Crafted from locally sourced Bizen clay, this mid-Edo period vase embodies simplicity, beauty, and understated elegance. Its unassuming form showcases the natural beauty of the clay, enhanced by a delicate ash glaze. The texture and shape evoke a sense of rustic charm, reflecting the profound harmony between human creativity and the organic world. Now several centuries old, this piece continues to serves not only as a functional display piece, but also as a symbol of the enduring leg...

Crafted from locally sourced Bizen clay, this mid-Edo period vase embodies simplicity, beauty, and understated elegance. Originally crafted as a tokkuri, or sake flask, it was recovered from the estate of a tea-practitioner who reportedly cherished it as a vase that would hold colorful flowers and various grasses throughout the seasons.

Thanks to the dedication and passion of a researcher by the name of Katsura Matasaburo (1901-1986) we can be assured that this vase is a...

Occasionally while browsing through the temple markets of Kyoto or perusing backstreets tea-ware shops, an attractive piece will catch my eye for no particular reason. When this happens, I typically buy it immediately without hesitation, trusting that I will be able to place it to a specific period or kiln given enough time and research. In some cases however, this proves to be a fruitless task and I am left only to appreciate the beauty and form of the object without having access to too many d...

This lovely Shino tea bowl fashioned from coarse Mino clay is covered in feldspar glazing, has a classic ferrous abstract painting across the front, and shows nice age—most likely from early to middle Edo.

Shino-ware dates to the Momoyama period when potters were attempting to recreate white porcelain-wares that were being imported from China at the time. Originally they were made in a single-chamber anagama style kilns set into the hillsides. Later, with the advent of large-batc...

Japanese Mugiwara pottery emerged in the Mino region of Japan during the Momoyama period in the late 16th century. It is renowned for its distinctive straw-rope patterns etched into or painted on its surfaces that typically contains hues of indigo, mustard, hazel, ochre, and sometimes greens. The creation of Mugiwara pottery involves a process of hand-building or wheel-throwing clay pieces—typically serving dishes, vases, and teaware items—and then meticulously applying a straw-r...

This Meiji period vase is made of fine white porcelain fashioned after classic Chinese motifs.. The potter, first generation Miura Chikusen, is the same generation as many of the better known Imperial Court artists (Kozan, Siefu, Tozan, etc…) and just as accomplished in terms of mastery of technique, level of artistic expression, and volume of pieces produced.

An exceptionally skilled Meiji potter, Chikusen (1854 – 1915) specialized in high-quality Kiyomizu-yaki and...

With an uncanny ability to emulate features of the natural environment, the creator of this sake vessel,Tsujimura Yui, is one of Japan’s most skilled potters working in the field today. With a breathtaking ash glaze that appears half planned and half left to the dictates of the kiln, we can see a number of textures and colors that one might encounter in a Zen garden or while hiking along a mountain brook. The front of the vessel is adorned with an “enso,” however, unlike the tr...

First born son to Living National Treasure Isezaki Jun, Koichiro (b. 1974) has quickly made a name for himself as an independent artist. Not content to rely solely on family reputation, he has set off on his own path, making innovations in clay and also in the ideas and principles surrounding his craft. With its well-proportioned ridged design, natural ash glaze, and coarse grade of Bizen clay still containing visible stones; the vessel seen here would be a good choice for someone looking for a ...

The distinctive and easily recognizable style of Bizen pieces, such as the one featured here, originated in Okayama (south-western Japan) and has a long history that is closely intertwined with that of tea culture. Bizen-ware is known for employing a natural-ash glazing technique that is unique to this type of pottery and which requires extremely long firing times (7-14 days) at very high temperatures. This means that constant attention is required to ensure good results. The tea bowl shown here...

Although reports vary, it is generally thought that Zeze-yaki had its heyday in the late Momoyama to early Edo period under the influence and patronage of legendary artists/ men of tea, Honami Koetsu and Kobori Enshu. It was also counted among the seven best kilns selected by Enshu Kobori (1579-1647), a tea master and military commander of that era. In the mid-1600s the tradition died out for a time after the destruction of the kiln by fire. The kiln was later resurrected on two occa...

This elegant work of Karatsu pottery has an unglazed foot, showing the rich ferrous clay from which it is constructed, and displays splashes of ferrous pigment on a backdrop of ashen glaze with a milky white overglaze. The triangular shape and large proportions make for a very distinctive work of e-Karatsu or “painted” Karatsu.

Like many pottery traditions in Japan, Karatsu takes its name from the city where it originated. As early as the 15th century, Korean potters...

Several years ago we were invited by our very talented kintsugi craftsman to what is known as a “kura-ake” or storehouse opening. Many reading this may be familiar with the traditional storehouses in Japan (kura) with their thick plaster walls used to store valuable items—sometimes for hundreds of years—safe from humid air, insects, and the like. On occession, after the passing of a parent or relative, these storehouses are opened up and the art pieces and valuables inside ar...

