19th century netsuke carved as a theatrical mask of Bishamon - one of the 7 Gods of Good Fortune. He is a God of riches, an equivalent of Vaishravana, and thus is the protector of the Northern direction. Wonderful face with a touch of madness, made in saishiki technique - the wood is covered with gesso, which in turn is painted in bright colors, some of them in low relief layers. Very well carved and painted, obvious losses to paint, wonderful feel of age. Height 1 9/16 inches.

Okimono in bronze of a frog.
Seal of the founder or of his factory on its belly, not identified.

The frog (kaeru) is associated with luck and wealth. Kaeru means both "frog" and "coming home" in Japanese. This extension of meaning is due to the ability of the frog to return each year to the pond of its birth. A gong in the shape of a frog can thus sometimes be used as a door hammer or to protect a house.

Japan - Meiji Era (1868-1912)
Height: 1.4 in...

Turn of the century antique Japanese bronze flower vase. Thick rings create an art deco feeling. Beautiful lines and rich coloration. c.1900. (9" x 5") (23cm x 11cm). EMS Shipping/Insurance to USA or Western Europe $80.

Japanese antique Satsuma ware incensor in the form of a fudog with a child on top of a drum on his back, very charming, drum is painted with images of children, Meiji Period. Size: 5 3/4" high x 5" long.

Japanese Wood Compass Ojime, 19th C. Meiji period, 3/4" diameter round, 3/8" deep, front part has glass front, needle is moving, holes on both side for cord go through, back is rounded solid wood with double circles. Ojime is the small object with very interesting and humorous design go through the cord between Netsuke and Inro.

Extremely rare: early 19th century Inkstone Screen made of finest Satsuma porcelain and covered with beautiful colors.

The purpose of the inkstone screen, normally placed directly behind the inkstone, is to prevent dust from landing on the inkstone.

It is in great antique condition with no cracks or repairs.

Size: 17cm hight x 15 cm width.

Free shipping

Antique hardwood Japanese strong box with hand forged iron banding and hard mounts. Original finish and condition. The lid bears the mon or family crest of the Hori Clan.

Edo period 19th century

Dimensions: 23 1/2" x 10 3/4" x 6"

19th century netsuke of a swan (cygnet), its shape compact, neck bent back and head resting on its body, looking forward and up. Elegant clever design capturing the essence of the creature. Superbly modeled, eyes inlaid with black horn. Excellent wear and patina, old stable age lines, compressed dust on the surface, extremely pleasant to handle. Formerly in the Raymond Bushell collection, illustrated in NETSUKE FAMILIAR AND UNFAMILIAR, p. 208, number 641. Length 1 1/2 inches.

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Full width top drawer over a compartment with sliding panels and one interior shelf. Two medium sized drawer on the bottom left. On the right hand side of the chest are 3 small drawers over a safebox. The safe door opens to reveal two small interior drawers. Hardware is made of iron and includes rounded lock plates, warabite shaped drawers pulls, corner bracing and two keys...

This is a mid 19th century or earlier 7" Nabeshima shallow footed bowl decorated with a blue landscape against a celadon sky. A similar example is illustrated in The Study of the Nabeshima House's Ceramic Ware Factory and Its Products, Plate 10.

Condition: Excellent

A rare antique Japanese Omikuji Tansu (temple fortune telling chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) wood. Original Urushi lacquer over a Bengara stain. Hand made and hand forged iron hardware. Japanese straight dovetail joinery with hardened wood nail construction.

Used in a Shinto Shrine or Buddhist Temple to store paper fortunes for visitors and worshippers...

Unusual Japanese hardwood low shop desk tansu. Original red lacquer finish with heavy iron plates and mounts. The table surface is hinged with three doors that open to interior compartments for papers and other merchant's effects. The middle door has a lady's portrait with calligraphy inscriptions detailing the piece is from a merchant business in "Ume-yashiki, Tokyo" with the merchant name "Shimbashi Kotatsu" and dated 25th year Meiji 1893...

