A pair of gold screens with bold shishi on genuine gold leaf. It is signed Miyauchi Gohogan Shinsai Fujiwara Morimichi sei and stamped Hogan Morimitsu no In. Each panel is 37-1/4 x 68-1/2 inches (94.5 x 174 cm). The screens have been restored, with some old repairs visible. These appear to be remounted from what is likely a different composition, possibly a set of fusuma doors...

An incredibly detailed mid to late 19th century Izushi-yaki Hakuji (white porcelain) image of a samurai and his lover enjoying a moment together; the robes, accessories and musculature being extremely well shaped. The pair are made of solid white clay, sculpted in the style and with the attention to detail typical of Hirado ware however the glaze is more textured than work expected of that region, indicative of Izushi...

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...

A loosely brushed image of a Kingfisher perched on dilapidated lotus stalk decorates the crackled gohon pale glaze of this gourd shaped Mizusashi fresh water jar by Takahashi (Ninnami) Dohachi. It features a black lacquered wooden lid. There are cracks in teh lacquer of the looping handle. The signature is consistent with works by Ninnami Dohachi (Dohachi II) from the mid 19th century...

A skeleton sits in meditation, dried autumn grasses rustling in the wind the only sound on this unusual Edo period scroll. Above is an epitaph reading: Impermanence takes life like wind strips the petals from a flower, Neither Gods nor Saints can evade, Evil within mars the spirit, Lofty stature or humble servitude, All fall prey, Yet all can be forgiven. To the right of the seated figure is a tablet covered in Sanskrit characters...

Fifteen-piece Japanese Satsuma earthenware tea set consisting of lidded teapot, lidded sugar vessel, lidded creamer, six cups and six saucers. The set is densely decorated with the Kannon, Rakan (Buddhist disciples), and dragon pattern in raised moriage enamels and gilt. “Great Japan Satsuma” mark to base. Meiji period (circa 1900)...

This painting is done by Sosen Kano (1813-1897), a well-known painter in the late Edo period who was the Edo Shogunate’s designated painter.

Here is a peaceful scene of a child sitting backwards on the back of an ox strolling under a weeping willow tree. This painting shows the monotonous scene of the country and the trust between the two catching the expression of the ox beautifully. Painted on silk, it is in the excellent conditionwith with some repair on the silk mounting...

Massive 18” high Japanese Meiji period “cong” form Satsuma earthenware vase finely decorated on the four rectangular sides in polychrome enamel and gilt highlights with vertical scenes of figures in landscapes featuring the four seasons. The base holds a square four-character “respectfully made by Ryuzan” mark. Circa 1900. 18” high, 7 1/2" square; weight: 17 lbs. Very good overall condition with some typical wear to the overglaze pigments and gilt, particularly at the rim...

Two Japanese rectangular bronze mirrors. Both 19th century. 7 x 0.1 and 6 x 0.2 cm. Combined weight 78g.

Japanese bronze mirror. 19th century. 7.8 x 0.3cm. 70g.

Two Meiji period Ostrich eggs hollowed and decorated with rich lacquered Maki-e designs of Uminosachi (treasures of the sea) on one, and Royal Crests among scrolling vines on the other. They come in a custom collectors compartmentalized kiri-wood box, one with the original Meiji period stand, the other with a more modern brass wire stand. They are roughly 6 inches tall each (16 cm)...

A wide low chawan tea bowl inscribed with a poem by Otagaki Rengetsu reading “Yo no naka ha tata utatane no shibaraku wo samenu yume ji ni matofu wari nasa. In the world only for the span of a nap yet wandering an inescapable path of dreams…such a mystery. (Translation from Rengetsu.org). It is 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter, 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) tall and in fine condition.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu...

Vertical oban depicting a fox attacking a man and child by Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833-1904). A three-eyed ghost gazes menacingly at the scene from the upper right corner...

A variety of saya lacquer-style samples enclosed in a set of stacking boxes titled Nuri-Hon. Thirty samples covering inlays, various techniques such as nejiri, powdered shell, byakudan, wakasa, and tsugaru techniques. Each sample is roughly 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) lng, the boxes 7-1/2 x 4 x 1 inches (19 x 10 x 2 cm). Very rare and overall in fine condition, dating from the later Edo. This is from a collection of scholar items we are currently offering from the estate of a Kyoto family involved in...

