Catalog (414)

Very large iron tsuba representing a man riding a giant boar. This illustrates the story of a hunter who to defend his lord during a hunting party jumped on a boar, rode it, sat upside down and stabbed it to death. This brave hunter was called Nitan No Shiro and the action took place around Mount Fuji. The tsuba is in hammered iron, the drawings of the hunter and the boar are incised with a chisel, the hat of Nitan is inlaid in sentoku (copper) some details are in gilded bronze or gold. On the back Mount Fuji is vigorously and simply traced with a chisel stroke. The size of the tsuba is exceptionally large. 108x4.6mm. Japan Edo périod or earlier. Good condition.

Small Christ in cast bronze, traces of gilding. French medieval 13th century. The bronze has a beautiful old patina, there is very little gilding left. He wears a loincloth and an Egyptian headdress. A stylized flower appears to be drawn on his belly. It was mounted on a gilded wooden frame probably in the 18th century. Height of Christ alone 95mm. Good condition, no repairs, normal wear for the period, beautifull original patina.

Small tea or wine bowl? in Chinese hard porcelain. Decoration of vases and stylized emblems painted in hight fired cobalt blue for the contours and colored enamels with muffle fire. Mark of Emperor Ming Chenghoa, but produced in Jingdezhen in the 18th century, probably during the reign of Kangxi. Good condition. 70x36mm

Inro 4 cases.Peonies in mother-of-pearl inlaid on a brown lacquered ground and gold dust. Japan earlier Edo 17th century.It is rare to find inros from this period, they are probably the first to have been created. The lacquer is dark red-brown, almost black, it is very solid and despite the shocks and more than three centuries of handling it has not chipped at all. The mother-of-pearl is also well preserved and there is only a tiny lack due to a direct impact. It is a good example of the solidity of the lacquers of this period which will weaken thereafter from the 18th century. It would seem that the brown background is in pure Urushi, with no or very little added pigment, which would explain the solidity. The reliefs are in lacquer of a redder shade and they too appear to be in pure urushi. Pure urushi can have several shades, either because of its extraction or because of the speed of drying. The gold powder has been partially worn as can be seen on the photo, but this enhances the aesthetics of the work of art. These simple and powerful inros are not appreciated at their fair value, amateurs preferring very sophisticated works from late periods. 70x65mm No repairs, normal wear, very small accidents, all visible on the photos.

Small bird cage in split and carved bamboo, it is supported by a bronze hook made up of several riveted elements. Inside different elements for the comfort of the bird, porcelain drinkers, side perch and feeder in copper and center a pretty perch in green hard stone. This circular perch is carved in relief of 2 chilong (dragons) in the archaic Chinese style. The stone is very hard and appears to be jade, green stained and veined with black. We think it is a "Bi" disc, older than the cage, which was adapted to it. The "bars" part of the cage separates from the base for cleaning, the 2 parts are held together securely by 4 turned bone nails, which once in place are discreetly decorative. The base rests on 4 small pearl-shaped stone feet, held by a central bronze axis. The cage is entirely made of bamboo, a layer of lacquer partially covers it. This layer being not uniform, and partly concealing the beautiful veins of the bamboo, we think that it was deposited late. This type of cage was produced in China for centuries, but their fragility means that very few of these cages have reached us. It is difficult to date them precisely, however if we refer to the interior elements of it we can advance the date to the second part of the 19th century, in fact the two small porcelain decorated in iron red with Lions Buddhist are typically from the end of the Qing dynasty, reign of Emperor Tongzhi, around 1860. However the cage is perhaps earlier. There is a small artificial bird certainly original, wearing real feathers. Dimensions 31x26cm Total height with hook 38cm. Good condition.

Small cast bronze vase. Creature mask decoration in relief, probably a tiger. The metal is very thick and this small vase is very heavy. Although very simple, it is venerable and powerful. It is very old for several centuries. The patina of the bronze is sublime. Certainly a Chinese work. I don't think it's from the Ming period, the drawing is too simple. It could be Song or before... Only a specialist could determine a precise dating. Very nice respectable object. Height: 123mm. Good condition. Wear and tear from centuries of use

Silver damask iron box, gold details. Japanese work of the Edo period bearing the coat of arms of the Saka-I clan. I once read that this clan was responsible for security in Edo in the 18th century (to be checked). The essential feature of this box is the finesse of the iron that makes it. The blacksmith managed to hammer a wall as thin as paper. Which is a technical feat requiring a exceptionnal mastery of iron. The inlays are thick, which has ensured excellent preservation during centuries of wear. The décor is exceptionally intact which is rarely the case on utilitarian objects in nunome-zogan . The design is elegant and tasteless. It is the work of an excellent artist. On the back the décor of the Mon des Saka-I.Is it said that this type of box was used as a tobacco joke? Edo period probably around 1700. Very good condition. 2 tiny pin holes underneath, barely visible on the bottom but it's really insignificant. Traces of cold gilding underneath. Very rare object, never seen any other. Diameter about 9 cm.Extremely light. 70g

