks through a shunga (erotic book) edition. Wonderful carving with great faces, beautiful textile lines, rich warm patina. Signed HOMIN on the bottom - for information on this pupil of Meikeisai Hojitsu see NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, p. 487. Height 1 3/16 inches.

18th century netsuke of an emaciated Gama sennin wearing old monk’s robe with his ribs visible sitting on rockery as his constant companion - a toad - affectionately puts its paws on the man’s knees. Somehow netsuke manages to convey the relationship between two characters...

Boro small rug or a part of it which is made of almost countless fragments of vegetable indigo dye cotton. In cold districts, such as Tohoku and along the Japan Sea area, cultivation of cotton was difficult and cotton cloth was precious in old days, so that people bought fragments of cotton and made them to noragi, futonji, rugs and so on. This one has 7 to 8 layers of cloth. The late 19th to early 20th century. 91cm x 96cm. 1550gm

Japanese pair of small cloisonné vases with mirrored motifs of flowers against a robin's egg blue enamel ground. The rim and the foot are lined in rhodium with green enamel interior. Each vase on a wood display stand, with Kiri wood tomobako. Dates from early 20th century.

Dimensions: 2" x 3 3/4" each vase

Antique Japanese ikat egasuri futon cover, made with navy blue and grey woven fabric. It is decorated with the image of flowers within geometric patterns over a navy background. Shown folded in a "haba" style. ( ikat is a woven pattern not printed). Taisho period (1912-1925) Total size: 50" x 75"

A charming Japanese boxwood okimono of a peapod. Smooth, fine hand-carved work. Original warm natural finish.

19th Century

Size: 6" L x 1.25" W x 1/3" thick

Japanese Nagoya ware porcelain bulb shaped perfume decanter with stopper, painted over glaze with design of flowers with gold scrolling vine motif, surface covered with tiny raised dots, early 20th century. Size: 6 1/8" high

Antique Japanese pair of bronze candle sticks, with archaic Chinese style motifs, cartouche mark on bottom.

Taisho Period (circa 1920's).

Dimensions: 10 3/4" high

Ca. early 1800s

Finely potted shallow bowl-form dish with an everted octagonal rim, painted on the exterior in underglaze cobalt blue with a scrolling vine and flower motif. The interior is delicately painted in overglaze enamels with a scene of a male and a female pheasant among flowers and the rim is decorated with eight flower scrolls in red, green and blue enamel colors and gilding. The bowl is raised on a low footring encircled by three underglaze blue lines...

Antique Japanese imari vase with a rounded middle and fluting mouth and foot. Two small grey and yellow fu dogs serve as handles. The body of the vase has bright yellow enamel background with scrolling vines, and images of fu dogs playing with each other. The bottom of the vase is marked in red. Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) Size: 12" height, 7" width

Japanese Imari Porcelain Barber Bowl, or Shaving bowl, Ca. Edo period, between late 1700's to early 1800's, 10 5/8" diameter-top rim, 2 5/8" high, typical Imari color of underglaze blue between three(3) cartouche of Japanese garden fence scene decoration around wide rim in overglaze iron red, blue urn filled with bouquet of flowers in the entire center, some of the iron red enamel is worn in the middle caused by many years of usage. Gold highlights on the leaves on the wide rim is somewhat worn...

Antique Japanese craftsman's block. Made of keyaki (elm) wood and carved with two fan-shaped handles. Thought the term dai usually refers to plane blocks, this block also functioned as an important tool or surface for a serious artisan. It is unusual in that it is carved with a rectangular opening on the underside, a customization possibly to help hold it in place while in use.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 8" high x 7" wide x 10 3/4" long

Description: A fine Japanese bamboo arm rest carving with motif of the legend story-Damo crossing river by a single branch of reeds. With light brownish patina, this brush rest was carved by a mature bamboo carver whose inscription was left with the motif. Date: 19th Century Length: 18.5cm