Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (239)

This is a finely carved Celadon Jade Snuff Bottle, in the form of a Lobed Gourd. It is a mostly of natural celadon color ground with a small curved russet line near its mouth, and a spot of gray on one of its sides. It comes with small thin coral stopper with spoon. This great looking bottle is in excellent preserved condition. Bottle Measurements Height: 1.98 inches (5.0cm) - not including stopper Width: 1.42 inches (3.6cm) Thickness: 0.98 inches (2.58cm) Weight: 1.4 ounces An similar form snuff bottle is illustrated in 'The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles", by Bob C. Stevens, Item 602 and 651. Style common in late 18th C. and early 19th C. Photo #8: A similar form and material bottle was sold at Christies, London, on 12 November 2015 for 2,500 GBP , plus premium.

This is a large and spectacular 18th Century Bronze Cloisonne, Twin-Handle Urn with great Archaic form and color. It has two Dragon Head Handles. It is enameled with Penny Flowers and Leaves motif. It has a large mouth (five-inches wide), and it is decorated with a one-inch belt that separates its bulbous body from its neck. It has a raised foot rim. It is stamped with the Japanese kanji that spells the name of its maker: 嶋佐 Shimasa, and it is in excellent preserved condition. MEASUREMENTS Height: 11.5 inches (31cm) Diameter at its widest: 9 inches (23cm) Weight: 8 lbs, 11 oz

Chinese, Enameled Silver Snuff Bottle, Bajixiang Emblems This is an wonderful Enameled Silver Snuff Bottle of Flattened Circular form, with a round, long neck and a narrow raised elongated edge and flat base. Most likely made, based on its style, during the first half of the 19th century. It is very colorfully decorated with enameled Bajixiang (Eight Buddhist Auspicious Symbols) Emblems. It is designed to bring peace and blessings to its owners. It comes with an original Silver stopper of the same design and color as the bottle, and a silver spoon. Provenance Collection of Sylvia H. Gottlieb, Great Neck, New York Sotheby's New York, 16th April 1985, lot 0147 This superb bottle is in excellently preserved original condition. Bottle Measurements Height: 2.70 inches (6.8cm), excluding stopper Width: 2.32 inches (5.8cm) Thickness: 1.12 inches (2.8cm)

Chinese, Enameled Porcelain Snuff Bottle, Jingdezhen Kilns Chenghua Mark This is an exceptional Enameled Porcelain Snuff Bottle of cylindrical form, round, long neck and wide mouth, and a narrow raised edge and flat base with an apocryphal Chenghua Mark (Chinese Ming Period 1465-1487), but most likely made during the first half (1810-1870) of the 19th century, according to 'Marks on Chinese Ceramics' by Gerald Davison. It has enameled, molded, colorful decorations of Chinese Antiques and Precious Objects. Provenance Robert Hall, London, 2011 Ruth and Carl Barron Collection, Belmont, Massachusetts, No. 5280 This superb bottle is in excellently preserved original condition. Bottle Measurements Height: 3.20 inches (8.1cm), excluding stopper Diameter: 1.24 inches (3.1cm) Weight: 2.0 ounces

This is a Qing Dinasty, 18th/19th century, Bulbous, Circular form snuff bottle, with sloping shoulders, rounded elongated neck, and raised oval footing. It has a deep, rich spinach-green color with dark mottling. It is polished all around, and it feels pleasantly rounded. It comes with an agate stopper with spoon. This rather heavy bottle is in excellent preserved condition. This outstanding bottle is in remarkable preserved condition. An identical form Jade snuff bottle is illustrated in 'The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles", by Bob C. Stevens, Item 366, page 114 Bottle Measurements Height: 2.30 inches (5.8cm) - not including stopper Width: 2.1 inches (5.4cm) Thickness: 1.22 inches (3.1cm) Weight: 4.4 ounces

