Japanese two section mizuya (kitchen tansu for storage). Constructed of Hinoki (cypress) wood frame with Sugi (cedar) wood, original dark finish. The top section holds a compartment behind pair of sliding panels with Keyaki (zelkova) wood details, open work carving and wire for ventilation. Next to this is a larger compartment with sliding panels with vertical iron studded slats and Keyaki hardwood insert...

An oak leaf shaped moulded dish of six-sun size in “Ko Sometsuke” style decorated in underglaze blue with three seated figures sitting around a low table with a typical Chinese style landscape of mountainous islets in a costal setting with a Ting, small pavilion in the foreground. The reverse decorated with prunus blossom sprigs and a seal for the Kameyama kiln in the centre of the foot-ring. Dating late Edo, Tenpo era...

Unusual Japanese single section isho tansu from the Sendai region, made of solid Keyaki (zelkova) hardwood with burl front panels. The iron hardware and mounts have floral motifs throughout. The corner plates have scalloped edges, the drawer pulls are mokko (melon) shaped with chrysanthemums mounts, the round lock plates are incised with Kiri leaf mon and two are outlined with scrolling vine motifs. The safe door opens to reveal three inner drawers for small valuables...

Antique Japanese 2-section isho tansu (chest on chest for clothing) from Yonezawa Area. Drawer fronts are made of kiri (paulownia) wood, frame is made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood. 4 large drawers and 2 small drawers. Iron hardware includes round lockplates with butterfly mon (family crests) of the Taira Clan.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 41 1/2" high x 35 1/2" wide x 15 3/4" deep.

A Japanese copper writing box used for paper and writing supplies. The lid is engraved with grape leaves and grape clusters. The border is nail studded. The interior is beige velvet.

Date: Taisho c1920

Dimensions: 11" X 9.25" X 2.75"

A Nihon Matsu tansu with hinoki (cypress) wood drawers. The round lock plates on each drawer feature a bird and bamboo leaf motif. There are 4 large drawers with spacious interiors and on the right lower side is a safe box door with key with two interior drawers.

Date: Meiji c1900

Dimensions: 51" X 45" X 17.5"

A rare, large architectural Buddhist temple carving of a Dragon (Ryu), with reverse glass painted eye. The high relief carvings show the dragon's body coiled behind clouds of smoke and waves. Its serpentine body reveals his 3 appendages with classic three claw anatomy. The relief is solid keyaki "zelkova serrata" wood with the original red patina. The dragon which symbolizes the heavenly realm has control of rain, fire, and earth...

An Ai Kakiemon dish decorated with a repeating pattern of Hosoge, flowers of Precious appearance, which in this case would appear to be representations of auspicious Pomegranate fruits constructed from Ruyi, Acanthus style leaves and other disparate elements. The ring of Hosoge pierced by a circlet binding them together with a central motif of a gobenka...

A finely potted Hirado dish featuring three figures wearing capes and carrying heavy packages upon their backs descending down a high mountain trail. Inferred by the small gnarled Pine trees on the wayside. Although no particular scene is identifiable the figures are in Hokusai “style”. The reverse is painted with a Karakusa arabesque and has a single spur mark within the base of the footring. The dish dates to the late Edo period and the middle of the 19th century...

A finely potted six sun sized dish decorated with a traveller clutching his hat and leaning into a cold wind before a snow covered Mount Fuji. The design would appear to be derived from a print of travellers in the Mishima pass, one of the 36 views of Mount Fuji. The reverse painted with a Karakusa arabesque with a single spur mark to the base. The dish dates to the late Edo period and the middle of the 19th century. The dish measures 18.2cm in diameter and stands 3.4cm high at the rim...

A well potted Hirado six-sun dish painted with a landscape with figures in the distance fording a river. This would appear to be a representation of the arduous crossing on the river Oi part of the Tokaido, probably derived from a topographical view, such as the Tokaide meisho ichiran, or similar. The reverse painted with a Karakusa arabesque with a single spur mark to the base. The dish dates to the late Edo period and the middle of the 19th century...

A finely potted six-sun dish painted with the subject of two fisherman in a boat in the style Of Hokusai. The design is probably derived from several sources, notably the prints “Fishing in Rough Water” at Takamizawa, one of the 100 views of Mount Fuji and “Long line Fishing” on the Miyato river. The reverse painted with a Karakusa arabesque with a single spur mark to the base. The dish dates to the late Edo period and the middle of the 19th century...

