Andrew Kay Womrath (1869-1939)
In collaboration with Yoshijiro Urushibara (1888-1953)
Venice at Night
Size: Chuban. Approximately 11.625 x 8 inches.
Edition: 3/50 OR 33/50. Numbered in pencil at lower left.
Date: ca 1920s.
Signed "A Kay Womrath" in pencil.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Foxing nearly entirely in margin. Margin blank at lower left.
Note: An example of this night scene is paired with its daytime version in the Smithsonian ...

Edwardian sterling silver porringer. Made by R. Blackinton & Co. in North Attleboro, Mass., ca 1910. Round with solid lozenge-form handle. Acid-etched frames depicting nursery rhymes with both old favorites like Humpty Dumpty and Little Miss Muffet as well as the more recherche Queen of Hearts and I Was a Bachelor. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. 8402. Very good condition with strong definition.

Dimensions: H 1 7/8 x W 6 7/8 x D 4 5/8 in. Weight: 4.5 troy ounces. #BY690

Royal Danish sterling silver sauce bowl on stand. Made by International in Meriden, Conn. Ovoid bowl with tapering sides and short inset foot. Stand has oval well and wide and tapering sides. At ends are open and embossed acorns and scrolls. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern name, and nos. G23/2 (bowl) and G39 (stand). Very good condition.

Dimensions: Bowl: H 3 1/8 x W 8 1/4 x D 4 5/8 in. Stand: H 1 1/4 x W 9 1/8 x D 5 1/4 in. Total weight: 14 troy ounces. #BY775

Midcentury Modern sterling silver compote. Made by William G. DeMatteo in Bergenfield, New Jersey. Round and wide bowl on twisted shaft mounted to domed and beaded foot. Mounted to bowl underside is floral band comprising seed-spilling buds. Visible hand hammering. Marked “Sterling” with maker’s stamp. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 6 5/8 x D 6 3/4 in. Weight: 12.5 troy ounces. #BZ145

George II sterling silver mug. Made Thomas Tearle in London in 1735. Baluster bowl with leaf-capped double-scroll handle and spread raised foot. Later ornament in form of chased and engraved scrolls, flowers, and scallop shells on stippled ground. Scrolled frame (vacant). Fully marked. Very good condition with deep patina.

Overall dimensions: H 4 1/8 x W 5 x D 3 1/8 in. Weight: 7.2 troy ounces. #BY964

English Art Deco sterling silver serving tray, 1938. Retailed by Harrods in London. Round with curved and tapering sides. Reeded bracket handles mounted vertically to sides. Capacious with nice balance and heft. Fully marked including retailer’s stamp and London assay stamp. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 2 5/8 x W 18 5/8 x D 16 in. Heavy weight: 78 troy ounces. #BY889

Luigi Kasimir (1881-1962)
Corvara, in the Dolomite Alps, South Tyrol, Austria
Titled and dated in pencil, "Corvara 11 Feb. 1916".
Medium: Etching.
Size: 15 x 15 inches.
Signed in pencil by artist at lower margin.
Condition: Tape remnants at outer margin.

Ohara Shoson (Koson)
Snow on Willow Bridge
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Date: 1927.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. With Watanabe C seal (Used 1929-42).
Shoson signature and seal.
Reference: S44.3 and image #166 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: A conservator has repaired top margin blanks and tears. One had impinged on the image.
Note: One...

Katsuyuki Nishijima
Title: Tsubakizaka Pass in Snow
Size: 17.25 x 12.5 inches.
Edition: 12/500.
Date: post-1980.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Top back margin has former tape marks.

Katsuyuki Nishijima
Title: Kudaya (The Kudaya Travellers Inn in Kyoto)
Size: 17.125 x 12.5 inches.
Edition: 405/500.
Date: post-1980.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Top back margin has former tape marks.

Takahashi Shotei (Hiroaki)
Fireworks, Shubinomatsu
Size: Mitsugiriban. 15 x 6.75 inches.
Date: pre-1936.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Sealed and titled in the image.
Reference: Shotei catalog M-23. Watanabe #222, Ota-ku #195
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Top back edge has paper residue.

Classical coin silver christening mug, ca 1850. Baluster bowl with high-looping leaf-capped s-scroll handle and round stepped foot. Large scrolled frame (vacant) surrounded by rural idyll with house and barn set in bosky landscape. In foreground a hunter takes aim at a fox. No vermin allowed in paradise. New York retailer’s stamp (Ball, Black & Co.) and star and eagle associated with Hartford production. Very good condition with nice patina.

