A large cloth, silk brocade, lined with cotton with ties on one side. Dimensions: 104 1/4” long x 45” in width (2.65m x 1.14m). There are four 26” panels sewn together (sewing machine), each panel is decorated with a pair of phoenix birds one parched on a paulownia tree and the other on a rock. Although the fabric is of high quality silk, it actually is older than it appears - you need to handled gently. The gold sparkles when it is hit by lights. The color is not red...

Matsue Hariko Tawara Ushi, Paper Mache Ox Carrying Rice Bales from Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. Ca. early 1970's. Made by H. Kimura. L.3.375"(8.5cm) x H.2"(5cm) x W.2.375"(6cm.) Matsue paper mache dates back to the Edo Period (1600-1868) and has a robust charm. In this rural area, the Ox signifies a good harvest. Matsue is known in the West as the long-time Japanese home of writer Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904.)

Matsue Hariko Koma, paper mache horse from Matsue, Shimane Prefecture. H.3.25"(8.5cm) x L.3"(7.5cm) x W.1"(2.5cm). Ca. early 1970's, made by H. Kimura. Painted paper, straw tail. Matsue paper mache dates back to the Edo Period (1600-1868) and has a wonderful robust charm. The horse, in this rural area, is a symbol of good harvest. Matsue is known in the West as the long-time Japanese home of writer Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904.)

Tsuchi Ningyo, Clay Doll. Kintaro with Giant Carp. ca. early 1900's. H.4.25"(11cm) x W.3.375"(8.5cm.) Signed on bottom "Yano." Body is 100% intact and in good condition, but most of the paint has flaked off of the fish...

Hirosaki Hato Bue, Clay Pigeon Whistle from Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture. Painted clay; L.6"(15cm) x H.4"(10cm) x 2.5"(6.5cm.)ca. 1970's...

Kubi Furi Tora; Bobbing Head Paper Mache Tiger from Nishi-Oodera, Okayama Prefecture. H.6.5"(16.5cm) x L.6.25"(16cm) x W.2"(5cm.) Painted paper mache, ca. early 1970's. Excellent condition WITH ORIGINAL BOX. Paper mache folk crafts were popular in Nishi-Oodera since the mid-late Edo Period (1600-1868.) This particular style of tiger with high hip, curled tail, heavy black stripes, and fierce countenace has been produced since about 1897...

Akebi Hato Guruma, Vine Pigeon on Wheels; Nozawa, Nagano Prefecture. L.4.75"(12cm) x W.2.375"(6cm) x H.2.5"(6.5cm.) ca. 1972, woven akebi vine. The region of Nozawa has long been known for vine weaving craftsmanship, producing utilitarian items like hats, baskets, and teapot trivets. Vines were sourced from nearby mountains and then bleached naturally in local hot springs...

Kawase Hasui
Kankai Temple, Beppu Hot Springs, 1927
Publisher: Bijutsusha. One of only eight Hasui designs published by Bijutsusha. Bears the red "Rumi" publisher's seal.
Size: Oban, approximately 15.0 x 10.25 inches.
Condition: Unframed. Excellent. A small (2 mm) hole in the dark green foliage has been invisibly repaired by a conservator. Short green dash in grey upper right sky.
A lush landscape format print and a rare design...

Takamatsu Yomeiri Ningyo; Clay Bridal Trousseau Dolls from Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku Island. Set of 5 depicting auspicious images: Happy Couple, Dog, Rabbit, Ebisu with Tai (Sea Bream,) Dog with Tai. H. .75" to 1.125" (2cm-2.75cm) x W. .875" to 1.375" (2.25cm - 3.5cm;) painted clay, ca. 1972. Condition notes: .75cm paint chip on back of Ebisu, paint chipped away on fish of Dog with Tai figure. Others all in excellent condition...

Paper mache Daruma Dolls from Tamashima district of Kurashiki in Okayama Prefecture by Ono Ichi, ca...

Kogo (Incense Container) by Kawai Takeichi; Kyoto, 1972. Dark green glaze. 2.25"(5.75cm) square x 1.75"(4cm) high. This piece was acquired on a visit to the Kawai pottery on August 9, 1972 and has had one owner since then. Kawai Takeichi (1908-1989) is the nephew of legendary Mingei (Folk Craft) Movement potter Kawai Kanjiro (1890-1966;) who along with Yanagi Soetsu, Hamada Shoji, Bernard Leach, and others were the first-generation leaders of this movement. Kawai Takeichi began his apprecticeshi...

The inscription on the back reads: Inori (Meditation) by Kinugawa Masayoshi (born 1912 in Higemi, Hyogo) of the Bijyutsuin Inyuu art organization. Japanese Two Panel Screen painting of Kannon Bodhisattva, the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy. The painting is a masterpiece, using the technique whereby minerals and semi-precious stones are ground into the paint, creating the most spectacular effects. Also, gold and black lacquer add highlights. This marvelous piece will stand out in any environmen...