Height: 3.8 cm (1.4 in)
Width: 5.1 cm (2.1 in)
Depth: 2.3 cm (0.9 in)

Antler bone netsuke of sea life; carved from the base of an antler; good condition

19th century kagamibuta (mirror lid) netsuke, the top being Chinese carving adopted as netsuke, with scene of 5 scholars among various trees and pavilions. Excellent quality work with deep undercarving, beautiful wear and patina, in great condition, dark hardwood bowl with old natural stable lines, peg at the back for the cord. Bowl diameter 1.76 inches.

19th century netsuke of an oni holding an octopus on its shoulder. Wonderful, probably unique subject, great carving, both characters bear a surprised expression, excellent patina. Height 1.6 inches

Japanese Pine store Display shelf with one(1) drawer, Ca. Meiji, Ca. 1880, 15 1/2" high, 24" wide, 7" deep, the drawer has brass handle, and cut out shaped side panels. The condition is good.

19th century boxwood netsuke of a boy playing with a puppy holding a length of rope, with the other end of it in the mouth of the puppy. Very good carving, great face, nice hairwork on the puppy and detailing of the clothes, wonderful wear and patina. Himotoshi (cord opening) goes through the back down to the bottom of the netsuke. Signed NAOKAZU on the bottom - for information on the artist see NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, p. 821...

Unusual Japanese antique standing pendulum clock with reverse painted landscape scene on glass, with carved pair of dragons and wishing ball on rounded top frame casement. With double-ended winding key for chimes and movement.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Size: 17.25"H 11"W 5"D

19th century netsuke carved as a group of 12 animals of the Oriental zodiac: dragon, horse, tiger, rat, rooster, dog, monkey, snake, goat, pig, buffalo and rabbit. Clever design, excellent carving to the last detail, deep undercutting, beautiful wear and patina. Eye of the rabbit is inlaid with salmon pink coral, all the rest are inlaid with dark horn. Very beautiful wear, honey colored patina...

19th century small marine material ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in the round with four arhat - the original disciples of the Buddha identifiable by their halos - in different attitudes. Wonderful carving, excellent detailing, pleasant patina, in great condition. Signed GYOKUICHI on the side - the artist is listed on p. 424 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 3/8 inches.

A large porcelain vase by) Daimaru Hokuho (Hoppo) enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Yellow Porcelain Lightning Pattern Vase. The vase is a perfect example of the Sinophile aesthetic that permeated Japanese art in the early 20th century. The simplified form rises to a row of alternating concentric lines known as Lightning pattern. It is 21 cm (8-1/2 inches) diameter 25 cm (10 inches) tall and is in excellent condition...

Large and heavily potted porcelain body, decorated in an nice pale cobalt blue in Shunzui style and with medallions showing flying birds and wild gees, birds sitting on branches, sailboats and Fujiyama mountain. Japan, nineteenth century. Diameter: 42 cm. H : 33 cm. Condition: Broken at one area to the rim. This broken area would be absolutely suitable to ennoble the piece with a most beautiful Kintsugi repair ( Gold lacquer repair, please see the images ).

A rare and unusual Japanese Keyaki burl choba tansu with original dark red translucent lacquer finish. The front of the chest has two hinged doors with hand forged iron fan lock plate, with two drawers below. When the chest is opened, it reveals a spacious interior with a large open compartment, a long top drawer and three smaller all burl wood drawers along the side.

Early Meiji period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 25 1/2 x 15 x 25 3/4 h

Very unusual 19th century lacquered wood sashi type netsuke carved in a shape of a cloud dragon with its head turned back onto itself, its neck forming himotoshi. Does not photograph well, impressive when handled. Elegant and clever carving, all 4 legs are in different positions, nice rendition of its face and hair. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black starts showing, gold lacquer highlights, excellent wear and patina on the surface...

