A rare antique Japanese merchant chest (Choba Tansu). All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute style handles and the full moon lock plates. Entire exterior of the tansu is Keyaki (Zelkova) with drawer backs made of Kiri (Paulownia) woods. 16 total drawers for merchant storage of valuables. Each side has two sets of handles, one for long distance carrying and one for room placement...

Antique Japanese large kura door (warehouse sliding door), made of solid keyaki (elm) wood with red-orange finish, two heavy iron locks, Meiji Period. Size: 81 3/4" high x 67" wide x 2 1/2" deep.

Antique Japanese low square table. Made of unusually dense hardwood. Overall elegant lines with simply carved legs and beautiful grain.

Age: Taisho Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 13 1/4" high x 29 3/8" wide x 29 3/8" wide

An antique Japanese Sendai Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original natural Urushi lacquer with hand forged iron hardware including the lock plates featuring Peonies and a door lock plate featuring a large radish...

19th century boxwood netsuke of a standing blind masseur leaning on his staff and with both of his feet on one geta (clog sandal) while he is pulling out a large rock lodged in the base of his other geta. Rather unusual subject, the character easily recognizable by a habitual bump on his head and oversized blind eye inlaid with horn. Perfectly captured mood of the scene, great detailing of his face and clothing, rich warm patina with beautiful staining, in excellent condition...

Unusual 19th century netsuke of a cloth Daruma doll with wonderful inquisitive face and a shaped opening on the back with anabori (cavern carving) of a palace with a procession of scholars crossing a bridge and pavilions in the back. The cavern is carved unusually deep, and pavilions in the back are very well defined, almost impossible to photograph properly. Excellent face with horn inlaid convex eyes, beautiful stippling defining the texture of its cloth body, wonderful functional shape...

19th century miniature Hirado porcelain sculpture of a reclining karako (Chinese boy) leaning on his right elbow. Excellent crisp modeling with incised details - see his superb dreamy face, well defined hands and clothing details. Unusual feature - the unglazed flat bottom is well incised with the continuation of the design. Beautiful glaze with numerous tiny bubbles giving it depth, in excellent condition (no chips, cracks or repairs), very pleasant to the touch...

19th century Japanese ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved out of a fruit pit as a mother monkey eating a fruit with 3 babies loitering in her arms while a teenager climbed on her back and is eating a smaller fruit on her head. Wonderfully captured mood of the scene, very nice carving with great level of detail, wonderful faces, pleasant mellow patina. Height 1 inch.

Japanese antique small ko tansu (personal chest) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood with black lacquered iron hardware. This small chest has 7 drawers of various sizes; 2 large drawers on the top portion, 2 medium drawers and 2 small drawers on the lower portion. The hardware is all made of blackened iron and includes round lock plates and square drawer pulls.

Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

Dimensions: 21 3/4" high x 24 3/4" wide x 13" deep.

Antique Japanese single section isho tansu with locking bar. The upper portion has a full width drawer with a large iron money bag shaped lock plate. Below this are two drawers held in place with a locking bar (with key). The bottom portion has two smaller drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand corner with two small interior drawers. Beautiful and extensive iron work also includes raised corner handware on the drawers and square shaped drawer pulls. Original deep red lacquer finish...

Antique Japanese long gyosho bako (merchant's box) with iron warabite handles on its back and front hinged door with flower-shaped lockpin. The inside holds four long drawers with ring pulls.

Mid Edo age (1615-1867)

Size: 11.75" height, 26" length, 8.25" width

An interesting Hizen-yaki, Arita kilns foliate rimmed bowl. Center decoration of a Chinese scholar in tropical landscape. The cavetto and exterior decorated in the Kraak manner. A spurious four character Xuande mark on the bottom, inside the unglazed high foot rim. 19th century. Good condition. Diameter, about 6 5/8 inches. Height, about 2 2/8 inches.

Height: 4.8 cm (1.9 in)
Width: 2.5 cm (1 in)
Depth: 1.7 cm (0.6 in)

Japanese carved netsuke of a standing man; inlaid horn to hair and shirt buttons; finely stained; very well modelled; natural material; a/f to side

19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke with bronze top depicting a not-so-repentant oni with a Buddhist gong striker in one hand and a votive plaque in the other as it prostrates himself to serve as a stepping stool for a beautiful maiden who is trying to reach a branch of flowering wisteria. A subtle shunga piece alluding to a good intention and a worldly temptation ruining the attempt. Excellent quality work with copper inlays and gilding. Old turned bowl with one stabilized crack...

Antique Japanese kuruma tansu (wheeled storage chest) from the Northern Sendai area closer to Iwayado. The front of the chest is made with keyaki (zelkova elm) wood with lovely grain and original red-orange translucent lacquer finish. The frame is made of sugi (cryptomeria). The large, raised iron lock plate on the top drawer depicts a pair of cranes flying in clouds. The middle two drawers are held in place with a locking bar (bo) with pine tree shaped ironwork...

This Meiji period vase is made of fine white porcelain fashioned after classic Chinese motifs.. The potter, first generation Miura Chikusen, is the same generation as many of the better known Imperial Court artists (Kozan, Siefu, Tozan, etc…) and just as accomplished in terms of mastery of technique, level of artistic expression, and volume of pieces produced...

19th century netsuke of a baying stag with its head turned back, its upper front teeth bared. Elegant carving with pure clean lines, excellent hairwork, wonderful depiction of volume of the deer body and his antlers, eyes inlaid in black horn, beautiful patina. Himotoshi is formed by its feet. Wonderful sculpture. Height 1 3/4 inches.

Ko Kutani "mountain bowl" enameled in yellow, aubergine, green and blue with a mountain landscape. Fu Ku mark. Edo/Tokugawa period. 8 1/2 across, 3 1/2" high. One of two of this type currently available.