Japanese cast iron sake kettle (choshi) with the characteristic flattened spout decorated in low relief on one side with prunus blossoms and on the other side with bamboo. The wooden lid is covered with stippled lacquer. These iron kettles were used to heat sake during the cold winter months. Flower form finial. Meiji period (19th century). Measures about 7 3/4" to the top of the handle and about 9 1/2" across to the tip of the spout. The kettle is in very good overall condition. There ar...

Japanese Meiji carved bamboo okimono figure of a standing Daruma (also known as Bodhidharma), the body wrapped in a draped robe covered in folds. A fly whisk emerges from the hidden folded arms and extends along the side of the head between one of the elongated earlobes with hoop earring and the furrowed brow. 8 3/4" high. Very good overall condition with typical minor wear. There are a few short cracks and one small chip at the base. From the Phoenix estate of a former Daruma collector.

Japanese woodblock print triptych by Kunisada, also known as Toyokuni III, (1786-1864) titled "Snow" from the series "Copied Pictures of an Edo Purple Eastern Capital" published by Sanoya Kihei between 1849-1850. The print illustrates a scene from Chapter 30 of Ryutei Tanehiko's 19th century novel "An Impostor Murasaki and a Rustic Genji (Inaka Genji)," which is loosely based on the 11th century novel "The Tale of Genji." Depicted is Mitsuuji, Lady Murasaki, and an attendant holding a brazier....

A 19th century (Edo to Meiji periods) gilded bronze branch bearing three golden fruits, each of which opens to reveal a small compartment. It is 19 cm (7-1/2 inches) long, 6 cm (2-1/2 inches) tall and comes enclosed in an age darkened kiri-wood box. Certainly of Buddhist connotations, it likely held some small sweets or incense.

Large Japanese Meiji period kuruma (wheeled) tansu configured with seven drawers and a locking bar. The top drawer has embossed rectangular iron hardware in the form of a peacock. Warabite handles. 19th century. 47 3/4" long x 19 1/4" deep x 44 1/2" high. Very solid and in good, sturdy overall condition. The wheels are a bit stiff, but functional, and the original finish has only minor wear. There is a short cigarette burn on the edge of the top. From the Tucson, Arizona collection of a W...

An exquisite pair of gofun covered fox on black and gold lacquered stands protected by copper wire cages, dating from the second half of the Edo period. They wear a shrewd look, eyes narrowed to slits, enhancing their mischievous image. The mystical carvings are covered in white gofun, stained a soft gray from age with highlights still white from eons of careful cleaning. Around the pair of ethereal creatures are removable cages of copper wire to protect the sacred images, the gofun coating m...

Japanese bronze mirror. 19th century. 7.1 x 0.4 cm. 92 g.

A stunning Suzuri bako covered in gold lacquer and minutely detailed with scenes of the 53 stations of the Tokaido. Mountains and ocean views, famous temples and castles are all populated by travelers in various shades and degrees of gold. It is decorated inside entirely with fronds over gold nashiji. A superb work of art that would have taken months or perhaps even years to complete. The box measures 33 x 25 x 14 cm (13 x 10 x 6 inches) and is in overall fine condition. There is a small rep...

Japanese Edo to Meiji period ten-sided polygon form Imari porcelain vase decorated in the kakiemon style in polychrome enamel and gilt highlights with a prominent flying phoenix bird on the front and three pawlonia leaf groupings extending around the circumference. Ten alternating geometric and stylized floral bands extend vertically up the sloping neck. An alternating scalloped band is above the foot. 19th century. Stands just over 10” high. Very good overall condition with minor typical...

Rare oversized Japanese woodblock print ascribed to Utagawa Kunisada (1786-1865) titled “Mirror of the Physiology of Eating and Drinking” (Inshoku Yojo Kagami), also known as “Rules of Dietary Life,” and believed to date circa 1850. The print depicts a man seated cross-legged drinking a cup of sake with a bowl of fish in front of him. The cross-sectioned torso shows the functions of the internal organs and illustrates the Sino-Japanese concept of digestion. Inscriptions describe the f...

Japanese Meiji period woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892) depicting the torture of a politically dissident woman titled “Muraoka, Head Lady-in-waiting of the Konoe Clan Bound with Rope” from the series “Personalities of Recent Times” published by Yamato Shimbunsha in 1887. Known image size: 12 15/16" x 8 13/16." Purchased at and framed by Robyn Buntin Gallery, Honolulu in a very high end frame. Visibly in very good overall condition with embossed highlights evident. Not...

