Amazingly beautiful antique Japanese obi. This is a very high quality Nishijin obi. The condition is new with basting stitches. Very fine gold threads are woven into the base silk adding a subtle but shinny look to this obi (tan color comes from this). Crystal clear sky to turquoise blue, beautiful earth tone shades of purple to pink and moss green, you must see to believe this beauty...

Old Kyoto Nishijin obi. This obi is one of the 5 favorite obis from my collection - we have over 200 obis. It is almost impossible to find a obi like this today. The owner of the store in Tokyo where this obi was purchased once said that single good obi was coming out from one household when they go out knocking on the doors in the old town. The store had gone through changes since and no longer carries antique textiles...

Han Dynasty (200 B.C.~ 220 A.D.) 5-spout iridescent glaze vase. Beige and olive green glazes cover half the body. It is an extremely rare piece and in perfect condition. H: 10 inches, W: 7 inches

Late 19th to early 20th century Japanese Bizen Tokkuri (sake bottle). Pinched form with impressed Daikoku (one of the Seven Gods). Perhaps intentionally thrown with an imperfection. It is in good condition. H: 7 ½ inches, W: 3 ½ inches

Han Dynasty (200 B.C.~220 A.D.) green glazed burial candle holders. The entire body of each piece shows an iridescent sheen. Each one has small air hole for firing. They are very pleasant and in good condition. H: 5 inches, W: 4 ¼ inches

Meiji period Japanese bronze vase. Silver bamboo inlaid design. Signed by ¡°Nobuyoshi¡±. Maker¡¯s stamp is on the bottom. It is in good condition. H: 5 inches, W: 2 inches

Han Dynasty (200 B.C.~220 A.D.) dark green glazed bowl with cloud and crane design. Small chips on the rim. Outside there are three stacking marks from firing. Iridescent parts appear inside the bowl. It is in good condition. H: 3 ¼ inches, Diam: 6 ¾ inches

Meiji period Japanese bronze vases. Silver and copper inlaid design depicting a long-tailed rooster in a plum tree. Signed by ¡°Ichinori¡±. Maker¡¯s seal is on the bottom. They are in good condition. H: 5¡±, W: 2¡±

Japanese Edo period (1615~1868) a sage standing on the ground covered by bamboo leaves. It is signed by Kawahara and dated 1824. The base has been repaired. It is in good condition. H: 11 ¼ inches, W: 7 inches, D: 3 ½ inches

17th century S. E. Asian pottery. Dark brown glaze covers 2/3 of the entire body. The bottom shows the light brown clay. The dragon design on the top is provincial and primitive. There is a chip from kiln firing. H: 8 ½ inches, D: 5 ½ inches

19th century nephrite carving of a fisherman holding a fishing pole in one hand and two fish in the other hand. A basket is sitting on the side. Very nice carving in good condition. H: 4 inches, W: 2 ½ inches, D: 1 ¾ inches

Early 20th century Chinese Blanc de Chine. A group of four women gathered around a lotus blossom playing music. Good condition. H: 9 ½ inches, W: 7 inches

Late 19th century dark wood card case covered with a carved floral pattern. Good condition. H: 4 ¼ inches, W: 3 inches

This is a beautiful antique Japanese Imari bowl in excellent condition, no chips, hairlines, nor repairs.
The measurements of this bowl is 8 1/4 inches in diameter and 3 1/2 inches high and very solid (heavy). Signed.

Strikingly beautiful Japanese Nishijin obi. The style of the obi is the most formal and expensive style which is called maru obi; the design covers front and back, from one end to the other end. This is an older obi than it looks. The colors are vibrant yet elegant. The design is for the joyous occasion with cranes, hand drums, flowers, pines and repeated pattern of waves (sei kai ha) in gold.

Measurements:

This unique antique Japanese vase with four handles has a creamy grayish colored body with crackles and numerous pinholes. A couple of crackles are missing (shown in the photo) at the foot. It is 11 1/2 inches tall, circa early 1900s.

Alexandria, VA had a thriving salt-glazed stoneware industry throughout most of the 19th Century. Many pieces are marked with the makers name and "ALEXa" or "DC/ALEXa". Some common makers were John Swann, B.C. Milburne, H.C. Smith and E.J.Miller (a retailer). We are always interested in purchasing examples of Alexandria stoneware. If you have something you would like to sell, please send us a photo including the makers mark, size, condition and the price (we do not make offers).

Rare Chinese Northern Song Dynasty Qingbai Porcelain Duck / Goose Box

This very rare and unusual round box was made during the Northern Song Dynasty (AD 960 - 1127) at the Xicun kiln in Guangdong province. Some wares at this kiln were made for export around south-east Asia; indeed this particular example was excavated many years ago in present-day Cambodia...

A Chinese Celadon Glazed Dish. Circa, 14th-15th Century, Yuan-Ming Dynasty. Found in the Philippines. Dish decorated with carved vertical lines around its interior wall and is covered overall in a yellow-brown celadon glaze. Measurements: diameter (approximately 7”inches). Condition: there is a restoration on the dish but still presents very well...