Overall dimensions: H 5 x W 5 x D 3 1/8 in. Weight...

Edwardian glass sugar caster with sterling silver cover. Made by the Merrill Shops in New York, ca 1910. Bowl has upward tapering sides with cut ferns and stars, and leaf mouth rim. Cover domed and pierced. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. 2103. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 3/8 x D 2 1/2 in. #BY824

Set of 4 European gilt 935 silver and glass figural Buddha place card holders, ca 1925. Each: Contemplative and cross-legged figure of the Zen-man himself in molded glass. For a Siddhartha serene dinner party. Colors are green, blue, orange, and clear. Chamfered rectangular base and u-form back support. In leather-bound case with fitted velvet and silk lining. Marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 1 5/8 x W 7/8 x D 3/4 in. Case: H 1 1/2 x W 5 3/4 x D 2 5/8 in. #BY940

American Modern sterling silver tumbler. Sides comprise three concave rings with flared mouth rim. Marked “Tiffany & Co / Sterling / 549”. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 3 5/8 x D 3 in. Weight: 4.6 troy ounces. #BY651

Set of 4 Victorian sterling silver place card holders. Made by Saunders and Shepherd in Chester in 1899. Each: A rifle is propped against a shilling coin dated 1899, the year war broke out in South Africa between the British and Dutch colonial settlements. The rifle is the famous Lee-Metford, which was by then a tad old fashioned, but still considered reliable by British as well as Dutch troops, who made use of captured specimens. Open lunette base with vertical support. Fully marked including d...

Edwardian Modern Classical sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1907. Bombe form. Curved and overhanging mouth with lip spout and cylindrical bowl; round and stepped foot and c-scroll handle. Acid-etched ornament: Meandering ivy on mouth and handle and half-fluting on bowl. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 16867B (first produced in 1907), director’s letter m, and volume (5 1/2 pts). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 10 x W 8 3/4 x D 7 in. W...

Victorian safari flask. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1896. Ovoid glass body. Top encased in leather with cutout tubular windows. Bottom has detachable sterling silver cup. Cover hinged and cork-lined. Holds 4 pints of chest-hair growing spirits—enough for everyone around the campfire. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, date symbol, no. S829, and volume. Good condition with some leather wear from rough handling.

Jumbo dimensions: H 10 3/4 x W 6 x D 3 1/2 in. #BY782

George V sterling silver figural place card holders. Made by William Suckling, Ltd in Birmingham in 1931 Each: Cast canine figure with plain silhouette back mounted to oval base. Each dog different as they are in real life. For a special “pack” night with a few close friends. In leather-bound case with fitted velvet and silk lining with gilt retailer’s stamp (“Jewellers / Nathan & Co / Birmingham”). Very good condition.

Tallest: H 1 1/8 x W 1 5/8 x D 1 1/4 in. Case: H 3 x W 7 7/8 x ...

Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Snow at Shiba Park (Shiba Koen no Yuki)
Date: 1931
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Edition: First. Watanabe B seal (used 1927-32) in right margin.
Reference: Hotei #244.
Condition: Formerly matted with some tonal difference primarily near lower margin. One foxing mark in lower foreground.
Note: This famous Hasui design was also used later in a 1953 Pacific Transport Lines calendar.

Gyosui Suzuki
Two Egrets (Herons) Among Flowers with Moon
Date: 1930s.
Print size: Approximately 9.5 x 5 inches.
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku (Stamp on verso).
Artist's seal lower left.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Back top edge has paper residue. Very light crease upper left (photo).
Note: Very rare. We could find no other example of this design.

Yoshimoto Gesso
Blue Bird on Plum Branch
Date: 1930s.
Print size: Approximately 9.625 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. Point-sized dot in sky.

Yoshimoto Gesso
Sparrows and Red Flower
Date: 1930s.
Print size: Approximately 9.75 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.

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.

Kaoru Kawano (1916-1965)
Two Kittens
Date: 1950s-60s.
Size: Approximately 16.75 x 11.25 inches.
Sealed by the artist at lower right and on verso.
Self-published by the artist.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Tape residue at back margins and top front margin.