An Arita dish decorated entirely with a dense arabesque of trailing bush clover vine and leaf with flowers, lotuses. This design belongs to a class of designs called hosoge which ultimately derive from Chinese patterns of the Tang period. This particular form, popular from the seventeenth century, features Bush Clover, Hagi one of the auspicious akikusa-de, and is known as Hagi Karakusa, where karakusa means Chinese (literally Tang) grasses...

An Arita dish decorated entirely with a dense arabesque of trailing bush clover vine and leaf with flowers, lotuses These belong to a class of design called hosoge which ultimately derive from Chinese patterns of the Tang period. This particular form popular from the seventeenth century features Bush Clover, Hagi one of the auspicious akikusa-de, and is known as Hagi Karakusa, where karakusa means Chinese (literally Tang) grasses. This type of design would have required great dexterity and skil...

A nagazara of conventional rectangular form decorated somenishikide style, a combination of underglaze blue, sometsuke, and, nishikide, enamelled decoration. Nishiki literally means brocade. In this case a dense diaper pattern made up of repeating and contrasting cells of Karahana against an iron red ground and five petal flowers, presumably, ume hana, Plum flowers against a striated green ground, usually used to suggest pine needles. Inset within the brocade ground niche shaped reserves with st...

A nagazara of conventional rectangular form decorated somenishikide style, a combination of underglaze blue, sometsuke, and, nishikide, enamelled decoration. Nishiki literally means brocade. In this case a dense diaper pattern made up of repeating and contrasting cells of Karahana against an iron red ground and five petal flowers, presumably, ume hana, Plum flowers against a striated green ground, usually used to suggest pine needles. Inset within the brocade ground niche shaped reserves with st...

Antique Japanese large single section todana tansu. Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood. This piece 4 horizontal rows with 4 drawers in each row for a total of 16 drawers. All of them are the same size. The hardware is made of iron and each drawer has a warabite shaped drawer pull.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 29" high x 65 1/2" wide x 17 1/8" deep.

Japanese women's small tansu with hardwood drawers, and charming burl front panels. The gilt copper hardware conveys floral motifs of Kiri leaves, flower petals, and fruit. The chest is configured with eight drawers of varied size and a pair of small sliding door panels opening to a roomy compartment. Each drawer has a plush black material lining.

Taisho Period - circa 1920's

Dimensions: 21 1/4" l x 11 3/4" d x 11 3/8" h

Japanese hand-forged iron jizai, used for suspending a tea kettle over a fire pit within the home. Made with a charming iron fish with incised details of scales, face, and separately attached fins.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 8" w x 48" - 53" long

Sodenashi (vest) made of silk crepe fragments which are: katazome (stencil-resist-dye), stripes with yama-mayu (wild silk), itajime (clamp-board dye), plain etc. All vegetable dye such as indigo, benibana (safflower), shikon (root of purple grass). In excellent condition. The second half of the 19th century. 37cm x 57cm

A terracotta figure of the Three Wise Monkeys - Mizaru who is covering his eyes, Kikazaru who is covering his ears and Iwazaru who is covering his mouth. All three embody the proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The figure is combed terracotta with blue, black and brown paint. The robes of the monkeys are painted with Japanese symbols on the back. Provenance: A Pvt. San Franciso Collection

Date: Meiji (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 8.5" X 5.5" X3.5"

Rare Japanese Yonazawa Keyaki (zelkova) burl front tansu with original golden honey lacquer finish. The round lock plates on each drawer feature the emblem of the Taira clan, whose mon is the swallowtail butterfly or ageha.

The Taira were one of the four important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period (794–1185) – the others were the Fujiwara clan, the Tachibana clan and the Minamoto clan.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: ...

A fine Kakiemion dish painted in sometsuke style with a Fuyo-de pattern with four landscape vignettes in European style adapted from a Delft original attributed to Fredrick van Frytom (see image no 6) which in turn provided elements of the so-called Deshima or Scheveningen with contrasting panels of stylised Peonies, Botan karakusa. A central motif of wreath form composed of Pomegranates. The reverse decorated with karakusa, trailing lotus vine, and a spiral fuku, good luck, mark within a double...

A nagazara or long dish of bean-pod form, a very unusual shape, decorated with auspicious un-ryu, dragons and clouds, in its central reserve, surrounded by Matsu-fuji, entwined Pine branches and Wisteria vine, a traditional Japanese motif associated with longevity. The reverse decorated with further auspicious Dragons and precious objects, cash and scrolls with flaming pearls. Within the footrim and to the base of the dish a four character fukichosun mark signifying a wish for a long and prosper...

