This is a genuine theater puppet kashira representing the character Osome. It is not a souvenir. As you can see it is quite clean, however there are three faint vertical cracks in the gofun covering, beside the nose and up the right cheek. The gofun is stable. She wears her hair in an immaculate coiffure held with one unpretentious comb and a ribbon of chirimen silk. Two silver ornaments accent the very simple and attractive figure...

Pair of Imari covered bowls. Condition for both is very good (one with minute enamel loss inside the bowl and one the other with an almost imperceptible minute craze inside the foot.) Part of a group just out of a diplomatic estate. With slight variation, the bowls are between approximately 4 1/4" (10.8cm) to 4 3/8" (11.1cm) diameter and 2 5/16" (5.9cm) height. The covers are about 4" (10.2cm) diameter...

This antique Japanese Goten or Palace would have been used to create a Palace scene of the Imperial Court for the display of the 15 traditional Girls Day Hina Doll Collection. The structural parts of the dollhouse are constructed of light weight wood which is painted with black lacquer. Made in the Meiji Period, it is elaborately decorated with painted cranes, pine trees, and flowers, and metal fittings...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada) depicting a kabuki actor portraying a samurai. His sword rests on the ground and his matchlock musket leans against the wall. Firearms were introduced to Japan by foreign traders in the 16th century. The maru-ni-chigai-Takanoha family mon is on his kimono. This crest, which consisted of two crossed hawk feathers, was used by two Edo period samurai families. This image was published by Maruya Seijiro in 1854...

A pair of ceramic Cormorants by preeminent early 20th century Master Miyanaga Tozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The cormorant has a special place in Japanese art. Like the hawk is a bird used in hunting, the cormorant is a bird used in fishing. A rope would be tied around the long necks of any number of the birds, them then taken out into the water with huge torches burning on the prows of the fishing boats...

Japanese shin hanga woodblock print titled “Tasogare” (aka Dusk or Twilight) by Yamakawa Shuho (1898-1944) depicting a beauty in dressed summer kimono holding an uchiwa (non-folding fan) from the series “Four Images of Women” published by Bijutsusha in April 1928. This is the oban edition with gaufrage and mica highlights. The Shuho signature and red maple leaf seal are at the upper right...

Honda Tenjo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seven Great Men. Ink on paper in a superlative silk mounting with ivory rollers (they will be changed if exporting). It is 26 x 85-1/2 inches (66.5 x 217 cm) and is in excellent condition. Honda Tenjo (1867-1946), born in Tokyo, initially studied western painting for five years under Kondo Katsumi before moving to Nihonga under Kano Hogai. Along with Okakura Shusui and Oka Fuho was to be called the four pillars of the Hogai Studio...

Five Japanese Edo period woodblock prints depicting famous samurai from the series “Abridged Stories of our Country’s Swordsmanship” (Honcho kendo ryaku den) by Kuniyoshi (1797-1861) published by Kazusa-ya Iwazo circa 1845-1846...

Japanese tabako-ire (tobacco pouch) decorated with an embroidered dragon chasing a flaming pearl. The dragon's body extends around the front and back of the pouch. The fierce head with open jaw is located on the front above the silver alloy dragon-form kanemono (clasp). An ivory accent adorns one of the two interior compartments. A circular ivory and repousse metal dragon kagamibuta netsuke is attached by 10 strands of metal chains secured by a dragon decorated squared silver guard...

Kokeshi, wooden folk toy of NE Japan. Height: 16.75". This is an example of the "Naruko-kei" tradition of Miyagi Prefecture. The artisan was Akiyama Tadao, born on November 7th, 1932 (Showa 17.) It is not dated, but was most likely made during the 1970's. For a brief story on "dentou" (traditional) kokeshi, please see our weblog, whch can be accessed through our Trocadero homepage.

Japanese shin hanga woodblock print titled “Keisho” (Make-up), No 2, from a series of six self-published prints titled “Women’s Manners of Today” by Kobayakawa Kiyoshi (1899-1948)...

 

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) depicting the cannibal Shutendoji surrounded by captive women from the series "One Hundred Ghost Stories of China and Japan" (Wakan hyaku monogatari ) published by Daikoku-ya Kinnosuke (Kinjiro) in 1865. Vertical oban size (14 1/4"V x 9 5/8"H). Very good overall condition and color with nice gauffrage highlights and margins evident. The print was removed from an album and is lightly album backed and slightly trimmed. The image has a...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) depicting Nikki Danjo Naonori changing into a rat from the series "One Hundred Ghost Stories of China and Japan" (Wakan hyaku monogatari ) published by Daikoku-ya Kinnosuke (Kinjiro) in 1865. Vertical oban size (14 1/4"V x 9 5/8"H). Very good overall condition and color with margins evident. The print was removed from an album and is lightly album backed and slightly trimmed. The image has a prominent horizontal centerfold as the al...

When you look at an obi like this, you know why the name "Nishijin" is so known. This is a very formal obi, the biggest obi that I have seen, 13" wide and 154" long. Just a perfect piece for the formal dining room. It is large enough to cover two formal dining room tables. The colors are pastel, very gentle. When this obi was woven, the gold thread was woven in together. Every dot and line that you see in these pictures is the gold thread. It is a thick textile without a thick padding. ...

Japanese Meiji period painting on silk finely rendered with three birds perched on a tree branch set against a rising full moon. Signed “Gokyo” (artist unidentified) with a red seal below. Appears to date from the 19th century to circa 1900. Measures 47”V x 19 3/4”H. Very good overall condition with minor discoloration from foxing and a faintly visible horizontal soil line at the mid-section. The painting is executed on fine silk gauze. It has been recently professionally scroll mou...

Perhaps the best dragon carving we have ever owned, here is a solid Keyaki carving taken from the interior of a temple with glass eyes glaring fiercely out at anyone who threatens the sanctity of Buddhism. Flames leap from the body blown by fierce winds as it rises from the Churning ocean. The carving practically roils out from the wood panel, fully in three dimensions. It is 78 x 26 x 10 cm (31 x 10 x 4 inches). Please notice the yellow arrows in the last photos, as the whisker of the creat...

Feeling frisky that day, perhaps a wry self portrait by this most famous of Nuns, Otagaki Rengetsu with a poem brushed above in her unique script.
Hito hakaru The trickster
Sagano no harano In the Fields of Sagano
Yufumagure At Twilight
Onoka obana ya Tail in the Pampas grass
Sode to misuran Will it seem a sleeve
There is something very human about this depiction, perhaps the nose…The Hakuzosu (Fox spirit)...