Over the years we have taken a special interest in Raku-ware and especially in works produced by the Tamamizu kiln, such as the 300+ year old ceremonial tea bowl seen here. The first in this line of potters was Yahē (1662 - 1722), an illegitimate son of Kichizaemon Ichinyu (1615 - 1768) who studied under his father and then left to open his own kiln in the village of Tamamizu (known today as Ide-cho). Though he is the first potter of this branch, he is sometimes referred to as Tamam...

The poem etched on the side of this exceptional piece reads: "As a pastime ― bringing clumsy, fragile things to sell ― at Uruma Market ― how lonely!"  A very significant poem as it conveys a bit of irony; for the Edo period nun who inscribed this poem would go on to create a legacy of art, beauty, and philosophy that endures even today. The poem also suggests that this is one of her earlier works that would have been produced before she became renowned throughout Japan for her...

A technique most commonly seen in Tenmoku tea bowls, “konoha” is accomplished by applying a coating to an actual leaf and then attaching the leaf to the surface of an artwork before firing. The exact details of this process seem somewhat murky as it appears to be a well-guarded secret among potters. After some research we were unable to identify the potter; and, although there is a signature on the bottom that appears to read “Raishō,” we could find no potter by this name. R...

German Rococo 930 silver sweet meat coach. Imported to England by David Bridge in 1894. A round coach harnessed to a prancing reindeer with large antlers. A trumpet-blowing cherub holds the reins, and two more cherubs support an armorial in strapwork frame. Chased scenes depicting pastoral landscapes and frolics. Wheels rotate for a quick journey around the table. Fully marked including Hanau maker’s marks and English import marks, including London assay stamp. Very good condition.

Overall d...

Danish Modern sterling silver box. Made by Georg Jensen in Copenhagen. Rectangular with straight sides. Cover hinged and raised with flat border. Square corner supports. Fully marked including maker’s (1945-77) and designer’s (Harald Nielsen) stamps, and no. 827. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 7/8 x W 8 1/8 x D 3 1/2 in. Heavy weight: 17.5 troy ounces. #BZ773

Modern sterling silver box. Made by Georg Jensen in Copenhagen. Rectangular; straight sides bisected by wraparound rectilinear band. Corner bracket supports. Cover flat and hinged with stepped rim. Midcentury Danish design by Harald Nielsen. Fully marked including Georg Jensen & Wendel maker’s stamp (ca 1945-51), which was limited to wares sold in Copenhagen, and designer’s stamp. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 1 1/2 x W 6 1/4 x D 3 1/4 in. Weight: 15 troy ounces. #BZ775

Modern sterling silver box. Made by Georg Jensen in Denmark. Rectangular with wraparound reeded sides and inset corner bracket supports. Cover flat and hinged with rectangular and gently curved tab. Between-the-Wars Classicism. A made-in-Denmark Swedish design by the Duke of Uppland (that is, Sigvard Bernadotte). Fully marked including maker’s (1933-44) and designer’s stamps, and no. 712. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 7/8 x W 5 1/4 x D 3 1/2 in. Weight: 8.8 troy ounces. #BZ776...

Modern sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1907. Ovoid body, stepped foot, short neck, and helmet mouth; soft bracket handle with trefoil shaped tail mount. A spare full-bodied vessel. Nice heft. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 16974 (first produced in 1907), director’s letter m, and volume (4 pts). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 8 1/4 x W 7 1/2 x D 5 1/8 in. Weight: 28.5 troy ounces. #BZ676

Modern sterling silver hinged double picture frame. Each: Rectangular window in plain and flat surround. With glass, silk lining, and velvet back and hinged easel support. Fully marked including stamp for Web Silver Co., a Philadelphia maker active from the 1950s to 1970s. Very good condition.

Dimensions: Each frame: H 10 1/4 x W 8 1/8 in. Each window: 8 7/8 x W 6 7/8 in. #BZ723

Set of 12 Modern sterling silver place card holders. Retailed by Cartier in New York. Each: Folded disc with turned down front mounted to round base. Fully marked including retailer’s stamp. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 7/8 x W 1 x D 3/8 in. Total weight: 3 troy ounces. #BZ695

Elizabeth II sterling silver box. Made by Padgett & Braham Ltd in Birmingham in 1980. Rectangular with straight sides. Cover hinged and tabbed; on top stand a horse and jockey in a faint surround suggestive of a cloud (of dust?). Box interior cedar-lined and partitioned. Box underside leather lined. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 x L 8 1/8 x D 3 5/8 in. Gross weight: 19 troy ounces. #BZ737

Edwardian Georgian sterling silver mug. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1916. Baluster bowl with leaf-capped double-scroll handle and round stepped foot. Large with nice heft and plenty of room for engraving. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and pattern no. 19191 (first produced in 1916). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 1/4 x W 5 3/4 x D 3 3/4 in. Weight: 12.5 troy ounces. #BZ554

Large turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau glass cologne bottle with engraved silver overlay. Made by Gorham in Providence. Globular with everted rim in silver collar. Ball stopper with short plug. Loose and interlaced silver scrollwork with flower heads in open and symmetrical pattern. Shaped cartouche engraved with interlaced script monogram. Glass is green. Silver has maker’s stamp and no. D946. Fine condition.