A good Kakiemon long dish, nagazara, of a wide boat, sanpan, shaped form decorated with stylised lotus karakusa. The reverse decorated with Karakusa motifs and a Fuku in seal characters within a double square. An identical dish is illustrated in the Shibata Collection, see volume 5 no 154, there dated 1690-1710. The dish is in good condition no cracks, chips or restoration. It measures 20.8cm long and is 14cm wide, standing 3.8cm at the rim. It weighs 365 grams. Worldwide shipping included in t...

An Arita porcelain small bowl with barbed lotus style lobed rim, a namasu, typically used in Japanese cuisine to serve various pickles. Potted in mid 17C transitional Chinese style without a foot-rim as such, but an unglazed ring, kodai. The interior of the bowl painted in ko-sometsuke style. One half painted with Su Shi’s “First Ode to the Red Cliffe”, divided into twelve columns reading from right to left. The stanza is not complete with several columns of characters missing at the end ...

Japanese Buddhist scroll painting of Eight Armed Kannon , the bodhisattva of compassion, seated in a lotus position. In her other seven arms she holds a staff, a trident, a bow and arrows, a Dharma wheel, and other attributes with symbolic meaning.

Standing figures are arranged below the seated Kannon, each holding various offerings for the bodhisattva such as rice, sake, dumplings, silk fabrics, and other material objects. Among the figures is the immortal Lucky God Daikoku, wiel...

Japanese iron tsuba, or hand guard for a samurai's sword, with openwork motifs of peonies and scrolling leaves, with silver and gilt inlay pollen, detailed on the reverse, with signature.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 2 3/4" x 3"

Japanese tachi-kake or samurai's sword stand, black lacquered and rich intricate shell inlay work, with a reishi mushroom shaped finial.

Late Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 10 1/4" x 8 1/4" x 25" H

A pair of wood sculpture of Ebisu and Daikoku which are two of seven gods. Ebis is for good business and Daikoku is for luck with money. They are put on the ouse shrine. In good condition but some parts are missed in Ebis (left). Late 19th to early 20th century. Base:15cm x 5cm, Height:12cm

Japanese circular jingasa with a gradual domed top, rough textured to simulate leather. The composition is of bamboo, paper, layers of Urushi lacquer work with green lacquer, the edges decorated with two gilt mon of the Mori Clan. The interior is finished in green textured lacquer with red lacquer accent. Mounted on steel plates for presentation.

The samurai class in feudal Japan, as well as their retainers and footsoldiers (ashigaru), used several types of jingasa made from iron,...

Early edition Japanese Edo period woodblock print titled “Snowfall at Shimasaku in Iki Province." The image is No. 68 from the series “Views of Famous Places in the Sixty-odd Provinces” by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) dated 1856. Signed within a red cartouche at the left. The title and subtitle cartouches are at the upper right. The seal of the publisher Koshimuraya Heisuke is at the lower right. This is one of Hiroshige's most sought-after snow scenes with a bokashi cloud in the sky...

Antique Japanese bronze sutra container of a pagoda form with very tall finial and calligraphy inscription. The bronze shows beautiful green patina inside and on the foot and the lid shows old corrosion. The burial of sutras in sutra mounds began in 1007 when Fujiwara no Michinaga had a gilt bronze sutra container inscribed upon its burial at the Kinpusen sutra mound in Yoshino. It is apparent that a variety of reasons lay behind the creation of these sutra mounds. Clearly these mounds wer...

Antique Japanese 3 drawer gyosho bako or merchant's box, with original red lacquer finish. The top of the box has a carrying handle and the 3 drawers are opened by hirute shape iron pulls with square locks and corner hardware.

Dates Edo age c1800 Dimensions: 17" x 14" x 15 1/2" H

Unusual Japanese Kiri (paulownia) tansu with 8 drawers and a lift away panel opening to a shelved interior with spacious room. The 8 front drawers feature small round locks and warabite pulls. Original finish and condition.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 25" L x 12 1/2" D x 19 1/2" H

Japanese lacquer suzuribako or calligraphy writing box. The box is wood with lacquer, gold gilt sprinkled lacquer, and inlaid shell on the lid, adorned with scrolling leaves, floral medallions and motifs of sparrows. The box interior is red lacquer with gold lacquer patterns. The inside box contains an attached inkstone, a brush, and a small brass water dropper. Underneath is a shallow compartment for the storage of calligraphy papers.

