Art Deco sterling silver cocktail shaker. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1925. Straight and tapering bowl with curved shoulder, high bracket handle, short neck with overhanging flat-topped cover, and stubby, tapering spout with chained cap. Spare functional design ornamented with tooled bands. Holds three pints of stylish fun. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 20622 (first produced in 1925), and director’s letter m. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 9 3/4 x W 7 1/2 ...

Going back over 1,300 years, Seto-ware has the distinction of being Japan’s oldest pottery tradition still active today. Made from the rich clay and silica of the region of production, Seto porcelain in particular has been highly prized throughout the history of Japan. The piece shown here can be described as Seto-guro (Black Seto) and is an excellent example of this type of pottery. The writing on the box describes it as being from Muromachi, so well over 400 years old. The form and compositi...

Victorian Classical sterling silver loving cup, ca 1890. Baluster bowl with flared rim and raised foot. High-looping capped double-scroll handles. Exuberant embossed and cast ornament with scrolling leaves and scallop shells contained by fluted frames. Fully marked including maker’s (Frank W. Smith) and retailer’s (Theodore B. Starr) stamps, no. 1334B, and volume (6 1/2 pts). Very good condition with deep patina.

Overall dimensions: H 10 1/2 x W 10 x D 6 in. Heavy weight: 46.8 troy ounce...

Kohiki is a traditional Japanese pottery style known for its simple and rustic aesthetic. It involves applying a white slip onto the vessel's surface, followed by a transparent glaze, creating a contrast between the white and exposed clay areas. Kohiki ware is commonly used in tea ceremonies but it can also be found in various other forms. Its humble and understated style, with organic textures and subdued colors, continues to be appreciated by collectors worldwide. Here we see a koh...

Edwardian Modern Regency sterling silver basket. Made by the Sweetser Co. in New York, ca 1910. Faceted octagonal bowl with straight and tapering sides on spool support mounted to raised and faceted octagonal foot; fixed curvilinear handle. Engraved ornament with fluted and paterae curvilinear borders forming frames of which four vacant and the others inset with garlands, scrollwork, and vases. Handle has pendant flowers and oval frames inset with paterae. Fully marked including maker’s stamp ...

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...

Gorgeous museum-quality Japonesque sterling silver trophy bowl. Made by Gorham in Providence in 1884. Large and round with allover ornament in relief. Horned serpents swim slack-jawed through the water. Talons and heads “puncture” the surface to form side handles. Astride one sits an artist, brush in hand recording the thrashing undulations and roiling waves. At mouth rim are applied strewn shells. Foot in form of entwined snakes.

Modish exoticism a world away from the fresh air and fair p...

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...

During the Meiji period in Japan, the humble iron kettle, known as a "tetsubin," emerged as an iconic symbol of traditional craftsmanship and functional artistry. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail and often adorned with intricate designs—as can be seen here with a cherry blossom motif and a what appears to be a pine-cone for a gripper—they became an essential tool in the Japanese tea ceremony. These kettles were prized not only for their practicality in boiling water bu...

Pair of striking midcentury Classical coin silver ewers. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1860. Each: Ovoid bowl with helmet mouth and raised foot. On neck applied frieze with ring of Bacchic boys gripping drapery swags; below applied bead-and-reel border. High-rising handle with cast cupbearer mounted to volute terminal; bottom mount in form of male head in stylized leaf and scroll surround. On front engraved armorial in form of winged gryphon. Both have variant leaf-and-dart ornament. Not iden...

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...

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...

Using local materials and traditional methods, the creator of this work Masahiko Imanishi, has brought a distinctively modern interpretation to the classical form of the tsutsu chawan. At the same time, he somehow manages to maintain the simple rusticity that Tanba-ware is renowned for. Stretching back over 800 years, Tanba is counted as one of Japan’s 6 ancient kiln sites and is known for making large pots with red ferrous clay and natural ash glazes with a distinctive greenish tinge. More re...

Traditional sterling silver water pitcher. Made by Tiffany & Co. in New York, ca 1938. Gently curved body with helmet mouth, high-looping handle, and round and stepped foot. Ample with nice heft. Holds 4 1/2 pints. Fully marked including maker’s stamp, pattern no. 22625 (first produced in 1938), director’s letter m (1907-47), and volume. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 10 1/2 x W 8 3/4 x D 5 1/4 in. Weight: 32.7 troy ounces. #BZ758

Edwardian Art Nouveau sterling silver basket. Made by Gorham in Providence, ca 1910. Scrolled and turned-down rim with engraved grape bunches and leaves overlapping open lunette frames. Stationary c-scroll handle with same; handle top vacant. Visible hand hammering. Fully marked including maker’s stamp and code TFC. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 11 3/4 x L 13 1/4 x W 7 in. Weight: 31 troy ounces. #BZ743

Pair of Georgian-style sterling silver candlesticks. Made by Currier & Roby in New York, ca 1920. Each: Faceted and tapering shaft with knops and flanges on raised foot in concave circle set in square base. Spool socket with detachable bobeche. Gadrooning and reeding. Fully marked including maker’s mark and no. 2628. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 10 x W 4 5/8 x D 4 5/8 in. Total weight:36 troy ounces. #BZ690

Modern Classical sterling silver box. Made by Ferdinand Richard Wilm in Berlin, ca 1930. Rectangular with wraparound reeded sides; cover flat and hinged with paneled top. Fully marked including maker’s stamp. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 7/8 x W 6 x D 3 7/8 in. Weight: 13 troy ounces. #BZ772

Edwardian Classical sterling silver and glass picture frame. Made by Hawkes in Corning, New York, ca 1910. Oval window with reeded sterling silver border in rectilinear glass surround with curved top. alternating reeded and diaper lines and four clear rondels with acid-etched flower baskets and cornucopia. With glass, silk lining, and silk back with hinged easel support. Silver marked “Sterling”. Glass unmarked. Very good condition with strong definition.

Dimensions: Frame: H 11 1/4 x W 7 ...