Very Rare Pattern, Amygdaloidal Basalt Snuff Bottle of Flattened Circular shape, supported on an oval footrim, the gently slopping shoulders rising to a cylindrical neck; the mottled mostly brown stone ground suffused by gray-green-tan, orange epidote and calcite irregular but attractive intrusions. Well-hollowed. It was probably made during the Qing Dynasty, 1760-1850. This bottle comes with a green jadeite stopper with black collar. Note: Amygdaloidal Basalt is also referred as volcanic puddingstone. According to Bob C. Stevens in the Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, New York and Tokyo, 1980, p. 159, it 'is a conglomerate made of cinders, ash, broken fragments (braccias) and epidote (a blue-green mineral), all intermixed with lava. A similar shaped bottle is illustrated in Stevens, op.cit., fig 617. PROVENANCE: Bonhams, 2019 This outstanding bottle is in remarkable preserved condition. Bottle Measurements Height: 2.20 inches (5.6cm) - not including stopper Width: 1.44 inches (3.6cm) Thickness: 0.68 inches (1.7cm) Weight: 1.6 ounces

This is a very fine 18th/19th Century period, well-hallowed, Dendritic Chalcedony Snuff Bottle of flattened, rectangular, with rounded shoulders tapering towards base, with a cylindrical short neck, a wide mouth, and an oval foot rim surrounding a shallowly recessed flat foot. The translucent stone has an abstract mottled pattern of brown ground and white macaroni bursts and strands that go in different directions and that are different on all sides of the bottle. It comes with a translucent brownish colored agate stopper. This outstanding looking bottle is in remarkable preserved condition. Bottle Measurements Height: 2.22 inches (5.6cm) - not including stopper Width: 1.62 inches (4.1cm) Thickness: 0.87 inches (2.2cm) Weight: 2.2 ounces

This is a Qing Dinasty, 18th Century, flattened rectangular with rounded shoulders form snuff bottle, rounded short neck, and flat oval footing. It is made from fossilized Tooth. It has an orange ground with brown shades of light brown (burnt), beige and nebulous with brownish stripe and lightening-like forms going in all directions throughout the entire bottle. It comes with a golden reticulated metal stopper with a green jade finial. This rare and spectacular looking bottle is in excellent preserved condition. Two identical form snuff bottles are illustrated in 'The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles", by Bob C. Stevens, Item 365 and 370, page 114. The material is also illustrated in item 1020, page 283 of the same book. Photo # 8: A similar material bottle was sold at Bonhams, SF, on 02 Nov 2010 for $2,745 Bottle Measurements Height: 2.05 inches (5.2cm) - not including stopper Width: 1.72 inches (4.3cm) Thickness: 0.83 inches (2.1cm) Weight: 1.8 ounces

This is a Qing Dinasty, 18th Century, with a Circular, Bulbous, tapering towards the bottom form Yellow Jade snuff bottle, with sloping shoulders, rounded short neck, and flat oval footing. Its background is yellow, but it also has shades of light brown (burnt), beige and nebulous with stripe forms of white colors. It also has a couple of natural lines that meet in a porous area in one of its sides. It comes with a light green jade stopper This rather heavy-for-its-size bottle is in excellent preserved condition. Nephrite Yellow Jade is very rare. It originates from China. It is considered as derived from white nephrite what has been affected by the presence of certain materials that develop a yellow tinge. The presence of these mineral formations can be observed in the different shades of yellow, some lighter, others darker, as well as its original white nephrite, in this bottle. Photo #8 shows the different tones of Yellow Jade, including the colors of this bottle. A similar form and material snuff bottle is illustrated in 'The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles", by Bob C. Stevens, Item 364, page 113 Photo #9: A similar material bottle was sold at Oakridge Action Gallery, on 20 September 2021, for $4,750 hammer price (not including premium). Bottle Measurements Height: 2.08 inches (5.3cm) - not including stopper Width: 1.76 inches (4.4cm) Thickness: 0.93 inches (2.3cm) Weight: 2.4 ounces

This is a very rare form for a Jade Bottle, its Cylindrical Form, and the variety of color skins that surround it and that appear to portray their own artistic rendering with splashes of Russet, brownish, light brown, black, gray, over a white-gray ground. It was probably made during the period Qing Dinasty period, 1740-1840. It is perfectly symmetrically rounded with rounded shoulders, and ends rounded around a perfect circular raised bottom that features a flat base. It comes with a stopper that has a combination of jade on the bottom, topped with reticulated metal that holds a reddish jade dome. This spectacular looking bottle is in excellent preserved condition. An identical form and material snuff bottle is illustrated in 'The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles", by Bob C. Stevens, Item 690, page 177 Photo #8: A similar form and material bottle that was part of the J&J Collection was sold at Christies for $7,800 on 28 Mar 2006 Photo #9: An identical form, material and period bottle was at Auction on Sotheby's London, with a price estimate of 3,000 - 5,000 GBP on 13 May 2015 Bottle Measurements Height: 2.47 inches (6.2cm) - not including stopper Diameter: 1.08 inches (2.8cm) Weight: 2.4 ounces