18th-19th century Edo Age

Dimens...

Japanese small Kiri (paulownia) tansu, with pair of sliding panels concealing a shelved interior compartment, and five drawers of various size with metal pulls and locks. Original condition and finish.

Taisho period (1912-1925)

Dimensions: 24" L x 12" D x 19" H

Matching pair of Japanese scrolls. Seed syllable depictions of the Womb World (Taizokai Mandara) and companion Diamond World (Kongokai Mandara). Beneath the 8 Patriachs. 150x50.5 cm. Paints on paper with silk borders. Undated, estimated to be late 19th/early20th century. Repairs to border. Can be viewed in central London and shipped worldwide.

Japanese carved wood Natsume tea caddy, with high relief lacquer imagery of ripened peaches growing on a branch, and a flying hornet on the top of the lid in lacquer. The side of the box is signed with red lacquer cartouche.

Meiji period (1868-1912) c. 1900

Dimensions: 2 1/2" W x 2 3/4" H

Beautiful hand carved Japanese wood panel with stylized openwork carvings of various scrolling chrysanthemums and peonies. Each flowing one to the next layer out longitudinally on a single slab of wood. Hand chisel marks visible on the reverse of the panel. Ready to be wall mounted. Very good original condition. Natural finish consistent with age.

Early Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 39" L x 4" x 6" H

Antique Japanese tansu with 7 exterior drawers of various sizes. The lower right hand side has a safe box door with 2 small interior drawers. Made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Hardware includes warabite shaped drawer pulls, heavy lock plates and hinges.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" high x 28 1/2" wide x 14 1/4" deep.

Shima-cho, a sample book of cotton stripes and checks (check pattern was also called "shima" before. Some has both stripes and kasuri. Mostly vegetable indigo dyed but some of colored warps are chemical and some fragments are machine woven. 40 pages with 613 fragments. In excellent condition. Meiji (1868~1912) 24.5cm x 18.5cm x 2.5cm

A beautiful stand mounted Japanese architectural (corbal) carving of ocean waves. One of this detail and design would have been built into the architecture of a temple. The carving is highly stylized with large openwork areas. The Keyaki (zelkova) woodgrain is visible on the reverse of the carving. Mounted on black iron plates.

Mid Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

Dimensions: 32" L x 3 1/2" D x 17 1/4" H, 13" H carving only

Shima-cho, a sample book of cotton stripes. It has more than 600 fragments, mostly hand-spun and vegetable dye but some warps are chemical dye and also some fragments have silk threads. The second half of the 19th century. In good condition but some fragments are mildewy. 38 pages. 18.5cm x 13cm x 2cm

Japanese 3 section kimono tansu, made with Kiri (paulownia) wood in its original, natural finish. The top unit has three medium size drawers underneath two sliding panels. The left upper compartment with single shelf and the right upper compartment with the two smallest drawers below a shelf space. The two lower sections are comprised of 3 drawers each.

Taisho period (1912-1925)

Dimensions: 45 3/4" L x 16" D x 61" H

Free of any loss or repair, this beautifully enameled vase on a copper base stands some 7-1/2 inches in height. Wonderfully elegant and understated.

Antique Japanese single section mizuya (kichten chest). Made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood frame with Sugi (cedar) sides. The upper section have two pairs of sliding panels. The top panels are all wood while the lower panels have inset frosted glass. The bottom section of the chest has two large sliding panels with decorative cut outs . There are fourteen drawers of varying size surrounding the larger compartment of the bottom piece, opened by iron pulls.

Meiji Period (1868-19...

An interesting Japanese Arita saucer form dish decorated in a transitional style incorporating elements of the Kakiemon style, notably the asymmetric elements within the reserves to the outer rim of the dish, with Katamono style motifs dating to the late 17th century or early 18th century and made for the domestic market. For a more sophisticated version of this type of design in Katamono style dated 1680-1700 see Shibata Volume II no 422. The dish probably date from the period 1690-1710. The ...

An interesting Japanese Arita saucer form dish decorated in a transitional style incorporating elements of the Kakiemon style, notably the asymmetric elements within the reserves to the outer rim of the dish, with Katamono style motifs dating to the late 17th century or early 18th century and made for the domestic market. For a more sophisticated version of this type of design in Katamono style dated 1680-1700 see Shibata Volume II no 422. The dish probably date from the period 1690-1710. The ...

