Early 19th century boxwood netsuke of a frog on a folded decaying lotus leaf. Very strong early carving, perfectly captured posture, wonderful representation of shapes and textures. Excellent finish, beautiful wear and patina. Signed KYOGETSU in rectangular reserve on the bottom. Length 2.2 inches.

This is very fine Imari Pedestal bowl. In fact one of the best ones we have come across. It has very fine workmanship and there are many symbolic characters mixed into the busy design so look close at the images. It is a beautiful display piece that stands 7 1/2 inches tall and is 10 inches wide. Condition is excellent except for some sear mainly on the top rim. To make a purchase please contact us. We accept Pay Pal and process all credit card payments directly through our store.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting young Yoshitsune and Benkei at the Gojo bridge in Kyoto. For an account of this significant encounter see H. Joly LEGEND IN JAPANESE ART, p. 82. Do not photograph well. Shakudo body, silver inlaid highlights, in great condition. Length of Yoshitsune menuki is 1 inch.

19th century netsuke in manju (rice cake) form carved in raised relief with a huge sake jar and a shojo leaning on its elbows as it reads a book, the back with a sunken relief carving of a ladle and a sake cup. Shojo are mythical creatures living near the sea, and are particularly fond of sake. Excellent face and lines of the robe, finely incised textile patterns and dripping glaze lines on the jar...

A Nabeshima blue and white dish with decoration of peonies issuing from rockery. Late Meiji era. Good condition. Diameter, 8 inches to 8 1/8 inches. Height, 2 3/8 inches

Japanese antique Thick hand-spun otton tsutsugaki Horse cover of the Edo period.(1800-1867)The string currently attached to this is shirakage-shibori-dye. It is very impressive and beautiful. It is made of hand-spun and hand-woven and natural indigo dyed cotton. It has a thin stain. However, it is in a state good on the whole. size:190cm x 47cm (74.8" x 18.5")

19th century boxwood netsuke depicting the head of himono (gutted dried fish). Initially food taken along on a journey, dried fish came to symbolize good luck and health. Beautiful realistic carving (appears to be a head of salmon), wonderful sharp detailing, clever use of one eye as himotoshi. Superb patina on wood, in excellent condition, very pleasant to hold. Length 2.35 inches (60 mm).

Late 19th century netsuke of four blind men fighting, characteristic bumps on their heads. Excellent carving with a lot of detailing, superb faces, subtly incised textile patterns, very pleasant patina. Height 1.46 inches.

Pair of early 19th century menuki - Japanese sword fittings - each depicting different hanaike - hanging container for flower arrangement, one made out of a bamboo stem, the other out of a hollow double gourd. Fantastic unusual design in Japanese taste, excellent casting and detailing, beautiful patina. Length 1 7/16 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke of a sitting boy wearing a shishi mask that is too big for him and hitting a drum in front of him with a striker. These mask are usually used in shishimai dance, and the face of the boy can be seen inside the mask (see Enlargement 2, difficult to photograph). Nice dense shitan wood (Southeast Asian rosewood), beautifully carved, eyes of the mask are inlaid with copper. Superb wear and patina, large and deep himotoshi...

19th century wooden netsuke of Shoki the Demon Queller getting foot massage from an oni. Rather unusual subject, very nicely carved out of dense sakura wood with beautiful color and patina. Wonderful faces, eyes are inlaid with metal, in great condition. Length 1.36 inches.

Exceptional carving of Kannon Bosastu or Bodhisattva the goddess of compassion and mercy. She holds a lotus in her left hand symbolizing purity and ability to rise from the mud to transform into a beautiful flower. She stands on a stand of lotus pedals with large lotus leaves. To the side are buddhist clouds. Painted in the Edo Period c. 1860, some of the colors have worn away and the right foot is chipped off. Hinoki wood. Comes in paulownia wood box. Ask for shipping quote. H:19cm x W:28cm

Late 18th century netsuke of Rihaku seated leaning on a large wine jar with one hand and holding a wine cup in the other. Rihaku (Li Po in Chinese) was a celebrated, probably the most famous poet of China equally renown for his love of wine. Strong early carving, wonderful face and detailing of his clothes, of typical early triangular section. Wonderful feel of age, excellent patina. Height 1 1/8 inches.

Early 19th century netsuke of a boy holding onto a bamboo branch next to a large ball. Netsuke illustrates one of the paragons of filial virtue, that of Moso - a young scholar who went into the woods in the middle of the winter to look for bamboo shoots, a favorite dish of his ailing and dying mother. Bamboo does not grow in the snow but the Gods were moved by his filial piety and allowed bamboo shoots to suddenly spring from the ground. The large ball probably represents a snowball...

Rather unusual 19th century Japanese brush holder made out of a length of bamboo rhizome (root). Part of the root is made into a cover to the larger length which is hollowed inside to accommodate a painting brush. Five beautifully carved characters on the top read RAKUTAN YUUGI MOE which can be translated as “day of pleasure with strong affection to tradition/ceremony”...

Late 18th to early 19th century Japanese sword iron tsuba decorated on the front with 3 scholars and an attendant under a pine tree viewing the moon partially obscured by the clouds. There is yet another scholar on the back of the tsuba looking towards the moon as well. Excellent piece with gilding, multimetal (gold, silver and shakudo) inlays and precise detailing - see the incised textile patterns on the golden robe of the scholar on the back. Some wear, overall in excellent condition...

A Pair of Kutani Vases. Each decorated with a scene of a figure and two attendants on a terrace. The reverse with floral panels on a red ground. Nine character mark to base. Meiji period 19/20thC Height; 13.2 cm; Condition; excellent

Late Edo (1603-1868) Period Shino Chawan with all highlights of the Japanese aesthetics of wabi sabi and a Zen buddhistic infinity symbol.

It is in perfect antique condition and comes with an antique wooden box.

Shino-ware dates to the Momoyama period when potters were attempting to recreate white porcelain-wares that were being imported from China at the time. Originally they were made in single-chamber anagama style kilns set into the hillsides...