Masao Ido
Zuihou-In III (Rock garden)
Date: 1990.
Size: Approximately 18 x 13 inches.
Edition: 27/180
Signed in pencil and sealed by the artist.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Faint matte line in margin.
Zuihoin is part of Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto.

This Meiji period vase is made of fine white porcelain fashioned after classic Chinese motifs.. The potter, first generation Miura Chikusen, is the same generation as many of the better known Imperial Court artists (Kozan, Siefu, Tozan, etc…) and just as accomplished in terms of mastery of technique, level of artistic expression, and volume of pieces produced.

An exceptionally skilled Meiji potter, Chikusen (1854 – 1915) specialized in high-quality Kiyomizu-yaki and...

Master of a very difficult technique from the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) known in Japanese as Neriage, the potter who created this elegant vase uses extreme precision to combine sheets of differing types of clay, culminating in a unique visual effect. While many of his pieces are ringed with swirls of colors, this one is more modern and subdued. With quite a lot of character, this lovely vase will draw attention without being overpowering.

Born in Nagano, Kosei Matsui (1927-20...

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Kyoto Kiyomizu Temple
Publisher: Takemura Hideo. Round Takemura seal.
Date: 1930-40s.
Size: 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Titled and sealed by the artist.
Reference: TK-TM-140.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Kyoto Maruyama Park
Publisher: Takemura Hideo. Square Takemura seal.
Date: 1930-40s.
Size: 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Titled and sealed by the artist.
Reference: TK-TM-130.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

An often overlooked implement in tea ceremony, here we have the humble kogo (incense box) with an image of a sleek and flowing dragon. Commonly thought to represent strength, freedom, good luck, and magic, dragons are a popular theme in the artwork across Eastern cultures. Interesting to note, the dragon here is portrayed in the Korean style with four claws, with dragons in China typically having five claws and dragons in Japan typically having three. Fashioned by one of the few great female Jap...

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...

Ohara Koson (Shoson)
Redstarts on Flowering Cherry Branch
Size: O-tanzaku. 13.5 x 7.25 inches.
Date: 1910s
Koson signature and seal at lower right.
Publisher: Daikokuya.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: K26.5 in Koson catalog.
Condition: Top back corners have paper residue.
- This print features lovely woodgrain.

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Kyoto Kitano
Size: 5.625 x 3.625 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo. Takemura seal at lower left.
Date: 1930s.
Koitsu's Shinsei seal at lower right.
Koitsu catalog no.: TK-TM-120.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Rough left margin.
Note: Unlike the catalog example, this one is titled in the image.

The pottery style know as “nerikomi” or sometimes “neriage” in Japan is a technique where various colors and consistencies of clay are stacked together and then cut through to reveal a unique pattern. Here we see a beautiful execution of this approach by potter Wakasugi Naomi (b. 1974) who spent many years perfecting the technique. Wakasugi typically uses Shigaraki clay and porcelain clay from Kyoto in her works and says that when she first started out very few people were ma...

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.

Chinese porcelain hat stand vase with a hand painted scene of a boy playfully dangling a toy spider in front of his pet cat. Mother and brother are standing nearby watching. Dates early 20th C. Measures 11.5" high x 5" diameter.

In Japan, famous for its generational potting families, only a handful have made it all the way through to the 14th generation—the Nakazato line being one of them with over 400 years of history. Handcrafted by the current 14th potter in the renowned Karatsu tradition, this piece displays subtle, earthy tones and organic textures reminiscent of nature. Blending elements seamlessly, a canvas is created that complements the beauty of the floral elements in glossy contrast across the s...

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...

Japanese Jubako, traditional stacked lacquerware food boxes, represent not only culinary refinement but also an important aspect of Japanese food culture. These elegantly tiered containers, often adorned with intricate designs and vibrant colors, are integral to the presentation of special occasion meals such as New Year’s celebrations and formal picnics. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, Jubako boxes like the one featured here showcase the artistry of Japanese lacquerwa...

A student of Itaya Hazan, one of the most sought after potters in the world of Japanese art, the ceramicist who crafted this fine vase displays here a high degree of mastery, both in form and glazing technique. For the collector who has always wanted a Hazan but has never been lucky enough to chance upon one, this may be a worthy acquisition. Although much of Inoue’s work is quite different in style to that of Hazan’s, you can find a number of pieces where the influence is unmistakeable—th...

Ohno Bakufu
Rice Reaping
Date: ca. 1950.
Size: Oban. 15 x 10.5 inches
Publisher: Kyoto Hanga-In
Carver: Matsuda. Printer: Ichimura
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Top margin has thin tape mark.

Katsuyuki Nishijima
Title: Kudaya (The Kudaya Travellers Inn in Kyoto)
Size: 17.125 x 12.5 inches.
Edition: 405/500.
Date: post-1980.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Top back margin has former tape marks.