The Hannya (般若) mask in Noh theater represents a jealous female demon. She possesses two sharp bull-like horns, metallic gold eyes, and a leering mouth with jagged teeth. The mask is all hand-carved with open eyes, nostrils, and mouth so the Noh performer can see, breathe, and speak. There are also two pierced holes at the temples to be secured against the head with cord. The Hannya is lacquered in a ruddy flesh tone, with black hair and blackened teeth, red and gilt lacquer eyes, red lips, ...

A moulded rinka-gata form dish decorated in underglaze blue with additional enamels in the so-called Kakiemon palette. The outer register painted in underglaze blue with repeating pattern of a landscape with small weathered rocks from which grow auspicious Pomegranates and Peonies. The centre painted with a Chrysanthemum spray. The reverse painted with a simple Karakusa scroll and a six character mark for the Ming Emperor Chenghua. See British Museum Franks 516 for a similar Kakiemon dish with i...

A good quality large Japanese porcelain mug or tankard decorated in under-glaze blue with iron red, green and yellow enamels with Peonies and Chrysanthemums. It weighs 444 grams and has a capacity of over a Pint. It stands 15.5cm high and has a mouth diameter of 7.8cm, foot-ring diameter of 7cm and a body diameter of approximately 10cm. Tankards with a letter “B” are not unknown, they appear on mugs with applied floral applique, but examples of this plain form do not seem to appear in the ma...

A Japanese porcelain wine ewer or Chosi of cylindrical form decorated in underglaze blue with alternating horizontal bands of flowers (auspicious gobenka)and pinnate leaves (resembling Asters). The design perhaps influenced by the Chinese Aster pattern of the Kangxi period and the later, Mid Qing, provincial Chrysanthemum pattern (see the Desaru Wreck). The ewer dates to the first half of the 19th Century. The Chosi measures 10.5cm in diameter and stands 15cm high. The foot-ring measures 7cm. ...

Japanese solid Keyaki isho tansu from the Sendai region. With original deep red lacquer finish. The interior of the drawers done in black lacquer. With black iron hardware incised with floral motifs, large lock plates with chrysanthemums and open work scrolling leaves, the small corner safe door adorned with a round open work iron plate with peonies and scrolling leaves, opening to two small interior drawers for precious keepsakes.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: ...

Rare Japanese Sado Island Funa Tansu, also known as a captains ship safe. Made of solid quarter sawn Keyaki (Zelkova wood) burl construction with heavy hand-forged iron plates and mounts. The front of the piece with a drawer above a pull-out panel, opened by Kakute handles. The bottom panels pulls away to reveal four interior drawers surrounding a second pull-out panel, all with Hirute handles. The middle panel opens to a safe keeping box with heavy iron lock and hardware. The smallest drawer o...

This is a very fine unsigned Japanese cloisonne vase with a unique form. The enamel and wire work are exquisite. It is not signed but the quality is so good and so unique that the maker is Hayashi. Look at the last image of a signed 3 3/4 inch vase and compare them. The work on this vase is not only similar, the gold wire birds, unique spider mums and leaves on this vase are even smaller in size. There is also another sold Hayashi vase (#1352365) on my sight with similar spider mums and also wi...

Antique Japanese 2 section 6ft Mizuya with dark red lacquer frame made of Hinoki (cypress) wood, with Sugi (cedar) sides, and Keyaki (elm) burl hardwood front panel drawers and sliders edged with black lacquer frame. From the Kanazawa region. Kanazawa is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, on Japan’s central Honshu Island. It's known for well-preserved Edo-era districts, art museums and regional handicrafts.

Edo period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 69 1/4" L x 17 1/2" D...

This is a Japanese antique silk Shiny striped weave from Edo to Meiji period child kimono. Hand embroidered luxurious and beautiful semamori (amulet) is attached. It is an antique kimono which was kept carefully. I recommend you to your collection. It has the no stain damage. It is a very Excellent condition. size: Length:93cm / 36.6inch Cuff to cuff:85cm /33.4inch

Japanese 2 section Mizuya or kitchen tansu, the front frame with original dark lacquer Hinoki (cypress) wood, Sugi (cedar) sides, and door panels of Keyaki (elm) burl with original reddish orange lacquer finish. The top section holds a long and narrow upper compartment behind four sliding Keyaki front panels, with two mesh and wood panels below opening to another larger compartment, four drawers beneath, a small drawer and a pull away panel to the right side. The lower section holds the largest...