Fancy Victorian sterling silver cake plate. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1890. Round and deep well engraved with leafing scrolls and flowers; center vacant. Applied and cast wide and open rim with same. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. 111S. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H 1 x D 12 1/4 in. Heavy weight: 29 troy ounces. #BY105

Set of 6 Chrysanthemum sterling silver bouillon bowl holders. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1910. Each: Curved and open sides comprising joined stem flowers. Flower-capped looping side handles. Foot ring with 4 scallop-shell supports. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 14782, and director’s letter m. Very good condition. Dimensions: H 2 x W 5 1/4 x D 3 1/4 in. Total weight: 18 troy ounces.

With: Set of 6 original porcelain bowls. Made by Lenox in New Jersey, ca 1910....

George II sterling silver salver. Made by Richard Rugg in London in 1755. Round with cast serpentine shell-and-leaf rim and 3 leaf-capped volute scroll supports. Well center has lozenge with engraved interlaced script monogram in leafing and flowering scroll support. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 1 1/2 x D 12 in. Weight: 28.5 troy ounces. #BY099

Ito Nisaburo
Osaka Dotonbori
Date: 1960s
Size: 17.75 x 12 inches. Full margins shown in additional photo.
Publisher: Uchida Woodblock Printing Co., Ltd.
Artist's seal and publisher's seal at lower right.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Toned back. Slight fading. Tape residue at top margin.
- Interesting signage and fashions. This is a rarely seen design by Ito. There is an example at The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

Edwardian sterling silver salver. Made by Charles Stuart Harris & Sons in London in 1908. Round with solid well. Tapering and pierced shoulder with applied swags, vases, and laurel-wreathed heads. Rim has applied Vitruvian scrollwork. Four supports same. A pretty piece in fashionable Regency Revival. Fully marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 1 1/2 x D 12 in. Weight: 30.5 troy ounces. #BQ521

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...

The Months of Japanese Ladies for 1904 (26 pp. inc. covers)
Date: 1902. This edition February 7, 1903.
Published by T Hasegawa Tokyo (38 Yotsuya Hommura) and Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., London.
26 pages including covers.
Size: 7.0 x 5.0 inches.
Artist: Arai Yoshimune
These charming, profusely illustrated books consist entirely of woodblock prints on creped paper bound with ties and glue. Hasegawa employed some of the best woodblock print artists of the ...

Stylish Italian 800 silver lighter. Large apple with naturalistic irregular form and striated skin. Leafing stem. Underside has inset lighter. Italian maker’s mark (1944-68) as well as script Buccellati stamp. Good condition with deep patina. Lighter not detachable or in working order.

Dimensions: H 4 1/4 x W 4 1/4 x D 3 3/4 in. Gross weight: 6.3 troy ounces. #BZ547

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...

Pair of Edwardian Georgian sterling silver covered serving dishes. Made by John Round & Son Ltd in Sheffield in 1904. Each: Rectangular with chamfered corners and tapering sides. Cover raised and chamfered with twist-lock ring handle. Handle, covers, and rim gadrooned with scallop shells and leafing scrolls. A gorgeous twosome—make that foursome because the covers convert to bowls. Fully marked. Excellent condition.

Overall dimensions: H 6 1/4 x W 13 x D 9 1/2 in. Heavy total weight: 115 t...

From a well-known series entitled “Chōtō” (Listening to the Waves) this large contoured vase features a sandy glaze that the sculptor claims is an expression of the features of the landscape where he grew up. The Chōtō series that launched his career proved to be wildly popular and today a number of pieces are held by museums around the world including: Brooklyn Museum; Hyôgo Museum of Ceramics; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Minneapolis Institute of Art; Musée National de Céramique, Sè...

Modern Classical sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Dominick & Haff in New York in 1928. Lobed and upward tapering sides, capped foliate scroll handle, wide lip spout with fluid swags, and raised circular foot with crimped trefoils. Sleek but traditional with good heft. Fully marked including maker's and retailer's (Brand-Chatillon) stamps, and Reed & Barton date symbol. Dominick & Haff was consolidated with Reed & Barton in 1928. Very good condition.

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

A beautifully crafted vase from a studio potter in the hills of Iga, a few hours drive east of Kyoto. Iga-ware has quite a long history—by some accounts dating back to the 7th and 8th century—with the major kilns being established some time around the end of the 16th century. Similar in many ways to Shigaraki pottery, the glaze is the result of kiln ash being vitrified and melted on to the surface of the clay body at extremely high temperatures during firing, which can last many days. To add...

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...

Appearing to be from a 2006 excavation site in Tokyo known to be a former residence of the Owari Tokugawa clan—the most senior contingent of the Tokugawa clan that united Japan under one rule—this lovely Mishima tea bowl is one of just two I have seen appear on the Japanese art market over the years. The previous bowl also listed on our site had a large portion reconstructed with a gold repair. This piece meanwhile is entirely intact and even has its original box. Details about t...

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...

An example of some of the finest porcelain modern Japan has to offer. According to Wakao Kei, the artist who crafted this piece, it took him years of trial and error to perfect these stunning translucent glazes and associated techniques such as getting the right flowing consistency and pooling effect around the base. The unglazed portions at the foot of the bowl seen here in pictures was created by the artist's fingers as he plunged the vessel into the glaze while holding firmly to the porcelain...