When the founder of the Urasenke style of tea ceremony, Sen-So Soshitsu (1622 -1697) was invited to Kanazawa as the master of tea ceremony for the powerful Kaga lords in 1666, the first Chōzaemon came with him and established Ōhi-yaki in Kanazawa. Chōzaemon had been the chief apprentice to the Raku family in Kyoto and took with him many of the principles and ideas associated with Raku-ware. Since those auspicious beginnings, Ōhi-ware has held a high place in the world of tea cere...

Cactus sterling silver dinner set. Made by Georg Jensen in Copenhagen. This set comprises 84 pieces (dimensions in inches):

Forks: 12 dinner forks (7 3/4), 12 luncheon forks (6 1/2), and 12 seafood forks (6 1/4);

Spoons: 12 dessert spoons (6 3/4) and 12 teaspoons (6);

Knives: 12 dinner knives (9) and 12 butter spreaders (6 1/8).

Dinner knife blades are stainless steel.

For a special dinner party. Cactus was designed by Gundorph Albertus (1887-1970) and first produced in 1930.

Fully...

Super luxurious Modern sterling silver colander. Retailed by Cartier in New York. Round bowl with two bracket side handles and 3 scrolled supports. Four pierced stars. A practical kitchen accessory wrought in precious metal. Fully marked including retailer’s stamp and phrase “Hand-Made”. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 6 1/2 x W 14 x D 10 1/2 in. Weight: 45 troy ounces. #BY860

Midcentury Modern sterling silver picture frame. Made by Watrous Mfg. Co. (part of International) in Wallingford, Conn. Rectangular window in clean and unadorned flat surround. With glass, silk lining, and velvet back and hinged easel support for portrait (vertical) display. Fully marked including Watrous and International stamps and no. 30. Very good condition.

Dimensions: Frame: H 10 1/4 x W 7 1/2 in. Window: H 8 5/8 x W 6 in. #BY262

Kawase Hasui
Dawn Over Lake Shoji
Size: Approximately 8.75 x 7 inches.
Date: 1935. First and only edition.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo for a calendar commissioned by Japan Government Railways. Please see the included original Japanese Government Railways tag.
Reference: Hotei #370.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Margins trimmed. Back has areas of paper residue and slight thinning.
Note: Not many examples of this woodblock print have survive...

Ohara Koson (Shoson)
Redstarts on Flowering Cherry Branch
Size: O-tanzaku. 13.5 x 7.25 inches.
Date: 1910s
Koson signature and seal at lower right.
Publisher: Daikokuya.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: K26.5 in Koson catalog.
Condition: Top back corners have paper residue.
- This print features lovely woodgrain.

Traditional Japanese art tends to be timeless and inspiring in form, however, occasionally lacking in diversity and innovation. That is why artists who can incorporate centuries of experiential knowledge and technique into producing new and interesting forms are oh so valued. Though this Bizen jar fits into the category of mizusashi, a vessel central to tea ceremony that holds fresh water, it seems to transcend this narrow category and stands as an independent art object all its own....

Japanese inlay ceramics (zōgan) are created by making incisions on the surface of a clay body which are then filled with various colored clays, creating a pattern. After the pattern is finalized, an overglaze is applied and the piece is sent to the kiln to be fired. As can be seen here, the results are quite striking and produce unique patterns that cannot be replicated through painting alone. Inlaying as a technique is thought to have originally derived from practices in metal and ...

In Japan, famous for its generational potting families, only a handful have made it all the way through to the 14th generation—the Nakazato line being one of them with over 400 years of history. Handcrafted by the current 14th potter in the renowned Karatsu tradition, this piece displays subtle, earthy tones and organic textures reminiscent of nature. Blending elements seamlessly, a canvas is created that complements the beauty of the floral elements in glossy contrast across the s...

With a masterfully applied black Raku glaze and a noticeable aesthetic of austerity and stillness, this piece is what is refereed to in Japanese as an “utsushi” or what we might call in English a “tribute piece.” Such pieces are typically made by all Raku potters, regardless of the kiln and tradition, and seek to emulate famous works from the early masters over 400 years ago—in this case, a tea bowl created by the brother of the second Kichizaemon, Tanaka Somi, born sometim...

First presented at the Ishikawa Traditional Crafts Exhibition, this fine mizusashi crafted with extraordinary precision is a testament to the generational knowledge, skill, and dedication of one of Japan’s top traditional craftsman. Its tapered polished sides have a beautiful texture and luster that compliment perfectly with the hand-crafted custom lid adorning the top. Truly an exceptional artwork fused with the aesthetics of tea culture that gives it a sense of stability, calm, a...