As described by the American Art Association in their 1924 Catalog: "Vigorously modeled in conventional forms, seated in haunches, on flat multilinear pedestals with curved feet and cusped fringe. They represent the mythical lions, called "dogs of Foo", the guardians of Buddhist temples and images. Both with open mouths, coats of waved lines and spreading tails. The male has right forepaw resting on ball of brocade and the female has left forepaw on a playful cub. Soft "pipe clay" pottery, covered with a thin glaze of light bronze-green of malachite color with mottlings of earthy green, giving a remarkable re-semblance to a very ancient bronze." PROVENANCE: Used to belong to A. W. Bahr and were part of his Chinese Art Collection during the early 20th century. They were purchased at an American Art Association Auction, in New York, in 1916, to become part of the Kano Oshima Collection. They were sold at another American Art Association Auction, in New York, in 1924. (lot 745) to an unknown collector. Photo #11 - from the American Art Association catalog for the 1924 auction. A single similar Foo Dog sold at auction at Sotheby's Hong Kong for 302,400 HKD (USD$38,682) on 17 December 2022 (Photo #12) The pair represent classic male and female lions which were used by the Chinese as symbols of protection for a home or workplace. During the Ming and Qing, and earlier Dynasties the pair are found as depicted here, with the female lion holding or caressing a cub, representing the cycle of life. The male lion is shown with its right paw over an 'embroidery ball', carved in a geometric pattern, representing supremacy over the world. Traditionally, the female lion is seen as protector of home occupants, while the male lion protects the structure of the house. The statues are in excellent preserved condition, with no chips or repairs. They are heavily patinated, and show some slight wear. MEASUREMENTS Height: 9.5 inches (24cm) Width: 4.0 inches (10cm) at the lions' paws Length: 6.0 inches (15.2cm)

This is a stunning Ruby Red Glass Snuff Bottle, finely carved in relief with the twelve Chinese Zodiac Animals. Rounded body with a leafy lappet border around the neck, and a raised oval footing. Coral and brass stopper.

This wonderful bottle is in outstanding preserved condition.

Bottle Measurements

Height: 2.68 inches (6.8cm), not including the stopper

width: 2.45 inches (6.2cm)

Weight: 3.8 ounces

This is an Exceptionally carved Zitan Wood Ruyi Scepter with Pheaant Jade Plaques - Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) A Zitan hardwood Ruyi Scepter with Pheasant Jade Plaques, a common theme of the Ming Dynasty. The curving hardwood Scepter, like Zitan, of a medium wood color, separates the sea-foam white to light green Pheasant Jade Plaques at the middle, tail and head, all reticulated in the Ming period style to depict birds within an intricate mesh of multi-layered floral tendrils. Excellently preserved original condition. Length: 35cm (14 inches) Width of largest plaque: 2 inches The Pheasant Plaques on this Ruyi Scepter are exactly as the Ming Period Pheasant Jade Plaques sold at Zacke Galleries on 15 October 2021 (photos 9 and 10) This scepter is very similar to a Ming Period Ruyi Scepter sold at Christies in March 2014 (photo #11) for $32,500

Early 19th C. Japanese Wood Netsuke: Wood Gatherer, Signed YOSHINAGA, Miura

This is an Extremely Rare example of a wood netsuke excellently carved by Yoshinaga, as signed on a border, on the bottom of this superb miniature sculpture, depicting a Wood Gatherer who has taken a rest from his daily journey by sitting on top of a rock. He is carrying on his back a wicker basket, and two bundles of wood on top of it. He is also holding a hoe on his right hand.

It is extremely rare to find a piece made from wood by this highly skilled carver whose works were mostly done in other natural materials. But, like other pieces made by him, it exhibits similar traits such as the meticulous detail used in the rendering of the wicker basket and bundles of wood, the modeling of Chinese subjects with similar facial and dress characteristics, and the poorly etched signature that has been placed in an inconspicuous position on the piece. Netsuke has a chimney himotoshi that starts on the bottom of the rock, and continues on any of the holes on the sides of the rock.

