19th century netsuke of a seated peasant woman having a snack as she takes a break from carrying a huge bag on her back. Nicely carved, wonderful face, beautifully carved and etched textile patterns. Old smoothed loss to the front of her right foot (does not take away from the sculptural quality of the piece), beautiful patina consistent with age. Signed RYOMIN on the bottom - the artist is Ono Ryomin III listed on p...

Squaty and stout Antique Japanese iron Tetsubin with iron lid. Hailstone covering top half of kettle. Bottom half has beautiful wear with soft ridging. Handle of kettle was made to sit strait up, making this a solid piece. Top on lid is a budding plant, possibly lotus flower. Meiji Period (1868-1912) Dimensions: 8.25" Long, 7.5" Tall

19th century mixed material netsuke in kagamibuta (mirror lid) form. The top is mounted with a bronze or shakudo galloping horse, gilding to the eye and spots on its body, superb crisp work. Beautifully captured sense of motion, great patina, old age lines, swinging metal loop on the back for the cord, compressed dust on the surface. Length 1 3/8 inches.

19th century lacquer on wood mask netsuke of an oni. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black starts showing, and then wood, thus adding yet another color to the piece. Signed SHUSEN on the back - for information on the artist see NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, p. 1012. Height 1 11/16 inches.

19th century Japanese wooden nyoi - a Buddhist scepter - with scrolling finial. Nyoi, or Ruyi scepter is a traditional symbol of scholarship and transmission of knowledge. Dense fruitwood with beautiful texture, simple elegant carving, wonderful patina to the surface from being handled, old ink spots in places, very pleasant to the touch. Great subtle piece for scholar’s table, or a practicing Buddhist. Length 12 1/4 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke depicting standing Hotei (one of the 7 Gods of Good Luck, also considered to be the incarnation of Maitreya - the Buddha of the future) with a peach in one hand, and the other hand resting on his voluminous belly. Nice quality carving - see his face with a slight smile and beautiful flow of his long robe. Wonderful wear and patina, very pleasant feel of age. Signed SHIGEKAZU on the back - the artist is listed on p...

18th to early 19th century iron Japanese sword tsuba inlaid with branches of maple tree with leaves turning yellow and red, roots and cresting waves below, design continuing on the back . Wonderful work with brass and copper inlays, precise detailing and well captured mood of contemplation and autumnal melancholy. The plate has a dark brown patina, overall in great condition. Maple Height 2.84 inches.

Small box and cover made of very thinly cut keyaki (Zelkova) wood, in oblong shape with rounded corners. The domed cover is decorated in black polished lacquer, black ishime lacquer, gold lacquer inlaid with small pieces of mother-of-pearl. An open folding fan wraps around the surface of the cover, continuing onto the sides, decorated with parting clouds, showing silhouettes of birds flying over waves.

Inside, the surface is covered in thin brown lacquer, allowing the wood grain to show...

Japanese scholar's bronze water dropper in teapot form decorated with shishi dogs. In excellent condition with a wonderful warm patina that is sure to please, it measures 1.75" in diameter (2.25" across including spout) x 1.5" high (2" high with handle up).
Note: there is paper residue on the bottom from an old tag or label.

Edo Period, Ca. 1800s

This candlestick is fashioned from Copper with a ribbed shaft rising from a stylized chrysanthemum-form base terminating into a flower-form top with pricket to receive a candle. It has been attached to a later turned-wood base. It is for use in a Buddhist altar. Good condition.

Height with wood base: 24 in., Width: 5 ½ in.

Edo Period, ca. early 1800s

This yatate, or traveler's pen case, is made of wrought brass, and has a long tube to hold the brush and a deep pot for the ink, which would have been saturated in a cotton wad. The lid snaps snugly over the pot to contain the ink, and a tab connected to the lid covers the end of the tube that contains the brush. A logo is inscribed on the tab in the form of a hiragana ya beneath a roof-shaped mark...

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with raised and incised decoration of a morning glory plant with flowers and leaves. Elegant design, excellent crisp work, wonderful warm brown patina, beautiful gilding, in very good condition. Length 3 3/4 inches.

Japanese Satsuma Earthenware Vase, Ca. 1920, early Taisho period, "Hotoda" signed, 6 1/2" high, 4 3/4" wide include handles, fine detailed decoration of Dragon and Rankans between nice fine gold background. The condition is good.

The top of this black lacquer Japanese box is heavily carved with leaves and foliage. The carved oval cinnabar panel in the center depicts a long and stable marriage scene. The standing wife has just served her sitting husband tea in the garden, outside the house surrounded by mountains. The four sides of the box are carved with continuous textile design.

The box is 5.5 inches x 4.75 inches and 2+ inches high.

19th century boxwood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of Buaku type. Wonderful quality detailed carving, lighter wood (probably ichii - Japanese yew wood), excellent staining and patina. The signature on the back bar appears to read GENRYO followed by kakihan (carved monogram) of the artist. Height 1 1/4 inches.

Late Meiji / early Taisho miniature Japanese porcelain vase depicting a family of 3 egrets in different attitudes. Perfect potting, elegant shape, beautiful underglaze powder green ground, eyes and beaks of of the birds are done in underglaze blue, in perfect condition. Signed in underglaze blue SENPO SENO SEI (Made in Senpo’s pottery) on the bottom. Height 3 3/8 inches.

This wonderful Japanese banko nodder is somewhat unusual in that his head nods side to side rather than front to back like most nodders on the market. Dating circa 1880-1899, he was hand molded as evidenced by indentations and finger prints left by the artist on the inside of the bell/body. In excellent condition with the exception of one repair to the neck. At some point in his history, the weight broke in half and was re-attached. No other condition issues, no chips, cracks...

18th century Japanese sword iron tsuba made in a shape of two confronting SHU - Japanese flute instruments for use in Shinto ceremony and consisting of bamboo reeds forming a circular wind chamber. The lower parts of the flutes are inlaid with pine designs in gold. Very clever design in Japanese taste, wonderful quality inlay, some rusting as can be seen in photos, great feel of age. Height 2.85 inches (72.4 mm).