A snow-capped Mt. Fuji viewed through clouds from Nihonbashi (Japan Bridge) from the series "Famous Views of Edo" by Ando Hiroshige (1797-1858) published by Sanoki circa 1840. The print depicts a lively scene with workers carrying merchandise by foot across the bridge in Edo (now Tokyo). Boats are docked before warehouses in the background. The colors are exceptionally fresh and vibrant. This is not a later edition or reproduction. It is a guaranteed original woodblock print by Hiroshige. ...

A set of five porcelain tea cups by Ninnami Dohachi decorated with bamboo and poetry by Nukina Kaioku (Suo) enclosed in a superb custom period kiri-wood box with rosewood edges. Each cup is 2 inches (5 cm) tall, 2-1/2 inches (6 cm) diameter. There are old gold repairs to two of the cups, otherwise are in fine condition.
Nukina Kaioku (1778-1863) was born into a samurai family in Awa, on the island of Shikoku a patron of the Hachisuka clan. In frail health, he was excluded from the stri...

A magnificent and seldom found set of Ao or Blue-Bizen Tokkuri Sake decanters dating from the Edo period enclosed in an ancient kiri-wood box. The hand-turned pieces are in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks. The undecorated clay of each pinched vessel is an unusual shade of blue/gray, thus the name. Each piece measures roughly 6 inches (15 cm) tall. An exceptional and highly sought after addition to a collection of Japanese ceramics.

Japanese Meiji period cylindrical pawlonia (kiri) wood domaru (tree-trunk) hibachi with a relief design of flowering grasses in gold maki-e lacquer and shell inlay. A gold lacquered bird flies on the back. Original copper liner. Late 19th to early 20th century. 8” high x 11 1/2" wide. Very good overall condition with only minor losses to the shell inlay.

Japanese Meiji period Artia Imari porcelain charger decorated in underglaze cobalt blue and brilliant polychrome enamels and gilt highlights with a central reserve holding a kirin and butterflies on a white background surrounded by three red-ground floral panels set against cobalt blue. Three underglaze blue leaves are spaced around the exterior. A single spur is on the base. Very good overall condition. There are production imperfections (either burst bubbles or kiln grit adhering) at the r...

A very rare 19th century elaborate head dress (Kanmuri or crown) of gilded parts inset with glass surmounted by a phoenix flanked by two dragons for use in the Japanese Noh Theater. A golden phoenix takes flight from the peak, surrounded by sun, moon and flaming jewel from which are suspended extravagant chains of glass and coral beads and gilded ornaments. Made of brass, paper, wood and thin wire, the entire is covered in gold with the sun and moon in enamel and burning jewels in glass. On t...

Japanese bronze mirror. 19th century. 7.2 x 0.3 cm. 100g.

A beautifully shaped miniature bell with simulated chord looping through the top, half lifting off to reveal a compartment for storing incense. A ball inside the lower section actually rattles around like a real suzu-bell. This is a very unusual and superbly crafted from from the Mino area of Edo Japan. The inside white clay is darkened with age, and the outside infused with color gathered with time. It is 1-1/4 inches (4 cm) diamater, 2 inches (5 cm) tall and in excellent condition, enclose...

A 19th century (early Meiji) period Buddhist image we believe to be a thousand armed version of Yakushi Nyorai accompanied by two sages carved entirely of fragrant sandalwood on a gilded wooden base. The group is in total 15-1/2 inches (39 cm) tall, the image alone 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) tall. Both sages are missing an arm, as well as one lotus blossom rising from the wave patterned base. The holy figure itself also once had a greater number of arms, which have been lost over the last 150 years...

Japanese sagemono (hanging object) tobacco pipe set consisting of a wood kiserutsuzu (pipe holder), kiseru (pipe), and wood tonkotsu (tobacco box) in the form of a humorous yawning Daruma with arms overhead grasping the two cords with his fists. The cords hold an ojime (sliding bead), which is attached to the pipe holder. Daruma’s body is kiri (pawlonia) wood and his eyes are inlaid with mother of pearl. His face lifts and functions as a cover for the tobacco box. A badger (tanuki) standin...

A set of sake decanters in the shape of Split Bamboo Tea Whisks by the third generation Kiyomizu Rokubei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The artists stamp is clearly impressed into the nunome cloth-textured base. They are 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition dating from the mid 19th century.
Kiyomizu Rokubei III (1820-1883) was the second son of Rokubei II (1790-1860) and took over the family kiln at the age of 18 after his father retired in 1838. (His fa...