Shell mounted on a silver base. Chinese work made for export? From memory I seem to recall that a pair of identical cups were presented at the V&A in the 90s. The shell is held by silver nuts in the shape of a butterfly, it rests on a grove of 3 silver bamboos. The whole rests on a finely worked wooden base. The other nuts are in the shape of clover. The whole is finely worked and chiselled. Beautiful finish. Extremely rare object. Very certainly end of the 18th century. Good condition, 1 of the 6 bamboo branches is missing as can be seen on the pictures. The bamboo branches are removable. Height about 22cm. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Rare small table hairdressing table in black and gold lacquered wood. Chinese furniture made for export at the end of 18°. Charming model in a moving condition . A copy of identical shape is kept at the Metropolitan Museum. 2 others with same decoration were sold in the 80s. Inside a drawer there is still a whole set of 6 original boxes which are perfectly preserved and have kept their colors. 77x39cm. Very damaged mainly on the top and the pediment is missing but technically restorable perfectly with true Urushi and time. Watanabe in Kyoto provided a natural lacquer (Urushi) of excellent quality and all the gold powders imaginable.

Rare Korean stoneware vase from the Silla period, 5th or 6th century. Undulating decoration incised with a comb and pierced with typical triangles. The upper part is covered with an ash glass. A similar but smaller and unglazed model is housed at the Minneapolis Institute. Good condition. Height: 34cm

Black lacquer box decorated with butterflies and flowers in red, green and yellow lacquer. Detail in powdered gold lacquer and kirikane (small gold square.) Curiously there are only 2 elements in yellow lacquer, a butterfly and a flower. No signature. Good condition, no restoration. Slight wear and tear for a 19th century lacquer. I think that the drawer knobs have been replaced because they are simple and in copper alloy while the other mounts are in white metal which is probably silver. Approximate dimensions: 35x20x20cm Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Tsuba in shakudo decorated with a floral basket flown over by butterflies. Inlays (Taka Zogan) in solid gold, in fact the flowers are not in gilded copper as usual but in cast solid gold. The nanako background is particularly regular and deep. The artist used gold of two shades, a pure yellow and a pale yellow probably due to the addition of platinum or silver. Anonymous despite the excellent quality. Japan 19th century or before. 76x4mm

Satzuma fine earthenware tea service. Teapot, milk jug, sugar pot, 6 saucers and 6 cups. Decoration of guilandes of 1000 flowers and animated scenes of mothers and children in the garden. Each cup has the same decoration as its saucer. The 6 have a different decor. Nice quality. Not yet looked for the name of the painter but certainly a good artist.Meiji period arround 1900. Good condition, some spots of use of the tea but barely nuanced (visible on photos). Note: It is rare to find full service of this quality and condition. Teapot: 16cm Saucers D: 13.8cm Cup: D: 9.3cm

Rider mounted on a terracotta dromedary. Traces of brick red, blue and dark brown pigments. The character seems dressed in European style. His round hat and waistcoat might indicate Spain? He is probably a warrior because what he is carrying on his back seems to be a shield. Interestingly, he is holding in his arms what appears to be a culverin (small cannon), so it would be a mounted artilleryman which is not unthinkable because the Chinese had an artillery regiment mounted on camels, as can be seen on 18th century engravings. Camels are essentially African animals, however they were exported to Mexico and Australia to serve in the desert regions. This rider could therefore be a soldier, serving in the deserts of a Spanish colony, Mauritania, Morocco or Mexico? For dating, a weapon specialist could give a range. The small cannon would indicate a time after the 15th century and the use of the shield would indicate that the muskets were not yet used. Rare and interesting object. Was sold at public auction about twenty years ago as "Tang period china" which is absolutely impossible. The expert must have confused camel and dromedary. One leg is missing an end which makes the statue slightly wobbly. Some parts have been glued (hat, waist, paw) but all are original. There is no plaster replacement. 26cm x 19cm

Drawer box (kodansu). The exterior is entirely covered with vegetable fiber basketry surrounding reserves in the shape of fans in silver and gilded copper, chiselled with birds and flowers. The interior is soberly lacquered in black (roiro) and bears powdered Chinese characters. or who must indicate the name of the artist, the date of creation and other marks of appreciation, wishes or wishes? Silver handle and mounts. Japan early 20°, Meiji period or perhaps Taisho. Excellent condition, no restorations. There are a few examples of this type of basketwork in the form of trays or simple boxes, but kodansu are rare. Large arround 16cm.

Cut iron tsuba. Decor of dragons and sacred pearls. Inside the beads, tiny iron balls are mobile. The style is called Namban. This kind of tsuba is little represented without however being rare. But the model presented here is exceptionally of excellent quality. Indeed the blacksmith has cut out his pattern excessively finely like an iron lace. We do not know of a model with such thin wires cut at the extreme limit of the constraints of the metal. Japan early Edo about 1700. Dimensions: 65x2mm Good condition.

Small Satsuma earthenware incense burner in the shape of a cricket cage. Technically complex openwork work with results that are still uncertain, the fine bars of the cage have survived the test of fire without damage, then that of handling for more than 100 years. Today the object is in excellent condition. Below the mark of the Satsuma and the name Hattori who was one of the best ceramic painters of his time., allowing a precise dating. We can, on request, find out who it is. Height 14cm.

Thick cast bronze censer depicting a goose spreading its wings. I believe it is cast in two parts separately, the goose and the vessel then brazed together. Interesting subject, very nice finish and chasing. Old patina. No gilding, no restoration. Width the largest 14,5cm.