Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (30)

A charming painting in ink and colors on silk depicting a young, long-haired girl in traditional dress with her back turned to the viewer. Signed: Nobumaru (Mitsubumi 1812–1879), a late Tosa School painter in the Nihonga tradition. Exquisite mounting. Meiji, c. 1865–1875. L 182 cm, W 60 cm. Picture frame: L 109 cm, W 42.5 cm. Condition: Very good.

Japanese Erotic Shunga Prints. 8 double-page book illustrations in colours from a shunga book (6 with erotic motifs). Extremely good details of the interiors and clothing. Also part of the lot are 3 pages with poetic inscriptions. Probably by Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865). Japan, late Edo, c. 1850. H 18.5 cm, L 26.5 cm. Condition: Good colours, general fine state of preservation with minor worming (repaired) on a few of the leaves.

Small shunga book (vol. 1) with indistinct title in oblong format. 14 colour prints with erotic motifs and texts, five scenes in black ink and other pages with text only. Japan, late Edo, early 19th century. H 8 cm, L 18 cm. Condition: Good impressions and bright colours. Some wear to paper.

A very interesting and well-carved figure-group (okimono) on a fitted base depicting the ox-herding boy and his ox loaded with fire wood in naturalistic style. The head, hands, feet of the body as well as the leash and the bundle of fire wood carried by the ox have been made from tinted ivory, as has the plaque with the artist’s name. The rest of the group has been made from a dense type and beautifully veined Oriental wood...

A small, attractive incense table on four legs in classical style with openwork in red Negoro-lacquer with the typical ‘rubbed’ surface to reveal the layer of black lacquer underneath. Japan, late Meiji, c. 1900. H 13.5 cm, W 20 cm, L 26 cm. Condition: Generally good (minor wear and a few, small cracks).

A beautiful Nashiji (sprinkled gold flakes) ground lacquer Natsume, Tea caddy. It has an elaborate cartouche on the lid in gold makie, gold and silver on a chocolate lacquer background depicting a stylised landscape (mountain, hermitage river and boat). 3 cartouche on the sides in lozenge form in heavy, raised lacquer; one with fishing hut among reeds and half moon; one with fish nets and seagulls and the last with seabirds on raised waves...

A large and very expressive, ceramic figure of sitting shishi, lion-dog, with turned head. It is covered in a creamy, white crackled glaze. The open, staring eyes made of inserted glass are rendered with gold. Unsigned. Japan, late Edo, before 1850. H. 35 cm, L. 25 cm, W. 16 cm. Condition: good, but for a few chips, fire cracks and minor area of repair on underside.

Three well painted Shunga scenes with a loving couples. Silk with ink and colors. Fitted on traditional, gold-spotted cardboard. Meiji, ca. 1880. H 17 cm, W 19 cm. Condition: One in very good condition, the other two : over-all quite good. Minor spots.

A very attractive and rare Pair of Mandarin Ducks OSHIDORI made of slightly modified and patinated root wood. The male wIth raised head and the female looking at the ground after food. Meiji, c. 1880/1900. H 16 cm, L 25 cm. Mandarine ducks are symbol of long life fidelity as they stay together forever. It comes with inscribed Storage Box Tomobako. Condition: Excellent

Unique carved wood vessel for use in Tea Ceremony for flower arrangement, ikebana. Very smoothly polished and lacquered in the inside; standing on three small “feet”. It has a wonderful smooth patina all-over. L. 26 cm x 17 cm. Meiji-Taisho. Condition: great!

A nyoi scepter (in Chinese: ruyi) made of a natural branch of lacquered wood. For the scholar’s table. Late Edo to early Meiji. L 42 cm. Condition: Fine all-over.

An impressive mokubi painting in ink and gold on silk depicting the Zen Buddhist patriarch Bodhidharma/Daruma in profile. Signed and sealed: Imai Tenroku (b. 1866), a specialist in the painting of Buddhist subjects. The present painting is dated Taisho 8 (1919). Fully inscribed box and paper w. artist’s data. L 185, W 52 cm. Picture frame: L 112 cm, W 40.5 cm. Condition: Very fine (at the bottom a small portion of the silk has loosened from the mounting).