Choson period, 1800s

The top is decorated with a mountainous landscape with trees and stylized birds in flight. The sides have three calligraphic flourishes. A low footring encircles the glazed base. Sand and kiln grit covers the entire footring with small areas of sand adhering to the base. The pouring spout has been restored and there is a small, shallow chip on the top near the edge above the mountain.

Diameter: 3 ¼ in.; Height: 1 3/8 in.

Acquired in Japan in 1975.

Choson period, ca. early 1800s

Painted on two sides with a floral spray in underglaze cobalt blue, highlighted with copper red. Likely over-fired causing the lower body to sag on one side. The clear, bluish tinged glaze was applied thickly and ran during the firing causing the blurring of the design on one side and an almost disappearance of the design on the other side. The glaze is evenly crackled with a pale brown staining from time and use...

Choson period, 1400s

Rare and large deep bowl with an everted rim set on a fairly tall and slightly tapering foot. On the interior, the deep well descends to a shallow circular depression about 2 ½ in. in diameter. The entire bowl is covered with a clear glaze of bluish-grey cast except for a portion of the footring. A short, uneven portion in the rim is due to a potting flaw that was repaired by the potter before firing as was also a small gouge to the lower foot...

Choson period, 1400s

A stamped design of repeating flower heads laid out in concentric bands covers the interior. The exterior sides have a similar band between incised lines. The depressions are filled with white slip which is then wiped clean off the surfaced, leaving the white clay in the impressed design. A clear glaze covers the design and most of the body. The footring, base, and a portion of the lower body are unglazed...

Koryo Dynasty, 1100s

Painted in underglaze iron with a stylized design, possibly of a duck. Covered entirely with a grayish-green celadon glaze, barely wiped from the footring. Minor sand adhesion to the foot. No chips or cracks.

Diameter: 2 1/8 in.; Height: 1 ¼ in.

Choson period, 1700s

Raised on low feet incorporated into the shape of the four flat sides. The top and sides are bordered by a single blue line. On each side, framed within four corners is a quickly painted floral motif. On the top is a more detailed plant and floral design. Though generally in good condition, there is evidence of use. The glaze on top is considerably worn. There are a few minor glaze chips...

Choson period, late 1800s

Body and rim are densely inlaid with silver in various geometric patterns. There are medallions on two sides with silver-inlaid scenes of a pair of deer and a pair of cranes, both being symbols of longevity. On the adjacent sides are movable pendant handles with fretwork inlay. The interior and base have a blackish oxidation and areas of minor rust. Condition is very good. The silver is all intact...

An uncommon heavy baluster wine glass with a strong presence and stance. The flared bell bowl has a trapped air tear in the bottom, while the stem has an extremely large ball knop with a large tear. Conical foot with rough, snapped pontil. Height is 6 1/2 inches, with a bowl diameter of 3 inches and a foot diameter of 3 inches (not trimmed)...

Dated: 1918

Heavy, pure silver box with gold, silver, and copper inlaid bronze plaque inset in lid. The bronze plaque depicts a scene of dragonflies amidst autumn grasses. The grass is both incised and raised. The seeds are all inlaid gold. The dragonflies are raised above the surface with silver wings and copper bodies and the smallest dragonfly is inlaid with silver and copper. The sides of the box are incised with floral medallions and the base is raised on four solid silver feet...

Ca. early 1800s

In the style of Okuda Eisen, possibly made in Kyoto at one of the Kiyomizu Kilns. One of a set of five or ten used for individual servings of sweets or other items in a tea ceremony context. Made from porcelain with thick overglaze green enamel and rapidly painted floral designs in red enamel...

Dated: 1906

Painted in thick overglaze enamels with a scene of fish with human bodies brandishing sticks at a large turtle-like creature. The base in inscribed in gold enamel with a date, a four-character seal and the English name, Thomas Bigelow written in katakana script. The date reads: Meiji 39 (1906), fourth month, tenth day. It is unusual to find specifically dated porcelains and particularly with an individual western name inscribed. This item might have been part of a set ordered b...

Ming Dynasty, 1400/1500s

Set of six glazed miniatures made for an altar to be interred in the tomb of an upper-class person. Made in the shape of nuts, vegetables, a boar’s head, ingots and long rolls to provide symbolic sustenance in the afterlife. A few minor chips and some soil from burial, otherwise good condition.

Size: Length, Height

Logs: 2 ½ in., 2 ¼ in.

Boar’s head: 2 ½ in., 2 in.

Walnuts: 1 ¾ in., 2 3/8 in.

Vegetables: 1 7/8 in., 2 ¼ in.

Ingot...

Late 1800s

Glazed on the biscuit with green, yellow and brown enamels. On the base are three unglazed spots on which the piece was fired. Stopper in the form of bat, handle in form of stem and spout in the form of blossom. Very good condition with only minor construction flaws glazed over in the firing.

Width: 3 in.; Height: 2 7/8 in.

Early to mid 1800s

Painted in famille verte enamels, one side showing a woman in a scholar’s studio, and the other side showing a child and a seated woman. On the long narrow sides are scenes of a woman gazing out a window into a garden. The scenes are bordered on the sides by a diamond lozenge pattern as if it were the brocade framing a hanging scroll. The smaller narrow sides have a pierced double coin design surrounded by flowering branches. One side has six small, round spurs on whic...

Ca. mid 1800s

Painted in thick blue enamels surrounding an overall floral pattern in pale green and turquoise. A cartouche with a design of a bird among flowers is painted in famille rose pallet on the two large sides. A hanging tassel design is on the two narrow sides. The lid rests on top of the mouth and is painted with a single open flower. The base is unglazed. There are two glaze chips on the shoulder and a crack to the interior collar of the lid. Otherwise good condition.

Widt...

Late 1800s

Rose-pink glass in good condition.

Diameter: 3 ½ in. ext., 2 ¾ in. int.

Late 1800s

White glass made to imitate jade, good condition.

Diameter: 3 3/8 in. ext., 2 5/8 in. int.

A scalloped top coffee cup made by the Richard Chaffers factory in Liverpool. It has a version of the Scarlet Japan pattern with panels of prunus and chrysanthemums separated by orange bands with gilding and reserved with mons. The interior also has three mons in red. The handle is of simple loop form. The cup is 2 1/2 inches tall, and 2 1/8 inches in diameter. The condition is about as close to mint as you can get, with no chips, cracks, scratches, or restoration. The gilding is also in out...