One of the best examples of Japanese bronzes we have seen in an increasingly sparse market, this beautiful piece is worth a second look. Deep, rich Meiji Period (c.1867-1912) bronze with carp swimming over waves in raised relief on one side; geese frolicing among grasses, also in raised relief on the other side. Handles come out of baku's (bad dream eaters) mouths. Absolutely stunning. c.1890. (10½" x 5½") (27cm x 14cm). EMS Shipping/Insurance to USA or Western Europe $90.

Jizai okimono of an articulated wooden lobster...

Square dish with straight rims, with elegant indentation on each corner. In the center two cranes (or similar birds) walking on rocks underneath a pine tree near the sea. On the inside of the rims a continuous border of heart-shaped flowers, on the outside a border with diamond pattern, broken by one cartouche on each side, containing a house. The top of the rim decorated with a karakusa-border.

White porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue decoration. No mark on back, but 25 tiny spur marks...

Late 19th century porcelain netsuke of an old woman Uba with a broom in her hand. Uba and her companion Jo are an elderly couple living as spirits in pine trees in Takasago. Wonderful expressive face with wrinkles and hollow cheeks, beautiful wear and patina. Looks like old smoothed losses to the back of her robe by the bottom. Height 2.73 inches.

19th century netsuke depicting 2 boys mimicking Sambaso and Manzai performers, with one playing a drum, and the other wearing a theatrical mask of Hyottoko (perplexed peasant) and holding a fan and a rattle. Excellent detailed carving, wonderful faces, beautiful etching of textile patterns and hair tufts. Beautiful patina - mellow yellowing on the back, overall in great condition. Signed HOMIN with kakihan (monogram of the artist) on the bottom - the artist must have been a student of Hokei. Hei...

Early to mid- 19th century netsuke representing nio (one of the Buddhist Guardian Kings) sitting on a huge old straw sandal and mending it with a rope. Excellent carving, beautifully stained, wonderful wear and patina. Signed TOMOCHIKA in oval reserve on the bottom - the artist is Tomochika the First as discussed on p. 1148 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1.2 inches.

A small Kutani porcelain pitcher beautifully painted in Mokubei style with two cartouches containing a mountainous landscape and a group of rakan among karakusa pattern. Base signed Kutani. Condition: little wear to enamels and gold, spout with a short firing crack (3 mm please see photo no. 9). Dimension: 9.5 cm high.

Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest), original dark brown translucent lacquer finish, made of sugi (cryptomeria), iron hardware, one shelf on interior of slider compartment, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 43" high x 37 1/4" wide x 15 1/4" deep.

This exquisite teapot is a true masterpiece of Japanese craftsmanship from the Maji period. It is a handmade miniature Banko ceramic teapot, designed in the shape of a bag and adorned with intricate hand-enameled relief work. The flying cranes and delicate flowers depicted on the teapot are a testament to the skill and artistry of the maker. This antique piece is a rare find and a valuable addition to any collection.

MEASUREMENTS:

Height from the bottom to the top of the handle: 10 cm (3...

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved as a dog seated on its haunches, its front paws at its chest and wearing a collar. Excellent clever carving, great face, eyes are highlighted with ink, wonderful warm patina. Height 3/4 inches.

Antique Japanese 2-section shodana, display cabinet for heirlooms and works of art. It's rare, mostly open configuration gives a floating appearance to it's multi tiered shelves and compartments. It has intricate pierced carved details of phoenixes and curling flower vines. A rectangular compartment in the center portion has a hinged door that is decorated with blue lacquer and bone shibayama inlay of a bird in tall grasses stalking a bee. Two drawers on the lower portion of the cabinet are...

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant storage box) made of Kusunoki (Camphor) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute handles. Beautifully constructed using straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. The hinged front door opens to five interior doors where merchant papers, records and small valuables were kept.

Age: Late Edo Period (1800-1850)Dimensions: 13 1/2" Wide by 15" High by 19 3/4" Deep