Also known as "The Buddha of Immeasurable Light and Life,” here in this pre-Edo Buddhist painting we see Amida and his two assistant bodhisattvas, Seishi on the left (associated with wisdom and strength), and Kannon on the right (associated with compassion and mercy), descending from the Western Pure Land to welcome newly deceased believers into the realm of paradise. In this practice known as raigō, the faithful are transported via the small lotus pedestal the Kannon holds in his...

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...

With a base of dazzling red ochre clay, a technique known as “san-giri,” pioneered by the progenitor of this generational potting family and now widely used among Bizen potters, is employed here to bring out stunning mustard yellows, mossy greens, charcoal blacks, along with a range of subtler hues.

The potter, Konishi Tōko II (1927 -2018) was second daughter to Konishi the first. After graduating from women’s college she assisted her father at the family kiln, e...

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...

Turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau glass vase with engraved silver overlay. Made by Alvin Corporation in Providence. Tall baluster with flared rim and short foot. Overlay in form twisted tendrils entwined and overlaid with flower heads. Glass is green. Silver fully marked including maker’s stamp and no. G3219/6. Very good condition with nice patina.

Dimensions: H 14 x D 5 in. #BX622

Chinese silver mug, ca 1865. Straight and upward tapering sides with dense low-relief frieze: Spearmen and swordsmen on foot and horse thrust and lunge and, in some cases, fall in battle. Applied armorial shield with engraved presentation dated “May 4th 1865”. S-scroll handle in form of scaly dragon with horned head peering over rim. Marked. Very good condition with deep patina.

Overall dimensions: H 5 1/4 x W 5 1/4 x D 3 1/4 in. Weight: 10.8 troy ounces. #BX464

Chinese export silver mug, ca 1850. Straight and upward tapering sides applied with leafing bamboo on stippled ground. Branch-form handle and rims. Applied rondel engraved with single-letter monogram in buckled belt. On underside is engraved “H. J. T. / 1855”. Interior gilt washed. Chinese mark and initials KHC for Khe Cheong, a Canton silversmith and retailer active from ca 1830s-70s. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 5 x W 5 1/2 x D 3 1/4 in. Weight: 10 troy ounces. #BX462 ...

Chinese export silver mug, ca 1860. Straight and upward tapering sides with applied pictorial frieze on engraved and stippled ground: Scenes of social life with contemplative sages and chaste maidens amongst palm trees and pagodas. Pastoral exoticism enlivened with scaly, slithering dragon handle, ferocious head peaking above the rim. Armorial cartouche (vacant). Marked “HCH”. Very good condition.

Overall dimensions: H 5 1/2 x W 5 x D 3 in. Weight: 9.6 troy ounces. #BX463

Belle Epoque Rococo soup tureen on stand. Made by Tetard Frères in Paris, ca 1910. Ovoid bowl with tapering sides and curved bottom with fluted and turned-down leaf handles. Sides have projecting volute scrolls inset with leaves. Leaves stippled and irregular. Sides have curvilinear panels applied with leaf and berry garlands with central branches forming wreaths. Raised oval foot. Cover domed and paneled with fluted top on which is mounted a cast finial in form of two embracing cherubs, their ...

Turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau glass vase with engraved silver overlay. Made by Alvin in Providence. Conical mouth and neck and bellied bowl. Star cut to underside. Dense overlay in form of overlapping and entwined flowers, leaves, and scrollwork. Scrolled cartouche engraved with two-letter script monogram (SS). Glass is green. Silver marked including maker’s stamp and no. G3349. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 6 1/2 x D 7 3/4 in. #BX402

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...

A key figure in the Japanese folk craft movement of the 20th century, Fujita Kyohei is credited with helping to develop a thriving glass-working community within Japan. Best known for his “dream” or “Liuli” boxes—very colorful and skillfully crafted boxes that often incorporated gold and silver leaf into their designs. Here we see a piece that would likely have been crafted earlier in his career but that demonstrates his masterful technique even then. In 1972 Fujita, along ...

The craftsman who fashioned this piece, the 9th Ohi Chozaimon (1901-1986), is the most widely recognized and most accomplished of the now 11 generations of Ohi potters. Born in Ishikawa Prefecture at the start of the 20th century, he took up the family craft and, at the age of 26, became the head potter. Raku tea bowls made by Ohi 9 are some of the finest you will encounter, comparing favorably to even tea bowls made by the main Raku lineage in Kyoto. The lightness of the clay, the s...

