YAGEN

Korean wooden mortar for grinding herbal and natural medicines of household or druggist use, late 20th century, Body: approx. 28 x 8.5 x H 5.6cm (11.02 x 3.34 x 2.20in). Solid and heavy...

Nokyojiku, hanging scroll with stamps and inscriptions (shuin) collected at temples visited at the Saigoku pilgrimage circuit. At each temple the pilgrim asks the custodian of the temple to stamp and inscribe his scroll. These scrolls are carried mostly by pilgrims who travel along the 88 holy sites of Shikoku, by pilgrims who complete a circuit of Kannon temples, and/or of Fudo Myo-o temples.

Hanging scroll with gold brocade mounting and gilded hardware, as used for Buddhist paintings...

This 20th century Long-Quan style seated Guan Yin with dragon is 9 ½ inches tall. The entirety of the statue is covered with green glaze except for the face, hand and foot which are covered with a brown matte glaze. It is in good condition.

Good Karen basket waterproofed with natural tree lacquer, good condition- i.e. no damage. Circa 40 to 50 years- purchased in the 1990s in Mae Hong Song, along the Thai/Burmese border. I was back there recently and old baskets have all sold out. See last enlargement for reference.

Pair Japanese Cedar Wood Miso Merchant's Storage Tubs, or Barrels, Ca. 1940, 14 1/2" high include cover, 14" diameter top rim, heavy twisted Bamboo ropes wrapped around, lacquered chestnut color outside, Kanji writings for date and shop name on bottom for both barrels, inside is unfinished and shows beautiful aged old wood grains. The condition is good, no damages.

A Famille-Rose Porcelain Snuff-Bottle with Figure-Motifs and a Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong Mark Height: 2 1/2 inches (6.4 cm) Condition Report: Good Condition Provenance: Property of a MA Collecter

An Old Jade Fish Ornament Length: 4 5/8 inches (11.75 cm) Width: 1 5/8 inches (4.13 cm) Condition Report: Hand-Carved, Good Condition

Okame standing in blue over-kimono with a sweet and cheerful facial expression. Her garment falls open a little, showing a red colored underkimono or liner, indicating her profession. Cradled in her arms is a large matsudake mushroom...

Yoshimoto Gesso
Cherry Blossoms
Date: 1930s.
Print size: Approximately 10 x 5 inches.
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku (Stamp on verso)
Artist's signature lower right.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Back top edge has paper residue.

Netsuke carved by Ryoshu (born in 1912) - one of the best Japanese netsuke carvers of the 20th century. Netsuke represents a doll of Daruma (founder of Zen Buddhism) enveloped in monastic robe, and his eyes can pop in and out. Perfectly captured facial expression, facial hair and mandarin duck decoration on his robe beautifully incised and etched with ink. It appears that the artist etched a different design on every piece of this model of his - see the other Darumas by Ryoshu on my site...

SHOTENGAI 1952

Early postwar Japanese oil painting on canvas, 'Town of Wakamatsu', May, 1952, by Ueno Haruka (1896-1978), 53 x 45.5 x 2 cm (20.86 x 17.91 x 0.78in), probably as a rare scene of vibrant retro local market street of Wakamatsu in Kita-Kyushu region well-known for the biggest domestic coal shipping port at that time...

FOOT TALISMANS

Pair of tin sandals made and didicated to temple/shrine to pray for the safety of practitioners (shugenja) or itinerant Buddhist monks (yamabushi) who do the Shugen-do mountaineering ascetic, with the Indian-ink sign of a Japanese four-character idiom as "Realisation of Great ambition". Showa period, 20th century, Japan. approx. 25 x 9 x 6 cm (9.84 x 3.54 x 2.36in)...

A bag handmade of bast fiber from Shina tree (Japanese linden), which is very fine inner fiber of the tree. It is used for collected nuts, berries, or tools. From Hokkaido Ainu. 20th century. In excellent condition. W:40cm, L:34cm

Japanese Kiri wood and lacquered floral decorated Hibachi with copper lining, 9 1/4" high, 10 1/4" diameter-outside, and 5" high, 8 1/4" diameter-inside polished copper liner, with 3" wide Lacquer band on the lower area. Low relief lacquer decoration on both sides. The condition is good, one small area about 1" long old separation in the natural Kiri wood.

This saye gosha (or segusha) shows the dynamic use of line and vivid color for which Uzbek Lakai embroidery is famous. Saye gosha are V-shaped hangings used to decorate piles of quilts while in storage during the day in the yurt. The Lakai are an Uzbek tribe who currently live around Kunduz in northern Afghanistan. Originally more widespread, they were also once found in what is now Uzbekistan and Tajikistan...

A fine 20th century studio lacquer charger. Persimmon orange-red lacquer with decoration of peony blossoms incised to an under layer of black lacquer in the Kamakura manner (and possibly from one of the ateliers in that town which can still be seen and visited when trekking up the main street to the temples.) Gilt lacquered rim. Black lacquer also singularly exposed inside the foot rim. Good condition with light wear. Diameter 15 1/2 inches (39.37 cm)

Pair Himalayan Tibetan Stupa shape Brass Chops, Seals, Stupa Altar pieces, 2 1/4" high, 1" to 1 1/8" wide on the bottom, carved double fish and other Buddhist symbols inside hexagonal shape bottom, the condition is good.

This is an Uzbek embroidered cloth from northern Afghanistan. The motifs and colors are typical of the embroideries of Tajikistan and southern Uzbekistan (Sukhandarya). Cross stitch and satin stitch in pink, green, yellow and blue yellow silk thread. This textile was probably made for a dowry. It measures 29.5 x 30 cm. Condition: Excellent, no fraying, no stains, no odors. Estimated age: mid or late 20th century.