Yamakawa Shuho (1898 - 1944)
Premonition of Snow, 1927
Size: Oban, approximately 15.0 x 10.5 inches.
Publisher: Bijutsusha
Condition. Unframed. This print has had tears and toning professionally restored.
An intriguing bijin image with an unusual title.

A beautiful early 20th C. Japanese black ink stone in excellent condition, marked. L:6" W:4-3/4"

A colorful Japanese Art Deco man's juban (under kimono), comprising a crazy quilt pattern of wonderful period hand-woven silk crepe fabrics in rich colors of indigo, red, green and purple, and brown, circa 1930, decorative trim and frog clasp, hand stitched, blue silk lining. Measurements: Sleeve tip to tip-48", shoulder to bottom hem-49"; A beautiful example of Art Deco fabrics in fair condition with frayed silks and lining fading, easily restored. Taisho or early Showa period

This is an antique men's silk juban, an undergarment worn under a kimono. For today’s standards, it is very odd to see such an extravagant hidden personal item.

During the Edo period, which ended in 1868, common people were not allowed to wear silk. The growing economical power of merchants came along with social disorder and corruption. Tokugawa government issued many sumptuary laws to limit the spending of the general people on luxury items. One way to avoid the punishment was to...

Artist: Uchima (Aohara) Toshiko (1918-2000). Aohara would marry the renowned artist Ansei Uchima.
Scene: Girl in Costume.
Image area: 5.5 x 3.5 inches. A woodblock print tipped at the top to original cardstock.
Bears the "Aohara" seal.
Publisher: Kyoto Hanga-In.
Condition: Excellent.

This is an antique men's silk juban, an undergarment worn under a kimono. For today’s standards, it is very odd to see such an extravagant hidden personal item. During the Edo period, which ended in 1868, common people were not allowed to wear silk. The growing economical power of merchants came along with social disorder and corruption. The Tokugawa government issued many sumptuary laws to limit the spending of the general people on luxury items. One way to avoid the punishment was to spend t...

Toshi Yoshida (1911~1995)
Depicting: Snow scene
A woodblock print tipped at the top to a Japanese Christmas card from the early 1950s. Please photo of the inside of the card.
Signed "T. Yoshida"
Condition: Excellent.

Hiratsuka Un-ichi (1895 ~ 1997)
Nihonbashi Bridge in Tokyo (aka. Night at Nihonbashi Bridge)
Date: 1946
Card size: Approximately 6.0 x 4.25 inches.
This woodblock print is the front cover of a Christmas/New Year card signed in pen by the artist at the inside.
Reference: Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

A beautiful Chinese old silver dish with embossed twin fishes, in excellent condition. Marked. Weighs 68g. D:4" (10cm)