Sometime around the year 1600 the first Takatori kiln was constructed at the foot of Mt Takatori in Fukuoka. This tradition was based on styles created by Korean potters brought to the shores of Japan during its colonial expansionism of the late 16th century. A favorite of the Kuroda lords of the time, its production and use was closely guarded until later in the 19th century when the domain system was abolished, freeing it up to be more widely used. Though Takatori-ware has been admired by many...

Japanese silver box, ca 1890. Rectangular with straight sides and hinged cover. On cover top and box sides are chased and engraved iris flowers and tendrils in eddying water. Stippled ground. Box and cover interior lined with stained wood. Open bottom. Meiji-era Art Nouveau for the cosmopolitan West. Appears to be unmarked. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimensions: H 3 x W 6 3/4 x D 3 5/8 in. Gross weight: 15 troy ounces. #BX248

Sugimoto Sadamitsu (b. 1935) is one of the most important Shigaraki potters alive today and continues to create master works into his old age. Originally a resident of Tokyo, at the age of 33 he moved to Shigaraki and started creating high-quality tea-ware implements, most notably, fine tea bowls in the style of early Raku masters. A devotee of Zen and a lover of tea, Sugimoto is able to create tea bowls that are not just attractive, pleasant to hold in the hand, and a joy to drink f...

Pair of German silver Renaissance hunting figures, ca 1890. The man wears doublet over baggy chemise and hose with belt hanging loosely around hips. A long hat feather drapes gracefully along his arm. The horn is raised expectantly while the other hand rests on his sword. The woman wears a bodice-revealing fitted hip-length coat over a pleated skirt. Her braids are coiled in the back and her hat sports a jaunty feather. On a raised arm perches a falcon. The figures stand on rocky mounds with sca...

Italian silver gilt grand-tour bell, ca 1920. Figural handle in form of piping faun with puffed out cheeks and hoofed and hirsute hindquarters. Based on Greek statuette excavated in Pompeii and today in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. Marked. Very good condition with nice toning.

Dimensions: H 4 3/4 x W 2 3/8 x D 1 3/4 in. Weight: 3.6 troy ounces. #BX081

Federal Classical coin silver flagon. Made by Nicholas James Bogert in New York, ca 1820. Upward tapering cylinder on spread and stepped base. S-scroll handle with ribbed thumb rest and heart terminal. Hinged and domed cover with bud finial. Curved spout with ogee opening. Bold and spare by a historic regional maker. Maker’s stamp. Very good condition with nice patina. A few areas of firescale.

Dimensions: H 13 x W 9 1/4 x D 6 1/4 in. Weight: 33 troy ounces. #BX039

Turn-of-the-century German Rococo 800 silver box. Rectilinear with tapering sides and chamfered corners with scroll supports. Cover hinged, raised, and inset. Chased ornament with chubby, bare bottomed cherubs with adroitly arranged drapery surrounded by garlands and and Classical architecture. Gilt-washed interior. Marks include Hanau maker’s stamp (Storck & Sinsheimer). Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 3 7/8 x W 6 3/8 x D 4 1/2 in. Weight: 15.5 troy ounces. #BX028

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...

Large turn-of-the-century German 800 silver figural spice box. A bird grips a gnarly branch with scaly talons. Sweet and downy with tucked-down wings. Head detachable. Marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 12 3/4 x L 8 1/2 x W 7 in. Weight: 27 troy ounces. #BW899

European Biedermeier silver keepsake casket, ca 1840. Lobed and bombe with hinged and raised cover. Cover top flat and vacant. Chased and engraved clusters of leafing scrolls and flowers. Corner leaf-mounted volute-scroll supports. Engraved on underside: “Souvenir from / Sarine & Isaac”. Marked. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 x W 7 x D 6 in. Weight: 12 troy ounces. #BW830

Charming Edwardian pendant. Variscite cabochon on 14k yellow gold mount with open and alternating leaves and beads. With bail. United States, ca 1910. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H (without bail) 1 1/8 x W 3/4 x D 5/8 in. #1215

An interesting contemporary Hagi piece resting on a split-foot (wari-kodai) and a unique glaze patterning that somewhat resembles layers of flower petals. A creation of Morishige Tetsuyo, a native of the famous potting town of Hagi who later studied in Kyoto and eventually took up a position at the family kiln “Renkozan” with tutelage from both his father and grandfather. This particular piece is from a series he began in 2009 aptly named “Kaben” (The petal series). Actively displaying b...

Turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau glass perfume with engraved silver overlay. Made by Gorham in Providence. Globular with short neck and everted rim in silver collar. Ball stopper. Open and whiplash overlay with linear borders, and round cartouche (vacant). Silver has maker’s stamp and no. D939. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 5 1/4 x D 3 in. #BW284

Deceptively simple and notoriously difficult to apply with the calligrapher’s brush in one fluid, arching stroke; the symbol of the ensō has long been associated with strength, elegance, and the simultaneous being and non-being of the universe. A closed ensō (such as the one featured here) is more closely associated with the idea of transcendent perfection, while an open ensō represents movement, fluidity, and attainment in the corporeal world. Though the monk who created this piece, Hasega...

Art Deco bronze urn: $44,000, reduced to $38,000 This Art Deco bronze figurative planter (jardiniere), circa 1920, measures 55" in height, 36" across (elbow to elbow), 18" deep.  caste bronze, 150-250 lb. This work was the combined effort of two French sculptors; Pierre Lenoir and Marcel Guillard (1896 - 1932). It is believed two castes of this sculpted urn were made.  Pierre Lenoir (1879 - 1953) was a French sculptor and medallist and was one of the Breton sculptors born in the 1880s ...

Pretty Italian Classical 800 silver keepsake box, ca 1940. Rectangular. Cover flat and hinged with tapering tab. Sides fluted and engraved with flowering and leafing branches. Cover top has heraldic cartouche (vacant) surrounded by leafing scrollwork on stippled ground. Partitioned interior. Marked "800" with stamp for Roberto & Armando Dabbene in Milan. Very good condition.

Dimensions: H 2 3/4 x W 8 1/4 x D 4 3/8 in. Heavy weight: 22 troy ounces. #BW335

1960's Chinese green and white jadeite carving of lotus and bamboo on a custom wood stand. A frog is perched on one of the lotus leaves and a bamboo stalk in the background serves to hold calligraphy brushes or fresh flowers. In excellent condition, it measures 7.25" high, on stand 8.75" high, 5.5 across, and about 3.5" deep.

In excellent condition, this bird-shaped, or “torigata” vase is a beautiful example of Iga pottery from last century. A master of form, material, and technique, the potter Furutani Michio (1946-2000) wrote several books later translated to English on the construction and use of the “anagama”—an earth-dug, wood-fired, small-batch kiln traditionally used in Japan—celebrated for the extraordinary results that often emerge from its fires. Winner of a number of awards during his lifetime ...

Painted lacquerware in Asia is thought to have more than 3,000 years of history; originating in China and then later spreading to South East Asia, Korea, and Japan. One reason this craft has taken centuries to perfect is that the sap of the tree used is highly toxic and irritating to the skin and to the lungs. Even minor contact with the raw materials can cause serious issues, making collecting and refining it quite labor intensive. Additionally, once collected it takes on average 3-5 years for ...

European silver ornament, ca 1920. Single plain hollow stem sprouting 3 flowers with ripe, splayed petals and prominent stamen surrounding 3 tight and tall buds. Pretty and hopeful. Appears to be unmarked. Silver tests 800. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 19 3/4 x W 6 X D 6 in. Weight: 4 troy ounces. #BW189

Born the second son of Ryônyû, the 10th Raku Kichizaemon Tannyû took over the family kiln in 1811 at the age of 16 and served until his retirement and subsequent handing on of the title of Kichizaemon to his son-in-law Keinyû some 34 years later. Retaining many of the unique stylistic innovations of his father including his clay trimming technique, Tannyû went on to establish several new family kilns and to produce wares for both 10th and 11th Tokugawa Lords. The piece seen here is a classi...

Fresh and pretty turn-of-the-century Austrian Art Nouveau 800 silver casket. Rectangular with curved sides. Cover hinged and raised with scroll tab. Chased and engraved wrapround ornament with entwined and whiplash tendrils and flower heads. Rococo scrolled corner supports. Gilt-washed interior. Marks include maker’s stamp HS. Excellent condition.

Dimensions: H 4 1/4 x W 5 3/8 x D 4 in. Weight: 13 troy ounces. #BW139

European silver flagon after the antique, late 19th century. Tapering bowl with curved front and back Tapering sides and curved front and back on spread and ribbed rectangular foot. Rectilinear neck with flat top. Round and domed cover with same ribbing and finial chained on both sides to ribbed rings loose-mounted to applied Classical satyr’s heads. Engraved Renaissance figures on front and armorial on back; leafing scrollwork and birds. Marked. Very good condition with deep patina.

Dimens...