A delightful Hagi tea bowl from the Jōzan Kiln in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Very representative of the genre with its milky glaze and ido-shape. This piece is a step above their typical offerings as can be discerned not only from the lovely composition but also from the quality of the box and the silk pouch that was also custom furnished. For those interested in getting better acquainted the world of Hagi without spending the thousands of dollars typical for works by better known artist...

Takahashi Shotei (Hiroaki)
Fireworks at Ryogoku
Size: Mitsugiriban. 14.875 x 6.625 inches.
Date: pre-1936.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Reference: Shotei catalog M-51.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print. Attached at top edge only to original card.
Condition: A little waviness at lower right. Slight fading.
Provenance: Dedication on back reads, "With best of wishes from (Rabbi) Jacob J. Eisen." Rabbi Eisen was the first rabbi appointed as chaplain in the Ro...

Simple yet classic styling—this tea bowl is perfect for anyone looking for the quintessential Ido-shaped chawan crafted by one of Japan’s premier Hagi potters.

Born in the famed pottery town of Karatsu in 1942, Zenzo Hatano spent a number of years learning the various styles particular to his region before taking up an apprenticeship under well-known Hagi potter Yoshiga Taibi. Winner of a number of awards including the Japan Crafts Exhibition Award in 1977, Hatano�...

Splashed across a beautifully textured backdrop of shimmering black, the willow leaves painted in silver bring with them a sense of calm and contemplation. Generously proportioned though not too heavy in the hand, the wide base ensures stability while the upward curvature of the sides breaks with convention and offers a unique and decidedly modern flair.

Born in Kyoto as the 4th son of a famous lacquer artist named Shogo, Banura Shiro (1941-2001) followed suit and went i...

Large and pretty silver tray. Round and plain well and wide shoulder with engraved and repousse garland; applied rim with leaf border. Marked. Visible handwork on underside. Good condition.

Dimensions: H 7/8 x D 16 in. Weight: 39.5 troy ounces. #BW804

Saito Hodo (aka Nishimura Hodo)
Street in Front of Restaurant
Date: 1920s-30s.
Size: Oban. 19.75 x 13 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo.
Signed "H. Saito" by the artist.
Medium: Japanese watercolor.
Condition: Excellent.
Note: Paintings and woodblock prints variously signed "H. Saito" (Saito Hodo) and "Nishimura Hodo" were published by Takemura Hideo. They are very likely by the same artist. Works with these signatures had similar style and at times depict...

Set of 3 Midcentury Modern shot glasses. Made by Schofield Co. in Baltimore. Each: Straight and tapering sides. Engraved presentation from the Tred Avon Yacht Club in Oxford Maryland. All awarded in 1950s for a comet class boat, which was a snug 2-crew vessel developed in Maryland in the 1930s. One has the boat name, the Eisenhower-era cozy domestic-sounding “We Two”. At top engraved crisscrossing burgees of which one for the club. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. 540. Very goo...

Saito Hodo (aka Nishimura Hodo)
A balcony scene with falling cherry blossoms
Date: 1920s.
Size: Oban. 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo.
Signed "H. Saito" by the artist.
Medium: Japanese watercolor.
Condition: Faint matte line.
Note: Paintings and woodblock prints variously signed as "H. Saito" (Saito Hodo) and "Nishimura Hodo" were published by Takemura Hideo. They are very likely by the same artist. Works with these signatures had similar s...

Italian Neoclassical silver coffeepot, ca 1820. Baluster; cover hinged and domed with leaf-mounted acorn finial. Applied c-scroll spout and scroll handle with ribbed tail. Handwork visible on interior. Marked. Good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H 10 x W 7 1/2 x D 5 in. Weight: 25.4 troy ounces. #BY635

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...

During Japan's Momoyama period, spanning from the late 16th to the early 17th century, Bizen pottery flourished, producing exquisite pieces such as this symmetrical and elegant flower vase. Crafted from locally sourced Bizen clay, this vase embodies simplicity 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 creati...

The poem accompanying the artwork on this antique scroll reads: Fishing little trout—Precious drops of dew glisten—Flowing with the blossoms—The mountains and rivers of spring ( Rengetsu, age 78 ). A rather later and mature work by Rengetsu, this piece was created right as Edo ended and Meiji began, marking a major turning point in Japanese history and culture.

Ōtagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875) was born into a Samurai family but soon after adopted by the Ōtagaki fam...

Gorgeous French Belle Epoque Rococo 950 silver and crystal decanter, ca 1890. Crystal baluster bowl with acid-etched leafing and flowering branches and wavy bands. Silver mounts with dynamic wave and scrollwork, shells, and leaves. Cover hinged with fish-mouth spout and scallop shell thumb rest. High-looping leaf-capped handle. Four scroll supports. Minerva head mark. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H 12 5/8 x W 6 1/2 x D 4 1/2 in. #BX727

Takahashi Shotei (Hiroaki)
Inari Shrine at Oji - Peddler and Woman
Size: Approximately 14.875 x 6.75 inches.
Date: 1924-30.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Reference: Shotei catalog #M-26. Ota-ku 2005 Catalog #:198.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Top back has paper and adhesive residue. A few foxing spots. Faint crease near top.

Mitsuhiro Unno (1939-1979)
Valley of Utsu - A set of five miniature Japanese woodblock prints.
Date: 1966.
Each woodblock print is 2.25 x 2 inches.
Condition: Excellent.
Note: Set includes woodblock-printed title sheet, colophon, and list of subjects.

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...

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Twilight at Hira
Date: 1936.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Edition. First. Watanabe D seal at right margin (used 1931-41).
Artist's signature and seal at lower right.
Reference: Koitsu catalog TK-DH-18.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: TK-WN-7 in Koitsu catalog.
Condition: Print is fully adhered to slightly larger board. Two marks above boat. Slight soling in sky. Fr...

Arai Yoshimune
Kominato Bay
Date: 1910-60.
Size: Chuban. 10 x 7.5 inches.
Sealed by the artist at lower right.
Publisher: Hasegawa/Nishinomiya Yosaku. From the famous "Night Scenes" series. Hasegawa catalogue No. 1261.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Special Offer: Reduced from $1200. now $700. Impressive Ming Dynasty pottery “sancai” green and amber glazed wedding bed. There are two repairs: appears to have been cut in half and then glued back together and there is one on repair at the top of the roof façade- all noted in last enlargements. H: 47cm18.5in and W: 35.5/13.9in x 20cm/8in.

Hiroshi Yoshida
Glittering Sea, from The Inland Sea Series
(Hikaru Umi, Setonaikaishu)
Date: 1926. Date of this edition not known.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print mounted as kakejiku scroll.
Signed and sealed in the image.
Size: Oban. Scroll: 45.5 inches 17.75 inches. Blue sheet: 20.5 x 15.75. Visible image: 14.5 x 9.75 inches.
Condition: Creasing from scrolling.
Note: Scroll mounting over the margins prevents us from confirming the presence or absence of...

Shiko Munakata (1903 ~ 1975)
Date: April 10, 1959.
Seated Figure. Here titled by the artist, "At Columbus" (コランバスに於て). Also signed by the artist and dedicated in pencil in Japanese at the top right, "to Ms. Ryuko Sato".
Munakata's famous 1959 United States lecture tour took him through Ohio. On the tour, he was known to carve one-off woodblock prints on the spot at gatherings and present them to hosts or guests, as once described on the Antiques Roadshow. We believ...

Kobayashi Kiyochika
Rainy Day at Kudan from the Hasegawa Night Scenes series.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 11 x 8 inches.
Date: 1938-60.
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku. Unusual "Nishinomiya Art" stamp on verso.
Sealed by artist.
Reference: Hasegawa catalog No. 1242.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Paper residue at back left. Very light crease at lower left corner.

Shoda Koho
Country Scene (sepia version) from the Hasegawa Night Scenes series. Also known as "Canal by Moonlight"
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.25 x 7.5 inches.
Date: 1938-60.
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku. Unusual "Nishinomiya Art" stamp on verso.
Sealed by artist.
Medium: This Japanese woodblock print is on a thick card like some very early Hasegawa Night scene editions.
Condition: Back of card is toned. One small point of foxing in sky.

