An antique Japanese Ko Choba Tansu (small merchant chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia). All original hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute style handles and the Chidori designed drawer front corners. Side by side drawer along the top with a locking bar securing two drawers and a hinged door that hides 2 smaller drawers where valuables were kept...
Extremely Rare Hina Kazari. This the only complete set we have seen accept for a set that was sold at auction in Japan. They are presented on a sundry. The set features an Empress and Emperor, three Court Ladies, and five Musicians. Meiji Period. Fashioned of silk crepe with beautifully painted faces. Figures range from 4 to 5.5 inches high (10 to 13.5 cm). Overall dimensions: 28.5 x 23 inches, 72.5 x 58.5 cm. Excellent Condition.
Antique Japanese jingasa (samurai war hat). Carved of wood and lacquered black with many raised plates and upturned rim. This shape of bajo-jingasa was developed to be worn by warriors on horseback. The underside is lacquered black and his metal eyelets intended for cord. Age Edo Age - 19th century
Dimensions: 6 1/2" high x 16 1/4" long x 12 3/8" wide
Large original Antique Japanese large low-fire ceramic mask of the Lucky God, Daikoku. His laughing face is round and painted with charming detail to his beards and eye brows. He is wearing his traditional hat that has been hand painted with great detail. One of the Lucky Gods, Diakoku is the God of Good Fortune as well as a god of the kitchen. It is possible that this mask may have hung on the wall in a temple's kitchen...
Suzuribako in roiro lacquer decor of a setting sun behind the waves in red and gold lacquer. Inside a couple of gold lacquer cranes on a nashiji background.
Edo period 19th century or before. Good condition, no repairs. Normal use wear for this period. Very interesting subject.
Dimensions about 21x21 cm
A very large Imari charger with a painted dragon in the center chasing the elusive flaming pearl. The panels have various paintings of dancers and country scenes. It is unusual to see dragons in Japanese Imari plates. The back has been wired for hanging.
Size: Diameter. 45.3cm.
Condition: Perfect.
Antique Japanese large bronze vase with raised koi fish swimming through incised water ripples and waves. The vase sits on three bronze elephants with excellent form. Made during during the Meiji period (c1900).
Size: 17.25" height, 15" width
Antique Japanese large kura door, slatted on top, bottom has large keyaki (elm) wood burl panel, large iron lock in the shape of turtle rising up out of the water with mon (family crest), Meiji Period.
Size: 81 3/4" high x 67" wide x 2 1/4" deep.
Beautiful and striking large Japanese ceramic Tokoname jar, wonderful shape, large kiln fragments, thick ash glaze with unusual subtle blue and yellow striations and free flowing drip lines, Momoyama Period (1573-1615). (The Tokoname Kiln is considered one of the "6 Ancient Kilns" and was located at Tokoname on the Chita Peninsula, bordering Ise Bay.) Size: 19.25" high x 12" wide x 12" deep.
Nabeshima hard porcelain dish. Okawachi kilns. Decoration in underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze enamels. Although the model already exists at the beginning of the 18th century, we do not believe that the dish presented here is authentic. The enamels are perfect, one can distinguish with a magnifying glass discreet wear of use and the enamels show age cracks, but the cobalt blue on the reverse is too pale. It is not a modern copy, as it has been in the Sakura collection for about forty years...
This is truly a museum worthy piece from the great satsuma artist, Seikozan. It is probably our all time favorite example from this artist. This vase is the mate to another one we sold. Likely months of work went into this vase and it's literally smothered with intricate enamels and gold work. The vase stands 9 1/2 inches tall. This vase appears to be nearly perfect but it has had a rim chip repair.
Small bronze sculpture of a seated rhinoceros.
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)
Height : 4.3 in (11 cm) - Width : 2.7 in (7 cm)
Japanese inro with 5 compartments decorated all around with a scene of a mountain stream running down hill through rocks and low tree branches. On one side of the inro, the stream falls over rocks and continues on the other side of the inro in a striated current. Various trees including blossoming fruit trees and pines spring from the rocks. Pine saplings emerge from a gold mist in the foreground. Created with a fine raised gold maki-e lacquer technique and inlaid with gold metal flecks...
A radical Bizen Mizusashi with two lacquered wooden lids enclosed in a black lacquered wooden box with gold lacquer writing titled Samidare which is in turn enclosed in a kiri-wood storage box by the same title compartmentalized to allow the lids to be stored safely. Samidare is a poetic reading for Rain of the Fifth Month (June in the traditional calendar). It has a seal of overlapping rings impressed into the earth of the base, and dates from the Edo period...
A Japanese painted and lacquered polychrome wood Fudo-Myo with horn gilted eyes on glass covered.
Fudo Myo-o, god of fire and wisdom, is the most popular of the Myo-o “great kings”. He is the fifth guardian of the heavens and protector of astrologers, he is invoked when difficult undertakings are undertaken...
19th century boxwood netsuke of sitting Tanuki (badger) beating on his extended belly as on a drum. In Japanese folklore tanuki is a notorious trickster: he drums with his paws on his large belly (tanuki no hara tsuzumi), imitating the sounding of gongs in temples and inns, and leading tired travelers astray in the darkness. Superbly carved, excellent depiction of its face, teeth and fur, great sense of volume. Eyes are double inlaid with bronze and shakudo...
Antique Japanese ko dansu, made of kiri (paulownia) wood, biraki opening doors with large kiri shaped iron lockplate, interior has 8 small drawers of differing sizes, Edo Period, with new metal stand.
Size: 29 1/4" high (17" high without metal stand) x 25" wide x 15 1/2" deep.
A Japanese boxwood netsuke depicting Shojo crouched in a typical posture, with his hand resting on his knee, while sleeping from the effects of too much sake, the kimono is finely carved with geometric motifs as well as the long hair on the back.
Similar examples of the Nagoya carvers are illustrated in Meinertzhagen, MCI, p.844, Davey, MTH, p.189, no.570 and Lazarnick, NIA, p. .1063.
Edo period 19th century
Sizes: 3,3 x 2,7 x 2,6 cm.
Condition report: Good condition