A fine Kakiemon dish painted with a tako-karakusa, octopus scroll, arabesque ring to the border of the foliate moulded dish. The centre of the dish decorated with a symmetrically arranged ring with a repeating pattern of a stylised Pine grove, matsubara...

A fine moulded porcelain dish of “Ko Sometsuke” kaiseki type decorated in underglaze blue largely in kakiwake, reverse painted style, with a floral arabesque to the rim. The cavetto plainly painted in blue wash and the well of the dish painted with auspicious pendant Buddhist jewels, yoraku, with three reserves each containing a figure of a Namban in a spotted tunic and hose with a ruff to his neck, and a matching frills to his waist and the hem of his tunic...

This nikuchi, or seal paste box, was created by one of the very few Imperial Court Artists of late Meiji and bears an attractive and subtle design etched on the cover. Seal paste boxes are used to hold the red ink paste used for endorsing official documents and works of art by way of an in-kan (official seal)...

Know more for his works of powdery-blue celadon, on occasion Sozan also produced fine white porcelains as well. This delicately-crafted porcelain kashibachi (sweets bowl) is one such example. Displaying a wonderful low-relief vine and leaf pattern on a backdrop of nearly eggshell thin ivory-white porcelain—this is a rare and interesting composition by Sozan I.

Suwa Sozan I (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture...

A dish decorated in a Chinese literati style with a composition featuring principally a scholar’s refuge, Ting (Chinese), Teshi (Japanese ) beneath a rather curious gnarled tree with fan like foliage, presumably a Pine, and an auspicious ruyi (lingzhi) cloud pattern. This cloud motif, unki-zu, is essentially Chinese, xiangyun, relying on the homophone yun, yun, cloud, which sounds like yun, good luck or fortune, combined with Tian, heaven, so signifying heaven sent good luck...

A circular dish with slightly everted rim decorated with a landscape freize to the cavetto. The pattern is split into equal halves, by a zigzagging screen wall on one side, and an S shaped motif with ruyi cloud shaped motifs. The first portion of the design shows a pair of scholar’s playing Go sitting beneath a Bodri Tree set in a landscape with a scholar’s refuge cum tea house and oddly oversized autumn flowers, kikyo, bell flowers, and suisen, Japanese narcissus...

A circular dish with slightly everted rim decorated with a landscape freize to the cavetto. The pattern is split into equal halves, by a zigzagging screen wall on one side, and an S shaped motif with ruyi cloud shaped motifs. The first portion of the design shows a pair of scholar’s playing Go sitting beneath a Bodri Tree set in a landscape with a scholar’s refuge cum tea house and oddly oversized autumn flowers, kikyo, bell flowers, and suisen, Japanese narcissus...

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl, with cobalt blue design of waves and an array of scholar objects in mint green, lilac, yellow, and red glaze. Edges are decorated with "comb" design along foot. Underside has interesting signature mark of a budding flower. 19th century. Size: 6" diameter, 1.5" height

A moulded hexagonal bowl, hakkaku hachi, decorated to the exterior with an iron red ground inset with alternating reserves containing ribbon bound scrolls, makimono, and artemisin leaves, mogusa-ha, two of the Eight Chinese precious objects, Babao, hachitakara, and a band of stylised eight petal flowers, presumably Tessen the clematis flower, with leaves and pine branches...

This finely crafted tripod incense burner is one of several often-employed motifs used by renowned Meiji/ Taisho ceramic artist Suwa Sozan I. With a design borrowed from ancient Chinese porcelain production, this piece displays horizontal bands on a field of luminous light-blue—contrasting nicely with the lid which is a dark varnished wood.

Suwa Sozan (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture...

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl, with blue gourds hanging from a vine and two red flower buds with gilt pigment accents on the stem and around the bowl's rim. Blue butterflies decorate the outer edge and "comb" design along foot. Provenance sticker from Japanese antique dealer Shiota in San Francisco. 19th century. Size: 6" diameter, 1.5" height

Antique Japanese Nabeshima ware bowl with scalloped rim to resemble a lotus, with blue cobalt florals designs along the outside and "comb" style design along the foot. The interior of the bowl has a black squirrel hunting for grapes. Provenance sticker from Japanese antique dealer Shiota in San Francisco. 19th century. Size: 5.5" diameter, 2.25" height

Ca. early 1800s

This porcelain dish is in the shape of an abalone shell with underglaze blue and overglaze enamel decoration. It is raised on a low footring with an underglaze blue four character mark reading, “Made in the Great Ming.” There is minor glaze wear to the interior and minor firing flaws. There are no cracks or restorations.

Length: 6 3/8 in., Width: 5 3/8 in., Height: 1 ¼ in.

Finely drawn chrysanthemums on a field of ivory porcelain. The flowers are placed on the outside and inside edges of one half of the bowl drawing the eye away from the center and giving this piece a unique perspective.

Seifū Yohei IV, Seizan (1871-1951) was the second son of Seifū Yohei III (1851-1914) who was awarded the title of Teishitsu Gigeiin or “Imperial Court Artist” in 1893...

This extraordinary piece depicting two shishi guardian lions locked in playful combat, is done in fine white porcelain from the Arita region of Japan.

Guardian lions (alternately known as Shishi, Foo-dogs, or Koma-inu) were introduced to Japan in the 8th century and are often seen outside shrine gates or adorning rooftop shingles. When seen in pairs, one typically has its mouth open (the male) while the other’s is shut (the female)...

An intriguing and rare dish that borrows its overall arrangement from a Chinese export Kangxi precedent, but given a distinctly Japanese twist. It is a parody on the theme of the Four Gentlemanly or scholarly accomplishments, Kinkishoga or Siyi, calligraphy, painting, reading poetry and playing music, mitate-e. Here the scholars are replaced by Bijin, elegant ladies at leisure, set in a large Garden arranged in a continuous frieze that is adapted from a Chinese export plate of the Kangxi period...

A fine Imari bowl and cover decorated with a pattern composed of Autumn flowers, akikusa de, and Banded hedges, shibagaki. A wheel cut Johanneum inventory number incised to the interior of the foot-ring of the bowl indicating that it belonged to the collection of Augustus the Strong, and was acquired before 1722. Both cover and bowl marked with an enamelled choji motif. The bowl and cover are in superb condition, no cracks, chips or restoration...

This large, finely crafted tsutsu chawan was done by renowned Meiji/ Taisho ceramic artist Suwa Sozan I.

Suwa Sozan (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture. After a short stint in the military he took up pottery design and painting under Touda Tokuji in 1873. From this point forward, he divided his time mainly between Kanazawa and Tokyo working at a number of kilns and research institutes...