Kawase Hasui
Mount Fuji, Narusawa
Date: 1936.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Black 6mm Watanabe seal in lower left corner, indicating a lifetime edition printed between 1946-1957. We've marked in red the location of the lightly applied black seal.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.5 x 10.5 inches.
Reference: Hotei #395.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Pristine. Removed from original folder. Two original drying pinholes at top margin.

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 ...

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 style of this vase, known in Japanese as karakane (“kara” meaning Chinese and “kane” meaning copper), has been carried on by Japanese craftsmen since its theorized introduction during China’s Tang Dynasty. Falling in and out of fashion over the centuries as Japan alternated between preferences for Chinese style tea-ware and more homegrown versions, today it remains a common fixture in many tea rooms. With beautiful red accents on a dark background, this is surely one of this artist...

Eijiro Kobayashi
A High Bridge by Night.
A design influenced by James Whistler and Hiroshige.
Series: Hasegawa Night Scenes.
Date: 1910. This edition 1938-1960.
Eijiro seal at lower left.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.75 x 8.0 inches.
Publisher: Hasegawa/Nishinomiya Yosaku. No. 1241 in Hasegawa catalog. Nishinomiya stamp in left margin.
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso. Artist noted in pencil on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition...

Accents formed using iron pigment stand out across a backdrop of blue-green glaze. The base and a portion of the inside of this ceremonial tea bowl are unglazed displaying rich clay. Created by Shibayama Toshiya, this is an example of contemporary Japanese ceramics at its finest.

A native of Nagoya Shibayama (b. 1959) is exceptionally versatile, working in styles such as Seto, Shino, Karatsu, and Shigaraki among others. A practitioner of tea himself, Shibayama is known for crafting ...

Ohara Hoson (Koson)
Carp jumping for insect, wisteria above
Size: Oban. Approximately 14.625 x 10.75 inches.
Date: 1931.
Publisher: Kawaguchi and Sakai. Publisher's seal in right margin. Carver (Ito) and printer (Komatsu) seals in left margin.
Bear Koson's "Hoson" signature and seal.
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso as well as the number 39.
Reference: H39.1 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Medium: Japanese...

Paul Jacoulet
La Gerbe D'Anthurium, Angur, Mer du Sud (The Spray of Anthurium Flowers, Angur, South Seas)
Date: July 15, 1951.
Fewer than 150 impressions made. This example has no edition seal visible. Jacoulet's fancy PJ seal is covering another seal on the back.
Size: 18.625 x 14 inches.
Ivy seal. Carver: Maeda. Printer: Honda.
Reference: No. 118 in The Prints of Paul Jacoulet by Richard Miles.
Condition: Excellent color. Light creasing in margins. Top back ...

Tadamasa Ueno (Torii Tadamasa)
Kumadori Ju-hachi Ban. Makeup for Asagao Senpei from Sukeroku. Eighteen Famous Kabuki Plays.
Date: 1940. First edition.
Size: 15.75 x 10.75 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Seal E (1932-42) at lower left margin.
Signed and sealed at upper left.
Condition: Fading in the blues. The upper background was tinted blue where formerly matted.

Kaoru Kawano
Camellia (G) (Tsubaki)
Date: 1950
Size: Double oban. 23.75 x 18 inches.
Edition: 46/200.
Self-carved by Kawano.
Sealed by the artist at lower right.
Signed, titled, and numbered at lower margin.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: The thick paper has some thinner areas on the back from removal from backing. Slight toning line in margin.

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Flying Cuckoo
Size: Approximately 9.75 x 4.625 inches. 24.8 x 11.8 cm.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. Cat. #360 tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Slight creasing where publisher's original tag is attached to back. Small dash mark indentation under bird.
- Rarely seen.

Arai Yoshimune
Sailing Boats at Anchor Under the Moon
Date: ca. 1910.
Size: Approximately 25.8 x 12.5 cm. 10.125 x 5.875 inches.
Artist's Yoshimune seal at lower left.
Publisher: Matsumoto. Catalog No. 385 tag on back.
Condition: Small white surface marks in sky. Verso has a couple of faint foxing marks near top. Margin mark.
Compare with our Yoshimune036 "Sailing Boats and Moon (1)."

Shoda Koho
Country Scene (With Moon) from the Hasegawa Night Scenes series. Also known as "Canal by Moonlight"
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.125 x 7.5 inches.
Date: 1910-38.
Publisher: Hasegawa/Nishinomiya Yosaku.
Sealed by artist. "Made in Japan" stamped on lower right verso.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: One dot of foxing in lower sky amongst trees.
Compare with our Koho074 Country Scene With Moon (Canal) (2).

Spring Field
Artist: Unidentified.
Size: Approximately 5.625 x 3.625 inches 14.2 x 9.2 cm
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 425).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Wave in paper where original publisher's tag is attached to the back.
The Matsumoto catalog states, "Butterflies are flitting to and fro among the flowers."
An early and rarely seen design.

Being based in Kyoto we occasionally come across fine Chinese and Korean tea-ware to mix in with our Japanese offerings. Here we have an example of a ceremonial tea bowl from the Shinragi kiln in Korea. Pieces like the one seen here are baked in a traditional wood-fired “climbing kiln” at a temperature of over 1,300 degrees for 5 days. Fashioned after classical works held in museum collections, the motifs are timeless and captivating.

In excellent condition, this piece is 5.5 in...

Arai Yoshimune
Five-Storied Pagoda
Date: ca. 1910.
Size: Approximately 17.2 cm 12.6 cm. 6.75 x 5.0 inches.
Artist's seal at lower left.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 429).
Condition: Light wave in paper where the original publisher's tag is applied to the back. Some toning of paper.
An early and rarely seen design.

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Mt. Fuji and Sailboat (Fuji Yama)
Size: Kotanzaku. Approximately 24.8 x 12.0 cm. 9.75 x 4.75 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Artist's signature and seal at lower right.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 367). Original publisher's tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: A few marks in sky. Small bends at top and bottom edges.

Sensitive and endearing 800 silver animal figure. Made by Buccellati in Italy. A chimp with raised arm, big funny ears, and expressive face sits on amethyst crystal base with joined feet. A playful primate with tensile hands and feet, and shaggy wire fur. Marked “Buccellati Italy 800”. Excellent condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H (with base) 13 x W 8 1/2 x D 8 in. #BU120