A scarce and nicely formed bronze netsuke. The sculptural group depicts festival musicians playing a Taiko drum and Shinobue flute - the drum player with mask pulled back. Nicely detailed, down to the fingers and expressions of the musicians. The himotoshi is formed by the extended arm of one figure supporting the figure atop the Taiko. Edo period, 19th century. Good condition with rich, natural patina. Height, 1 5/8 inches

Spring Landscape. Painted with ink on silk. Signed Chokugai and sealed. It is dated as painted in 1924 on the painting.

Tanomura Chokugai(1905-1997) was a Japanese painter born in Kyoto. Great-grandson of Tanomura Chokunyu(1814-1907). He studied under Tanaka Hakuin(1866-1934). He was a member of the Kyoto Japanese Painters Association and chairman of the Kyoto Shogain.

Some insignificant marks and foxing are present on the painting itself, and some marks, very light...

Antique Japanese fireman's hood. Made of layers of indigo cotton sashiko and decorated on the inside with a scene of a tiger and lightening storm.
Fires were common in Japanese urban areas due to the dense population as well as construction material (primarily wood and paper). Fire brigades were made up of samurai class (buke hikeshi) as well as common class (machi hikeshi). Their primary goal in containing a fire was to tear down the surrounding buildings so the fire had no more fuel...

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese turtle shell kushi (hair comb) with silver lacquer decoration presenting a view of the upper part of a castle with distant hills in the background. I believe this type of hair implement is called side comb. Excellently made, superb quality lacquer work, beautiful translucent material, in great condition. Signed GYOKUHIRA on the back. Length 3.41 inches.

Unusual late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese kushi (hair comb) with buffalo horn teeth and silver frame with design of flying cranes on geometric background. Sharp metalwork with gold washes to the bodies of the birds, clever work in Japanese taste, nicely tarnished. Length 3.45 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with gold lacquer decoration of flowering plants by a meandering stream, design continuing on the back. Beautifully made, subtle design in Japanese taste, superb fine lacquering, in great condition. Length 4.69 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with carved perforated brocade design and relief roundels with blooming flowers. Beautifully made out of gold color horn with darker horn inlays, fine carving, wonderful work in Japanese taste, overall in very good condition. Length 4.48 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with black and lacquer decoration of pendant branches with leaves and inlaid silver florets. Beautifully made, very nice lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in very good condition. Length 4.42 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with black and gold lacquer decoration of flowers among scrolling vines, design continuing onto the back. Beautifully made out of dark wood with dense texture allowing for very fine teeth, superb fine lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in excellent condition. Length 3.94 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of blooming peonies. Very well made, good lacquering in subtle colors, wonderful work in Japanese taste, some old stable peeling to lacquer. Length 3.4 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with gold lacquer decoration of flowering chrysanthemum branches, design continuing on the ridge and onto the back. Beautifully made, very good lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, some wear as can bee seen on photos. Length 5.25 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with gold and black lacquer decoration of flowers and buds on branches, design continuing onto the back. Beautifully made, very good lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, some wear as can bee seen on photos. Length 4.5 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with multicolored marbled lacquer decoration. Beautifully made, great lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in excellent condition. Length 4.03 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of feathered arrows, design continuing over the ridge onto the back. Very well made, pleasantly thick body, excellent lacquering with fine gold flakes scattered throughout the background, feathers with tiny mother of pearl inlays, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in great condition without any losses. Length 4 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with carved and gold lacquered decoration of a phoenix in flight on one side and stylized crest of the Toyotomi samurai family in a shape of flowering paulownia. Superbly made, crisp carving, excellent lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in great condition. Length 3.2 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s to 1912) Japanese wooden kushi (hair comb) with black and gold lacquer decoration of a flower and scrolling vines, design continuing onto the back. Beautifully made out of dark wood with dense texture allowing for very fine teeth, superb fine lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in excellent condition. Length 3.82 inches.

Very pretty Satsuma earthenware bowl, round in shape, decorated with gold and polychrome enamels, representing inside the bowl, courtesans and children, in a garden, under maple trees, and near a lake. The kimonos are sumptuous by the thickness of gold used and the finesse of the details. The perimeter represents a meeting of samurai and on the other side courtesans under cherry blossoms. Signed: Kinkozan. Diameter: 12.5 cm, height: 5 cm. Period: Meiji around 1900. + Wooden box.

Maekake, apron made of Ohmi jofu, which is asa (hemp) with kasuri pattern. Weft kasuri yarns are board-clamp dye, so that both selvedges have bar-code like white lines. All hand-sewn and in excellent condition. It has red cotton belts. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:49cm, L:73cm