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold,) Matsu (pine) motif; Japan, early 20th C. L.8.5"(21cm) x W.4.0"(10cm) x H.1.75"(4.5cm.) The pine symbolizes "evergreen" and was a popular motif for celebratory occasions such as weddings and New Year's. It is one of the "Three Friends of Winter," which also includes plum and bamboo. Sweet molds, “kashigata,” have been a part of confectionary culture around the world. Well-known examples in Asia come from Japan, China, Korea, and Indonesia. In Europe; countri...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold,) Hi No De Tsuru (Rising Sun Crane) motif. Japan, early 20th C. L.7.0"(18cm) x W.3.75"(9.5cm) x H.1.625"(4cm). The Crane symbolizes long life, as does the Tortoise, in many Asian cultures. In Japan, it was a popular traditional motif for celebratory events such as weddings, New Year's, and birth. This particular example shows the rising sun, a symbol of Japan, behind the crane. The sweetmaker has written "Hi No De Tsuru (Rising Sun Crane)" on the side of the sweet mo...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold,) Momiji (Japanese Maple) motif. Japan, early 20th C. L.8.125"(20.5cm) x W.3.0"(7.5cm) x H.1.75"(3.5cm.) This kashigata displays 2 Japanese maple leaves. As seasonality was often a concern in Japanese confectionery tradition, this image would have been a lovely inference to the autumn season. The sweetmaker has marked the side of the mold "mo mi ji" (Japanese Maple) in katakana characters. Sweet molds, “kashigata,” have been a part of confectionary culture ar...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold,) Biwa (loquat fruit, Eriobotrya Japonica) motif, Japan, early 20th C. L.8.125"(20.5cm) x W.4.374"(11cm) x H.1.5"(4cm.) The image on this mold shows a bunch of loquat fruit, known as "biwa" in Japanese. Biwa are indegenous to SE China, and the Japanese name may refer to the oblong shape of mature fruit that resembles the shape of the musical instrument, lute (also "biwa" in Japanese.) In olden days, a type of cough medication was made from the syrup of the fruit. The...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold,) Japanese Imperial Army Emblem, early 20th C. L.6.375"(16.25cm) x W.3.625"(9.25cm) x H.1.5"(4cm). This unique kashigata features an emblem of the Imperial Japanese Army; the Star over two crossed swords, with a hammer and chain. The overall outline shape is that is a war fan.This item shows how even nationalism came into the designs of Japanese sweets in the Imperial era at the end of the 19th century and in the early 20th century. The back is stamped with the sweet...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold,) Take (bamboo) motif, Japan, early 20th C. L.7.375"(18.5cm) x W.4.375") x H.1.375"(3.5cm.) This mold features a bamboo stalk with two groupings of leaves, and the sweetmaker has written "sa-sa-ba" (bamboo leaves) on the side of the mold. Bamboo's resilient nature makes it a symbol of resilience in hard times and was a traditional symbol used for many celebratory occasions, such as births and weddings. Along with the pine and plum, it is one of the "Three Friends of ...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold) with image of Jou (old man from the Noh play "Takasago.") Early 20th C, Japan. L.7.75"(9.5cm) x W.3.375"(8.5cm) x H..75'(2cm). Bottom portion of mold only. The image of Jou, the old man raking leaves and the companion of Uba, is from the ancient Noh play "Takasago." Alone or accompanied by Uba, Jou is a symbol of a long married life and fidelity. Such sweets could have been used for marriages and New Years. This mold lacks the top cover to press the sweet, but the c...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold) with double Kiku (chrysanthemum) motif, early 20th C., Japan. L.8.75"(22.5cm) x W.4.25"(10.5cm) x H.1.75"(4.5cm.) This mold has two chrysanthemum blossoms, a symbol of beauty and abundance in late fall and winter. On the side, the sweetmaker has written "an iri no natsume" (sweet red bean paste filled jujube) to indicate for which of type of sweet this mold was used. On the back is carved the sweet shop's name, "Bai Getsu" (Plum Moon.) This is the name of a famous s...

Kashigata (wooden sweet mold) with a dynamic image of a minogame (mino = "straw rain cape," kame/game = "turtle/tortoise.") Early 20th C., Japan. L.13"(33cm) x W.5"(12.5cm) x H.1.125"(2.75cm,) 1 piece paddle type mold. Some minor insect damage to back of mold (see enlargements 4 & 5.) The tortoise is a symbol of long life in Japan, and in Asia in general. In Japan, the image of a tortoise ("kame") of especially ripe old age shows seaweed growing on its shell, which resembles the farmer's straw r...

A Beautiful Ode to Longevity by Watanabe Gashin, born 1944. Watanabe Gashin is a renowned calligrapher who has won many awards for his Japanese calligraphy. In this unique work, he spells out the joys of each decade, from the age of 60 to the age of 111. Frame: 36.5 x 18 inches, 93 x 46 cm; Calligraphy: 25 x 12 inches, 63.5 x 30.5 cm.

A fine Carved Ivory Netsuke of a man carrying the moon on his back signed Giyoku Seki a masterful piece. Measuring 2.5 inches 5.5 centimeters.

Yuasa Koufuu is an accomplished Japanese calligrapher. She is the recipient of many honors and prizes in Japan. Her style is very graceful and reminiscent of the famed Edo Period master, Rosetsu. In this delightful piece, Yuasa Koufuu describes the beautiful scenery in a mountain river. Frame: 20 x 14 inches, 51 x 35.5 cm; Artwork: 13 x 9 inches, 33 x 23 cm.

Fine Japanese miniature garden kit, all made with natural material, ca 1940-1960, original wood box. We used a simple cardboard box as a tray with small black pebbles under. You can created/draw water if the sand is used instead. The dimension of the box are 15 3/4” x 7 3/16” x 3 5/8”. Fence: 9 1/8 long (flattened for storage) x 3 3/4” high. Board with a frog: 5 1/8” long. Please ask for other measurements.

This tsumugi (raw, knobby silk, similar to tweed) purse was purchased at the well-known Kyoto antique textile shop Nakamura Chingiriya in 1972. It is unused and still has original box. H.6"(15cm) x W.6.25"(16cm.) Snap closes on one side, with eyelet for a hand, shoulder, or waist strap on the other. Indigo dyed folk materials and an elegant purse design make it suitable for kimono or jeans.

Kawase Hasui
Moon at Nakanoshima, Sapporo 1933
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the 7 mm seal, indicating a printing between 1957 and 1989.
Condition: Unframed. Very good. Slight toning and professionally reinforced left margin.
- A rare appearance of a horse in a Hasui print.