Important 'Omizutori' festival lacquer plate from the late Meiji Period. Omizutori (お水取り), or the annual, sacred water-drawing festival, is a Japanese Buddhist festival that takes place in the Nigatsu-dō of Tōdai-ji, Nara, Japan. This ceremony is to cleanse the people of their sins as well as to usher in the spring of the new year. Once the Omizutori is completed, the cherry blossoms have started blooming and spring has arrived...

Dry lacquer mask of the traditional Gigaku Theater, finely carved and lacquered to depict an elderly man (old widower) with a long aquiline nose, full red lips forming a smile, elongated earlobes, and deeply carved wrinkles. The eyes and mouth are pierced. The back with a label inscribed inside deszcribing the mask and with the artist signature. Rich, dark patina. Height: 25 cm...

Wooden lectern covered with black lacquer, decorated with Japanese seignorial emblems (Mon) with gold powder. The emblems are treated in three different versions, all three of excellent lacquer quality in a very elegant style. The lectern can be dismantled into 4 parts, the box, the drawer, the top and the axis, the elements are assembled using mercury-gilded copper frames, which are finely chiseled with scrolls of stylized plants on a nanako background...

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...

A bucolic scene of temples and rugged seaside hills dotted with pagodas in silver and gold wraps around the black surface of this deep tray dating from the Momoyama to early Edo period (16th-17th century). It is 27 cm (10-1/2 inches) diameter, 8.5 cm (3-3/8 inches) tall. The bottom has been re-lacquered at some time in the past...

Eight-sided, flared shaped lacquer kobako box, following the decoration on the lid depicting a basket of flowers, composed of peonies and chrysanthemums in gold takamaki-e and hiramaki-e lacquer on a nashi-ji background. The edge is decorated with cherry blossoms in gold and silver takamaki-e. Interior and base in nashi-ji.

Japan – Edo period, 18th century
Height: 1.9 in / 4.8 cm – width: 6.1 in / 15.5 cm – depth: 3.5 in / 9 cm

A beautiful 2 Stage lacquered container covered in black lacquer decorated with flowering vines. The domed lid opens to reveal a circular tray removable to open a deep container. It is 8.5 cm (3-1/4 inches) diameter, 11 cm (4-1/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.

A spectacular Meiji to Taisho period Golden box decorated with a spray of flowers under an imperial Chrysanthemum. The interior and bottom are elegant Nashiji, and the border between box and lid is protected by a solid silver rim. Kirigane cut gold flakes decorate the raised leaves. It comes enclosed in a custom made kiri-wood storage box. The gilded receptacle is 30 x 24.5 x 14 cm (12 x 9-3/4 x 5-1/2 inches) and it is in excellent condition.

On a fundame lacquer base, the decoration, on one side, black and red, of a rooster, hen and chicks under bamboo with the sea in the background and on the other side a fisherman's hut by the sea in front of the imposing presence of Mount Fuji. The lacquer work is particularly subtle in hira and taka maki-e. The interior of the compartments is nashiji lacquer. The ojime is made of malachite. Signed: Nikkosai. Height: 8.4 cm.

Oni mask in dark brown patina lacquered wood with finely sculpted details. The expression of the mask, although funny, is imbued with a slight fear, creating a balance between the comical and the disturbing. The painted glass eyes add a magnetic depth. Origin: Japan Period: Edo 19th century Dimensions: 12 x 10 x 7 cm. State of conservation: Very good

Gorgeous Taisho Period Ca. 1925 lacquered wood Kamakura-bori style carving from Niigata Prefecture by the famed carver 'Murakami'. In the original signed box, the tray features the plant 'Yatsude' Fatsia Japonica exquisitely carved. 9" by 9". Great condition. Ask for shipping quote.

Japanese lacquer inro depicting a dragon partially hidden among clouds lacquered in relief. The outer surface is covered in lacquer with dark brown nuances, which offers an elegant contrast with the dragon's shimmering mother-of-pearl. Looking at the inside of the box you can see that there are two compartments. The ojime is made of glass with parallel horizontal blue lines while the netsuke in lacquered wood and metal depicts an archaic design that could depict the Tama (the sacred Bud...

Very refined Japanese lacquered wood tray representing a branch of plum blossoms and bamboo leaves in gold and brown lacquer. The decor is placed on a brown base in the style of a basket weave. The back is in black lacquer (ro-iro). The protective wooden box is original and signed on the lid and inside. Dimensions: 10 x 18 cm. Period: Meiji (1868-1912) 19/20th century.

Wood urushi plate with kin-makie (gold lacquer) of "Yajirobeh"", a balancing toy motif. In good condition except for a mending, however, it is done by a professional and no serious problem. Meiji period (1868~1912) Diameter:16.5cm, Depth:2.7cm

Rectangular black and gold lacquer kobako box decorated with pine trees in a mountain landscape in takamaki-e, kirigane and hiramaki-e lacquer. Background in nashi-ji lacquer. Surmounted pewter border. Fitted with two grip rings.

Japan – Edo period (1603-1868), 18th century
Width: 2.7 in (0.8 cm) – depth: 3.1 in (8.8 cm) – height: 1.2 in (3.2 cm)

Quadrangular kobako box decorated with flowers in gold and blue lacquer with aogai inlay. Lid and sides in fundame lacquer, underside and interior in nashi-ji lacquer. Inside, a removable tray with gold fundame borders. Fitted with two gripping rings.

Provenance : Docteur Mène collection.

Doctor Édouard Mène (1833-18..?) was a doctor and vice-president of the Franco-Japanese Society...

Suzuribako box (empty) in black lacquer. Gold maki-e decoration of a river bordered by peonies, one with red highlights. The edges of the lid are in gold lacquer. Nashi-ji interior.

Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)
Height: 1.8 in (4.7 cm) – width : 8.3 in (21.3 cm) – dept: 10 in (25.5 cm)

Round in shape in the spirit of a kobako, this rare box in 2 parts in fundame lacquer represents a butsudan (small portable temple) inside which there are, very finely carved, a Buddha on the lotus and 2 apsaras. On the lids lotus leaves seem to fly.