This is a very special example of Japanese Cloisonne. The workmanship and elegant form are what makes this piece so special. This vase was acquired from one of the world's greatest cloisonne collections. It measures 12 inches tall. Great overall condition but it does has a very tiny enamel flake (See last image) on the back shoulder and minor pitting. It is not signed.
Antique Japanese “Yogi” bed comforter, hand-spun cotton with "tsutsugaki" paste resist dye in aizome Japanese indigo dye. The design is auspicious symbol, Sho-Chiku-Bai (pine, bamboo, plums). The shoulder and collar areas are accented with "kasuri" cotton. Excellent condition - no holes on the front except one small L shape cut (3/4"x3/4") on the lower area, some repairs on the liner. Cotton wadding was taken out and cleaned (but not washed). Approximately 57" wide x 77" long, ...
With a height of 32 inches, this is a rare and impressive example of early 19th century Imari ware. Both the vase and stand are finely decorated in shades of blue, gold and orange.
Condition is excellent.
A female dancer dressed in massive and splendid Noh attire. The painting is attributed to Iwasa Matabei (1578–1650), a renowned Japanese painter who is often considered originating ukiyo-e genre painting. As is often the case with this artist, these two paintings do not bear his signature or seal, however the depiction of the figures with rich cheeks and long jaws shows typical expression of people of high social rank during medieval periods, which he exaggerated the expression was originated ...
A male dancer dressed in massive and splendid Noh attire. The painting is attributed to Iwasa Matabei (1578–1650), a renowned Japanese painter who is often considered originating ukiyo-e genre painting. As is often the case with this artist, these two paintings do not bear his signature or seal, however the depiction of the figures with rich cheeks and long jaws shows typical expression of people of high social rank during medieval periods, which he exaggerated the expression was originated fr...
An antique Satsuma figural group of a prone bull with a guardian. The bull with crackled cream ground, gilt noseguard and retaining rope and with polychrome painted and gilt backcover. The young man in a gilt and multicolor painted traditional Japanese garment resting on the animal while holding a book in his hand. 11.5" long, 6" high. An exceptional piece.
Condition: Flawless, ex-Christie's
This old Japanese Noh theater mask has the expressive face of an old man. The mask is carved from paulownia wood and dates to middle Edo period, around 1750. The patina is wonderful.
Mask measures approx 8 inches high and 6 inches wide
Ca. early 1800s
These vases of tapering square form are decorated overall in famille rose and noir enamels, each having four cartouches depicting courting scenes, surrounded by geometric and floral designs. There are four smaller cartouches on the necks with scenes of scholars and young men. The rims are thinly glazed, and the bases are unglazed. There is professional restoration to the base of the neck on one vase, and a small chip to the base of the other that was also professionally res...
Two matching Japanese chargers, done with the Imari pallet, and dating to the mid 19th Century. Decorations include a foo dog, dragons, and cranes among flowers and scrolls. Each dish measures about 12" in diameter and 1 3/4" high and is marked on the back. The condition is excellent/perfect with minor wear. The asking price includes shipping within the USA.
Four finely carved wooden (maybe sandalwood) masks with lacquering and most with glass bead eyes. Showing different types of theatre masks as Hannya, Oni etc. Condition: minor rim frits, the Hannya mask with few lacquer losses. Dimension: c. 5.1 cm long x c. 3.5 cm wide.
Jiaqing Period, ca. late 1700s
Each vase is decorated overall with various flowers on a medium-blue enamel ground within a continuous geometric fretwork pattern of gilt wires. Both the rim and base is gilded, now having some wear showing on each vase. The square area on the base is left from an old sticker removed in the past. Both vases have a melon form label body with a flaring mouth rim that is partially gilded inside. The interiors are not enameled and the old bronze has taken on a gr...
The painting depicted court musicians playing divine music called Bugaku. Bugaku is a Japanese court music accompanied by dancing. Here one of the players plays shen (a bamboo instrument first produced in China in 7th century) and the other one sounds a massive drum with mitsudomoe crest (three comma-shaped figures in a circle). Bugaku carries a ritualistic implication and is usually played at the start before dance performance begins. Bugaku purifies the stage. Painted with ink and pigments. Si...
Japanese antique Funa Tansu (merchant's safe), all made of very heavy quarter sawn Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. The door opens to 3 interior drawers also with Keyaki wood fronts (interior of each drawer made with Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood, wooden bracing on the bottom, heavy iron hardware including double locks on the outer doors and each of the three interior drawers has a large lock as well, two handles on top of safe, 2 iron reinforced holes at the bottom of each side to allow the safe to be...
There is no visible image of God in Japanese Shinto religion. For this reason, people find the spirit of God in their surroundings, especially in nature. In the noh play “Takasago”, an old couple is seen together on the beach of Takasago (today’s Hyogo prefecture) sweeping pine needles under the trees. The old man Jo and old woman Uba are the spirits of the pine trees that were grown in Takasago and Sumiyoshi. The two trees are located far away but they are together with their spirits. ...
Nobori banners, carps, warrior's Yoroi and Kabuto helmets, samurai dolls and swords were all a part of the display used for Boy's Day (renamed Children's Day) on May 5th in Japan. They reflect the parents' wish to inspire their sons in manliness, discipline, bravery and the honor codes which are associated with them.
Originally, nobori were used on the battlefield to identify the troops; some were to show the warriors where their taisho (general) was, others were used to shift the troops. ...
Japanese antique nobori banner, hand painted on cotton, a tiger in bamboo grove. The style of the painting is derived from ancient Korean paintings of tigers. It is a style that became popular in Japan from the 16th century and you will see many screens and scrolls of tigers painted in this manner. The popularity of these paintings in this style continued throughout the Edo period(1608-1868) and into the Meiji era. The quality of the artwork tells us that this nobori is likely to have been done ...
This is an old silk fukusa from Meiji period (1868-1912). This type of fukusa is a covering placed over a gift at the time of a gift-giving ceremony. Lined with a deep red crepe silk, this fukusa is almost in perfect condition.
Pine trees are considered as sacred in Japan. Here, an ancient pine tree is mostly done with the gold couching, overlaying of threads (wrapped in gold) rather than going in and out of the base fabric. The color of gold is particularly pretty here contructing to t...
A fine bear climbing a rocky ledge decorates this large bronze vase. It bears an impressed mark, untranslated, on the base. The patina is medium brown, the condition is excellent. Height 14.5", Diameter 10"