Russian 875 silver ladle, ca 1880. Oval bowl and fiddle terminal with engraved initials and year 1881. A nice serving piece from the twilight of tsarist Russia. Marks include maker’s (PA) stamp and Moscow assayer’s (Aleksandr Nicolayevich Krollau) stamp dated 1880. Very good condition with nice patina.

Dimensions: H 11 1/4 x W 3 1/2 x D 3 in. Weight: 5.5 troy ounces. #BY490

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Yotsuya
Publisher: Doi Hangaten (Doi seal).
Date: 1930s-1950s.
Print size: Approximately 3.75 x 2.5 inches.
Koitsu catalog no.: TK-DH-205.
Woodblock print tipped along top edge to original, unused 5 x 3 inch holiday card.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Jinbo Tomoyo (1902-1994)
Pensive Girl
Date: 1939.
Size: 16.5 x 11.25 inches.
Edition: First and only.
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Edition: 56 of 100. Hand numbered in Japanese on back beside one hundred limitation seal.
Artist's red seal on back with date and seals of carver (Ishizaka Kenichi) and printer (Nakamura Sanjiro).
Mica highlights on hair ornaments.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Abrasion at index finger area. A few ...

Chinese silver mug, ca 1910. Straight and upward tapering sides and c-scroll handle. A spare form enlivened with applied wraparound dragon chasing its tail. Marks include stamp for Wang Hing, a maker and retailer in Canton and Hong Kong. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 x W 5 x D 3 1/4 in. Weight: 10.8 troy ounces. #BX461

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Four Small Woodblock Prints
Titles: Kiyomizu Temple, Arashiyama, Kawaguchi Lake, and Kintai Bridge in Iwaki
Date: 1940s-50s.
Size: Approximately 3.5 x 2.25 inches.
Publisher: Shobido Tanaka.
Koitsu catalog nos. TK-SB-50, TK-SB-51, TK-SB-52, TK-SB-53.
These woodblock prints are tipped at the top edge to the covers of blank bridge tallies.
Condition: Excellent.

Title: Tokumochi
Artist's signature not read. The second kanji in the signature is read "haru" or "shun."
Print size: Approximately 5.125 x 3.375 inches.
Date: ca. 1930s.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print tipped along its top edge onto a 6.625 x 4.75-inch greeting card containing a signed message.
Condition: Print excellent. Card is discolored.

Large Art Nouveau glass cologne with engraved silver overlay. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1910. Globular with short neck and everted rim in silver collar. Ball stopper. Symmetrical overlay in fluid whiplash tendrils and stylized leaves and flowerheads. Elongated oval frame engraved with shaded single-letter (B). Glass is red. Silver fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. D947. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 8 3/4 x D 5 in. #BY252

Title: Mountain Temple and Snow
Artist: Not known.
Print size: Approximately 5.675 x 3.5 inches.
Date: 1950s-60s
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Print is tipped along its top edge to original blank card.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

A testament to the brilliance of traditional Japanese craftsmanship, this lacquered mizusashi—skillfully handcrafted from bamboo—showcases a deep crimson hue that radiates warmth and sophistication. Its seamless design and flawless finish reflect the skilled hands of the first generation artisan who crafted it, achieving a harmonious balance between form and function. Designed for use in Japanese tea ceremony, this indispensable implement would love to be put back into service o...

The term “tenmoku” (heavens eye) refers both to a shape of tea bowl popularized in the Song Dynasty dating back almost 1,000 years, and also to a style of glaze that these pieces are renowned for. In the case of tea bowls themselves, the troughs often have darker coloration with radiating colored rays and, depending on the style, often resemble the iris of a human eye. In the case of the glaze, the individual oil spots that appear on the walls of the vessel can sometime also rese...

Shien
Pagoda in Snow
Date: 1930s-1950s.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Size: Approximately 6 x 4 inches.
Sealed by the artist.
Print is tipped along its top edge to original holiday card with message inside.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Lake Tanganyika Scene in Watercolor measuring 28”x 33”. More information coming soon

Kawase Hasui
Kiso River (catalog title: Mt. Fuji with Sailboat)
Date: 1930s.
Size: Koban. Approximately 7.875 x 5.375 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Artist's oval seal at lower left.
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso.
Reference: Hotei #Hp-1.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.