Late 18th to early 19th century iron Japanese sword tsuba with multimetal inlays depicting sennin Bukan Zenshi standing under a rock and waving for his faithful tiger to approach, which the beast seems to be very happy to do, the back showing mountains with pines and a waterfall. Bukan Zenshi (Pu Hsien in Chinese) was a 7th century priest and is usually shown with a tiger as his attendant...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) from the Niigata region of Japan. The front section is made of burled keyaki (Zelkova) and the sides are sugi (Crytomeria). The tansu has a pair of burled wood sliding doors over two burled drawers with heavy iron locks. Exceptional burled Keyaki wood.

Date: Early Meiji - 1870's

Dimensions: 34" tall X 32" wide X 20" deep

Incredible Antique Japanese kannon biraki tansu (storage chest with hinged doors) made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood with original deep brown lacquer finish. The interior consists of 10 drawers of various sizes made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Each drawer has a square lock (with key) and warabite shaped drawer pulls. Extensive hand forged iron hardware on the exterior includes 9 hinges on each door, cross bracing and two locks (with key). Original finish and condition...

Pair of stamped brass stirrups decorated with Hashizuka, Ito and Manabe Mons.
Japan - Edo (1615-1868), 18th century.
Measures: Height 10.24in , length 12.6in, width 4.72in
As in Western culture, the culture Japanese stirrups were part of traditional accessories used only by the nobility and the people belonging to the upper class. The stirrups were made in the most precious metal, they were intended to indicate the social status of the owner...

19th century netsuke of a karako (Chinese boy) with a flower in his hand standing by a tall floor screen decorated with a dragon in flight among clouds. Very nice carving, beautiful light staining, pleasant wear and patina. Tiny old chip to rim on the top of the screen. Formerly in Mary Louise O’Brien collection (Sotheby’s NY, September 17, 1981, lot 153. Height 1 3/4 inches.

A large architectural Buddhist temple carving of a Dragon (Ryu), with reverse glass painted eyes. The dragon clutches a smooth clear quartz crystal ball in its 3 point sharp claws. The high relief carvings show the dragon's body coiled behind clouds of smoke and waves. Dragons are the powerful embodiment of yin and yang and are seen as a symbol of power, strength, and good luck for people that are worthy...

Darling Antique Japanese gilt metal pair of hand mirror and brush. Designed with picture of flowers in cloisonné on backs. Flowers are blue with white and yellow, on a black background. The set has matching handles, which display a butterfly fan, palms, and woman holding her mirror at the bottom. Meiji Period: Circa 1910 Dimensions: Mirror- 9.5" Long X 3.5" Wide Brush- 9" Long X 2.75" Wide

A very interesting chawan (tea bowl) dating from the Korean Joseon period (Richo in Japanese; 1392-1897). This particular piece appears to date from the 17th or 18th century and comes with a box that looks to have been furnished within the last 100 years. Over the long history of tea practice in Japan, at varying times, Korean-ware came into high fashion and ships full of the finest ceramics were brought over to Japan...

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, and also a mending patch. It has letters "25 sheets", but it is not clear what was put in. It is from Niigata prefecture. In good condition. W:29.5cm, L:52cm

Ivory netsuke of a group of three compactly intertwined monkeys, the smallest holding a longevity peach against him. Their eyes are inlaid horn. Their coats are carefully incised and their fingers are finely sculpted. Natural himotoshi through one of the legs.
Signature on the right flank of the largest monkey, in an unidentified rectangular reserve.

Japan - Meiji Era (1868-1912)
Width: 0.8 in (2.5 cm) - Depth: 1.6 (4 cm) - Height: 1.6 in (4.5 cm)

A medium sized bowl decorated in “Kinrande” style for the Japanese domestic market. These richly enamelled wares were patronised by the wealthy merchant class and tend to be decorated primarily with auspicious objects and patterns, kissho-ga which gives rise to the alternative description “katamono”, meaning literally standard objects...

Small porcelain dish from Japan. Decor of birds in flight in a landscape with trees and flowers painted in enamels and gilding. The porcelain is exceedingly thin similar to eggshell porcelain. Three Chinese characters are enamelled in red below, probably Kutani's mark. The designs are neat and of the best quality. Very fragile but good condition. D:138mm.

A pair of 19th century Japanese bronze vases with stylized dragon handles. Body with raised relief decoration depicting birds amidst a pond landscape. Raised on a ringed cut-out base. In very good condition, the vases measure 12" high, 6.5" wide at handles, and 5.75" diameter. Circa 1900

A very unusual enamelled polychrome Arita dish decorated with a curious central motif which would appear to be a highly stylised interpretation of double Vajra, similar motifs, are to be found of Chinese Ming porcelains of the late 15th and early 16th centuries...

A very rare Kakiemon moulded dish, ozara, in a nigoshide type porcelain body dating from the first period of the Kakiemon kiln at Nangawara. The dish is moulded with various motifs and symbols of Longevity, including, a pair of cranes, pine, bamboo, a minogame, and prunus, and a pair of precious objects an artemesin leaf combined with a flywhisk. In between the framed motifs various forms of yoraku, pendant Buddhist jewels...

Wan shape with a small foot and no Kagami (mirror - tea pool) inside.

The light iron bearing clay is decorated in the style of a Korean Miji-Hakaeme bowls: inside and the upper three quarters on the outside covered with a whitish Engobe over which a transparent ash glaze was applied, just sparing the inner part of the foot.

The Uchigaso kiln was the second of the Takatori kilns established by Korean potters, it was active between 1614 and 1624.

The bowl was ex...

Slightly distorted cylinder shaped (hanzutsu) tea bowl made of light, fine, unrefined Mino clay. Shape and style make it appear contemporary with the late Oribe bowls. The expertly thrown body is covered with the typical black oniita engobe inside and outside - with the exception of the bottom - over which a white, feldspatic Shino glaze has been poured.

Just the foot ring and its immediate surrounding was left unglazed...

Bronze okimono depicting the study of a powerful tiger in a furtive position. The animal is represented with its legs bent, its tail curled upwards and its body in a lowered position just before launching the attack. The streaks of the fur, typical of the animal, are depicted in a masterful way and highlighted with a marked engraving. This okimono is signed Hideyoshi 秀義 under the belly. Origin: Japan Period: Meiji second half of the 19th century. Dimensions: 10 x 36 x 9 cm....