Dimensions: H 8 1/4 x D 4 3/8 in. #BZ663

Enryakuji Temple, Hiyeizan (Hieizan), Kyoto.
Artist not identified.
Dated August 21st, 1937.
Size: 7.5 x 5375 inches (19 x 13.6 cm).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print as the cover of a dinner menu of the Nippon Yusen Line passenger ship, Chichibu Maru.
Publisher: Likely Nippon Mokuhan Co. Tokio (Japan Woodblock Co. Tokyo), who produced another of our ship menu woodblock prints.
Medium: Japanese shin-hanga woodblock print made from a carved wood block. Mechanization w...

Sabra Field (American, born 1935)
Going Home
Date: ca 1980 (as noted on separate board)
Paper size: 13 x 8.5 inches.
Image size: 9.5 x 5 inches.
Medium: Woodcut print.
Condition: Light scuff on mountain.

Japanese silver centerpiece bowl, ca 1900. Round and curved. Flat mouth rim with long and low scallops. Raised and spread foot. Applied iris flowers with loose and crisscrossing tendrils and stems in eddying water. Foot has cutout flower heads and engraved wraparound tendrils. Gorgeous period motif on spot-hammered ground. Double-walled. Meiji-era Art Nouveau centerpiece for the cosmopolitan West. Marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 8 3/4 x D 12 3/4 in. Weight: 78 troy ounces. #BZ691 ...

American Midcentury Modern sterling silver picture frame. Retailed by Cartier in New York. Rectangular window in wide and flat surround. With glass, paper lining, and wood laminate back for portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) display. Liner has retailer’s stamp. Frame fully marked including retailer’s stamp, no. 53, and phrase “Hand Made”. Very good condition.

Dimensions: Frame: H 12 x W 10 in. Window: H 10 x W 8 in. #BZ570

Pair of George III sterling silver goblets. Made by Henry Chawner in London in 1793. Ovoid bowl on cylindrical stem flowing into raised foot. Bowl underside and foot rim reeded. Bowl interior gilt. Spare Neoclassical form that works on traditional and Modern tables. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 7/8 x D 3 1/4 in. Total weight: 14 troy ounces. #BZ791

Edwardian Regency sterling silver box. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1909. Oval with straight sides. Cover hinged and tabbed; top overhanging with chased patera; center (vacant) has bead-and-reel border, radiating flutes, and stylized flowerheads. Interior has traces of gilt wash. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 17518 (first produced in 1909), and director’s letter m. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 1 3/4 x W 5 1/4 x D 3 3/8 in. Weight: 5.8 troy ounces. #BZ517...

Edwardian Classical sterling silver picture frame. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1909. Rectangular window with concave border and molded rim. With glass, silk lining, and velvet back and hinged easel support for landscape (horizontal) display. Perfect for a special wide-angled shot with room for everyone. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, no. B3936, and date symbol. Very good condition.

Dimensions: Frame: H 8 1/2 x W 11 3/4 in. Window: H 6 3/4 x W 9 7/8 in. #BZ575

German silver figural dog stirrup cup, ca 1920. Cast bust of spaniel with long snout, resolutely closed mouth, and direct, concentrated gaze as well as floppy ears and thick fur. Mounted to plain and upward tapering bowl. A loyal hunt companion. Marked with maker’s stamp “Föhr” (probably, Eduard Foehr) and old-fashioned “13” (that is, 13/16 loths or 812 silver). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 6 3/4 x D 3 5/8 in. Weight: 8 troy ounces. #BZ714

Modern sterling silver mini martini shaker, ca 1930. Straight and tapering sides, curved shoulder, and short neck with snug-fitting bun cover. Spout diagonal with chained ball cap for secure shaking. Handy small size for stylish solo drinking. Fully marked including New York maker’s stamp (Currier & Roby), Boston retailer’s stamp (Shreve, Crump & Low), and no. 6711L. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 7 x W 4 1/4 x D 3 3/8 in. Weight: 7.2 troy ounces. #BZ687

Large Palm sterling silver sugar tongs. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1880. U-form. Each stem tapering with scallop shell jaw; fiddle terminal with low relief palm. A rare serving piece in the simplified Classical pattern designed by Edward C. Moore and first produced in 1871. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and director’s letter m (1869-75). Very good condition. Taut and springy.

Dimensions: H 6 1/4 x W 3/4 in. Weight: 2.2 troy ounces. #BZ588