A Chinese Qingbai Glazed Bowl. Circa, 960-1279, Song Dynasty. Found in the Philippines. Bowl covered overall in a subtle green-white ‘Qingbai-type’ of glaze, except for the base which is left fully unglazed. Measurements: diameter (17cm across). Condition: this bowl has been restored...

Interesting Cuneiform tablet, slightly rectangular and inscribed on all sides with Cunei text, Mesopotamian, probably Arkadian Cunei, late 3rd. millenium BC.

Untranslated by us.

Size: 33 x 31 mm.

Condition: Good Very fine or better, finely baked clay with almost glossy surfaces, no losses.

Ex. Old Private Collection

Fine Chinese Han Dynasty Pottery Amphora (206 BC - AD 220)

A superbly conceived design; jars of this general type have been found in excavations dating as far back as the Spring and Autumn Period (770-475 BC)...

Chinese Zhou / Warring States Bronze Ritual Wine Vessel with Cover (8/8/88)

This rare bronze vessel dates to the Eastern Zhou period (770 - 221 BC). Such vessels are invariably referred to as "ritual wine vessels". It is of a rounded rectangular form. The body stands on four feet, one in each corner and of a mythical winged-human form. The front has a loop handled surmounted with a stylised buffalo head, its mouth open wide...

Large Chinese Ming Dynasty Glazed Pottery "Celestial Boy" Tile

This large and impressive glazed pottery wall tile was made during the Ming Dynasty, around the late 15th to 16th century. The tile features a young boy in high relief surrounded by lotus leaves and a lotus bud on a stem...

A large figure of the Daruma in celadon glaze by Teishitsu Gigei-in Suwa Sozan I set on to a rosewood stand and enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The beautifully carved face and feet are in raw, burnt clay, the rest is entirely robed in pale green. It is 18.5 x 16.5 x 36cm (7-1/4 x 6-1/2 x 14 inches) plus the stand and is in excellent condition, signed inside with his koban shaped oval seal...

Chinese dignitary in cast bronze hot-gilded with mercury. Ming dynasty, 17th century or before. The hands and face are gilded, the rest of the figure was lacquered in several colors, traces of these pigments remain, notably red. The dress is incised with scrolls...

A beautifully formed earthen flask from the Bizen region, the fire-buffed side still gleaming softly while opposite it has absorbed time into the porous clay...

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

A set of 8 small dishes dating from the later 19th century known as Mame-zara (bean plates) covered in cream colored crackled glaze decorated in the traditional Mugiwarade pattern of alternating stripes of russet red, pale blue and orange emanating like rays from the center. Each plate is roughly 8.5 diameter and all are in excellent condition, enclosed in a modern, black-lacquered wooden box.
This traditional pattern is called ``Mugiwarade'' because its vertical stripes resemble ears o...

A very unusually and rare early security padlock from a strongbox, probably late 16th. century.

Perfectly working lock with original brass-soldering or coppering at the base. A heavy lock with a specially produced brass and iron key with elaborate slot for the period - very rare.

Size: c. 115 mm. tall and 61 mm. wide, the key is 103 mm. long.

Condition: Superb for this period, completely intact with fine brown patina.

Ex. Important old Danish collecti...

The largest key in the collection for the type and period, and fitting a large family chest or trunk in oak, mid 16th. century.

Very attractive key with a Gothic design and heavy reenforced bit. Remnants of old coppering to the details.

Size: 152 mm. long.

A very solidly built key for a large strong-box or treasury chest, c. mid 16th. century.

The key with a large, enforced bit with elaborately carved slots. The stem decorated with an octagonal collar and the bow typical late Gothic design.

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery patterns and even...

A lovely key for a treasury chest, late 15th.- early 16th. century.

A solidly built key with enforced bit and elaborately carved hollow stem and the oval bow decorated in the gothic manor with three globes. A rare key!

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery patterns and even tiny statuettes. A ...

A lovely key for a large strong-box or treasury chest, probably Italian, late 15th-early 16th. century.

A massive key with a large, enforced bit with elaborately carved slots. The stem and oval bow decorated in the gothic manor. Finely patinated with remnants of copper and gold from previous guilding. An early luxery key in the style that would dominate European key making for nearly a century.

The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the high...

Important large decorated iron belthook with key ring, Late Gothic, c. late 16th. century.

The fine belt hook with iron cut decoration on the front and the bended hook on the back. The hook with a large key ring for multible keys, sustained with a workable screw when keys are suspended to the ring.

Size: 17,6 cm. long and c 6,8 cm. wide.

Condition: Extremely fine for the type and age, with wear from use and lovely brown patina. Great metal and could be used today...

Six-panel byobu 屏風 screen painted on silk with floral motifs with numerous chrysanthemums. The ocher silk provides a warm backdrop for the delicate floral motifs that adorn the screen. The chrysanthemums, with their elegant shapes and shades of white, yellow and pink, are painted with precision, creating a visual effect that captures the essence of nature's beauty. Period: Meiji end of 19th century. Dimensions: 172 x 375 x 2 cm. State of conservation: Excellent condition – There ...