This large aquatic-themed vase by Alfredo Barbini is superbly executed. The sculpted fish have animated expressions as they float through the freely drawn seaweed. This beauty illustrates Alfredo Barbini's mastery of the material. 12" tall, weighs 11 pounds and is in good condition with normal wear at the base.

This modern decanter by Fratelli Toso is ideal for any collector of wine decanters. The decanter and stopper are in good condition and the decanter retains its circular blue Fratelli Toso label.

The creator of this lovely Hagi chawan, Hirose Tanga (b. 1939) is the master-potter of Tenpozan kiln in the city of Hagi. When I acquired this piece I thought it reminded me of bowls produced by Yoshida Shuen (apprenticed under NLT Miwa Kyusetsu). As it turns out, Yoshida worked alongside Hirose in establishing Tenpozan and in training young potters in the art of “oni” Hagi which utilizes a rough textured clay and a milky translucent glaze (like the bowl shown here)...

The image of the brush-drawn circle, known most commonly as the “enso” of Japanese Buddhism, has long been a symbol of strength, elegance, and the simultaneous being and nonbeing (mu) of the universe. A closed enso is associated with the idea of perfection while an open enso represents movement, fluidity, and attainment in the corporeal world...

These stylized water birds are attributed to Archimede due to the pulveri design. The birds are in good condition, 6.5" tall, one retaining the J.I. import label

A menagerie of 12 comic creatures grin back at us as we pour another cup of sake from this Tokkuri decorated by world renowned woodblock artist and painter Clifton Karhu enclosed in the original wooden box also decorated on all facets with the same humorous creatures as well as a self portrait on the lid captioned EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY. It is 17.5 cm (7 inches) tall and in excellent condition...

An enchanting tea bowl with painted plum blossoms. The blossoms appears to be of the "un-ryu" species which translates as "flying dragon" in English. Grounded and weighty in construction, the innocent and playful drawings on the outer surface of this tea bowl make for a well-balanced composition.

In excellent condition, this piece measure 4.7 inches in diameter (12 cm) and stands 4 inches tall (10 cm). It features a signature in the clay of the pedestal (unknown potter)...

Sake Cup made in 1970s by XIII Kakiemon Sakaida (1906-1982), decorated in bright polychrome enamels over a clear glaze and signed Kakiemon.

XIII Kakiemon Sakaida was born in Arita in 1906. In 1924 he graduated from Arita Industrial School and started to help his father Kakiemon XII.
XIII Kakiemon became the head of the family in 1963 after the death of his father...

A dazzling Hagi-ware bowl with cherry petal and earthen tones made by one of Japan's great potters. The 14th potter of the Sakakura line of potters Sakakura Shinbei XIV (1917-1975) was designated an important human cultural treasure of Yamaguchi prefecture in 1972...

This Shino ware sake cup was made about 50 years ago in the well-known Suigetsu Gama kiln which was built by one of the greatest Japanese potters of all times, Toyozo Arakawa (1894-1985). He was designated as Living National Treasure by Japanese Government in 1955 and well-known for reviving Shino glazes of Momoyama and Early Edo periods. The signature of his kiln is stamped at the bottom of the cup. The original wooden box with the signature of his kiln name is also included. Size Dia...

This eye-catching porcelain composition covered in red-glaze and highlighted with sensational gold-leaf inlay is an iconic design often employed by Ono Hakuko.

Ono Hakuko (1915 -1996) is an important figure in the world of Japanese ceramics and one of the only women in the field to gain wide acclaim and recognition for her work...

Large Japanese porcelain vase by Shumei Fujii, decorated with the design of white herons and pine in underglaze blue and pale green. The rest of the areas are covered with white gold (straight translation from the "title", platinum like), all hand decorated with the artist’s signature at the bottom. Beautiful "Tsubo" in museum quality.

Shumei Fujii (1936 to present) is a famous Arita ceramic artist with a remarkable record...

Beautiful cream colored Japanese glazed porcelain vase with gold painted bamboo stalks on its front and back, gold checkerboard designs with pink and white accents around the neck and base, gold rim with red, green, and gold painted designs. Bottom signature reads "Satsuma Asahi Do". Size: 10.5" height, 6.75" width

Woodblock Print of Traditional Japanese Folk Potteries by Serizawa Keisuke. Issued by Nihon Mingeikan (Japan Folk Craft Museum) in 1970. H. 20"(51cm) x W. 26"(66cm.) Excellent colors, light toning to paper. Printed text in English. See also SK-2 in Japanese. Keisuke Serizawa (5/13/1895 - 4/5/1984) was designated a Ningen Kokuho (National Living Treasure) in 1956 for his work in katazome stencil dyeing...

Located at the foot of an active volcano, the Ougaku kiln specializes in a type of pottery know as Sakurajima-yaki. The kiln is headed by Hashino Midori and run entirely by female potters who strive to infuse each piece they produce with the “energy” of the surrounding environment. Pieces such as the one featured here are made from volcanic ash and mineral-rich onsen spring water giving them a unique luster that is difficult to reproduce...

According to the potter who crafted this fine piece, “The clay from our area in the north is alive. We listen to it in order to divine the most suitable objects to create.” Here we see the clay wished to become a well-formed ceremonial tea bowl with an impressionistic rendition of a Japanese Iris...

Toshi Yoshida (1911-1995)
Linnoji Garden
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.75 x 8.25 inches.
Date: 1941.
Later edition (ca. 1970s-1980s) with impressed pencil signature.
Artist's jikoku (self-carved) seal.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition. Very faint toning visible in margin.

A pair of men-tori gourd shaped sake flasks by Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. One flask is decorated in blue with bamboo and the characters Sei-Fu (pure wind). The second is dated in blue and pink with pomegranates with the inscription “For the use of Yuzo, October 27, 1976”. Both are signed on the base. It is likely these came from the artists own personal collection. Each stands roughly 5 inches (13 cm) tall. There are two fractures vis...