Antique Japanese gunbai, war fan belonging to a high ranking samurai officer. Made of lacquered wood with shell inlay and with 2 large cut outs. This fan would have been used to shade from the sun and to signal troops. Though this shape of fan was not used as a weapon, it could have come in very handy in battle and there are legends of samurai heroes fighting with nothing but their war fans. The art of fighting with a war fan is called tessenjutsu...

Antique Japanese tsuba (hand guard for a samurai sword), made all of iron and cast in the form of a daikon raddish. The leafy tops of the daikon are highly raised and the raddish root itself twists around becoming the circular rounded edge of the tsuba. Wonderful three dimensional quality. Edo Period. Size: 3" wide diameter

This is finely carved Japanese netsuke depicting a Herb Boy standing right next to his OX. Both figures rest upon a platform where the himotoshi is found. Very nice form and mellow patina. Signed Meizan. Netsuke measures 11.28 inches (3.3cm), and 1.08 inches (2.8cm) tall. Note: A reference to the carver Meizan and his signature may be found on page 754 of George Lazarnick's 'Netsuke and Inro Artists and How to Read their Signatures.

19th Century, Finely Hand-Carved Wood Tonkotsu with excellent and colorfull inlays/incrustations depicting a Sea Life Landscape with fish, clamshells, shrimp, crab, snail, jellyfish and algae. Beautiful representation of a marine scenery. The netsuke matches the theme with a depiction of an open clamshell with a village scene made up of a house with balcony and rooftop, as well as people standing or sitting about...

This is 19th century, hand-0carved netsuke depicting two Karakos with typical costume who are holding a large Daruma Doll. Netsuke measures 1.24 inches (3.1cm) wide, and 2.12 inches (5.4cm) tall. Netsuke is in excellent condition, as may seen in the posted photos.

This 19th century Japanese wood netsuke of KIKORI (woodcutter) is 1 3/8 inches tall, 1 ½ inches wide and 1 1/8 inches thick. It depicts a sitting woodcutter, his left hand holds an ax; his right hand holds a double gourd wine container. A bundle of tree branches leans on his side. It is carved from an unknown hard wood and is not signed. It is in great condition.

19th Century, Boxwood Netsuke finely hand-carved and engraved boxwood netsuke depicting a squatting Karako (Chinese Boy), wearing the customary Chinese garb, hiding an Okame mask behind his back. He is doing the Bekkanko gesture, which tells us that he is playing a game with his friends where the objective is for other people to guess what he is hiding. Nice compact form; great expression and form details; nice mellow patina...

This is Late 19th Century, wondefully carved Four-case Lacquered Inro carved to a cinnabar background depicting figural scenes on both sides. It comes with a beautiful lacquered Manju Netsuke that show in a rainbow fashion its various layers of red and green lacquer...

Japanese Boxwood Recumbent ox netsuke, wonderful detail, especially carved fur and hooves, inlaid ebony eyes, signed by Tomokazu, good condition, Edo Period. The style of the signature indicates c1790 Kyoto carver Kano Tomokazu when he was under the tutilage of Tomotada, prior to returning to Gifu. Size L 2.5" x H 1" x D 1"

This is an unusually large 19th Century, Finely Hand-Carved Wood Tonkotsu decorated with excellently finished high relief carvings of a Daruma Doll, a Toy Riding Horse, a Japanese Tai Fish laying on top of a rectangular base, a Sea Turtle and a Chrysanthemum flower, amid a detailed background of cross-lined squares. A wooden Manju with a Chrysanthemum motif, decorated with exquisite Ukibori carving, is attached, as well as a metal and natural seed beads...

This is a finely hand carved, 19th Century Kurokaki Wood Netsuke depicting Tenaga "Long Arms" being carried on the back of Ashinaga "Long Legs"...

Antique Japanese Sword or tachi with a black lacquered saya, fuchi kashira decorated with motifs of bamboo leaves (sasa), and an iron tsuba. The sword contains a signature which reads: Seki-za, Yoshida Kenkichi.

Age: Late 18th century.

Size: 43.75" width 3"

19th Century (Tall) Japanese Boxwood Netsuke: Mythical Animal This is a rather rare representation of a Soken Kisho inspired Mythical Animal, that was carved by an anonymous artisan during the 19th century in Japan. It has a Dragon shaped body with delineated scales, a sprouting unicorn, and a long curled and wavy tail. It is made of light wood, possibly cypress wood, and is covered with a reddish-brown lacquer. On its right side it is inscribed with archaic characters...

Wooden netsuke representing a frog whose eyes are inlaid with horn. It is lying on a water lily folded on itself.

The frog (kaeru) is associated with luck and wealth. Kaeru means both "frog" and "coming home" in Japanese. This extension of meaning is due to the ability of the frog to return each year to the pond of its birth...

This is a 19th century excellently hand-carved netsuke depicting a Kyogen and Noh Mask Group of Nine. Among the ancient Japanese Theater represented on this mask are: Hannya, Buaku, Okame, Okina, Otafuku, Oji, Osofuki, Noborihige, and Tenjin. Signed Koichi in an oval rectangular reserve, right next to the himotoshi. It measures 1.65 inches (4.2cm) in diameter, and 1.08 inches (2.8cm) thick. It is in excellent preserved condition.

Exceptional 19th century Japanese Tobacco Box (Tabako-Bon) in rectangular form made with wood and brass (burner inserts), and completed in black and gold lacquer. It is decorated with undulating leave vines and flowers. It has rounded square wooden Karakusa charcoal burners with brass inserts (with remaining tobacco ashes) that are also elegantly decorated with gold vines and flowers. A rectangular wooden handle is attached to the middle of the box...

Wonderful wooden pipe case and tobacco pouch. The pipe case contains the original pipe, made of paktong and bamboo. The pouch in the shape of Daruma,made of softwood and boxwood with inlaid mother of pearl eyes. Dimensions: pipe case L. 23 cm, the pouch H. 10,5 cm, W. 7 cm. Condition: excellent. Age: Late Edo, first half 19th century.

Hemp bag with age, Meiji 24 (1892) and the owner's name, Sahiko (佐彦）、whose warps and wefts are hand-plied. It has very well-done mending and reinforcement stitches. It has letters "25 sheets", but it is not clear what was put in. It is from Niigata prefecture. In good condition. W:30.5cm, L:62cm