You may reference an article written by Milton Stratos, The Netsuke of Miura Yoshinaga, that appeared in the Spring 2011 issue of the International Netsuke Society Journal, for other similitudes in characteristics in this piece that are shared by other works by this master.

Netsuke measures 0.92 inches (2.3cm) wide, 1.14 inches (2.9cm) long, and 1.72 inches (4.4cm) tall. It is in remarkably outstanding condition as you may see in the posted photos.

Note: A reference to Miura Yoshinaga and his signature may be found on page 1239 of Lazarnick's 'Netsuke and Inro Artists, and How to Read their Signatures'

21.375" blade with a wild midare hamon. Nakago with eight-character signature "Harima Daijō Fujiwara Tadakuni" ( 信濃大掾藤原忠國 ) ; probably 2nd generation (1624). Nagako is possibly ubu (meaning that remains as it is since it was made) with three mekugi-ana. Blade contained in shirasaya attributing blade to Tadakuni. Swordsmith is listed as TA41 from W.M. Hawley, page 368.

SAYAGAKI is the writing on the shirasaya that is done by a sword expert for the purpose of identification. It is in a manner similar to an NBTHK. It provides the name and title of the swordsmith. The name of the Sensei (master/expert) and his opinion of the sword, and in some cases some of the characteristics of the sword, such as its length.

This piece was made by Harima Daijyo Fujiwara Tadakuni who is the son of First Generation Tadayoshi's father Hashimoto Rokurozaemon. He first engraved as Hironori. At Kanei 11th year(1634) he has received the post of Harima Daijyo and changed his name to Tadakuni. At his early carrier as Harima Daijyo, he engraved the Kanji of Ma 磨 signature as different Ma 摩. There were many pieces remaining from Kanei Period to Kanbun period. At later age, he has called himself Harima Nyudo Kyutetsu. He had engraved names such as Hizen Jyu Harima Daijyo Fujiwara Tadakuni, Harima Daijyo Fujiwara Tadakuni and Hizen Ju Harima Nyudo Kyutetsu. He was outstanding sword smith inside the group Waki-Hizen of Hizen province. This blade is typical Tadakuni, and the Gunome Midare Hamon is nice. The signature is clear

Condtion: Blade is mostly clean, showing an old polish. It was some barely noticeable spider-web rust on the left side of the blade and a couple of slight micro-chips. Otherwise, is in excellent condition for its 350 year-old history.

Blade Length (Cutting Edge): 21.375 inches

Full length (with mountings): 30.25 inches

Motokasane: 7.34mm

Weight (Blade only): 595 grams (12lb, 5oz)

Moss Agate (also called a form of Dendritic Chalcedony) Snuff Botle of flattened rectangular shape, supported on a raised oval elongated footrim, the gently slopping shoulders rising to a cylindrical neck, with concave and wide mouth; the stone showing cluster of mineral (iron or Manganese ixide) of green and brown colors on a grayish ground on one side, and muddle ferns and tree branches mostly in green, dark green and some brown patches, on the other side.

Very well hollowed; so much so, that the artisan who worked the inside of the bottle must have spent countless hours carving the inside to obtain such thin walls, making the bottle lighter than other bottles of similar size. The bottle comes with a white jade with some green inclusions.

The outstanding bottle is in remarkable preserved condition.

A similar shaped bottle was sold at auction by IGabel, on 28 April 2020, for $3,125.00. See photo #8

Bottle Measurements

Height: 2.62 inches (6.6cm) - not including stopper

Width: 2.17 inches (5.5cm)

Thickness: 1.05 inches (2.6cm)

Weight: 2.4 ounces

Century Japanese Ebony Wood Netsuke: Tanuki Badger, Signed Minko with Kakikan

19th Century, finely hand-carved boxwood netsuke depicting a seated Tanuki, or Japanese Badger (raccoon dog) raising his right paw in order to beat his belly, or distended scrotum as it if were a drum. Pupils made in bronze and inlaid with black horn. Wonderful chimney himotoshi that starts on the bottom, and extends to the left side of his body, between his legss. Signed Minko, with kakihan, on the bottom of the piece.

According to Japanese legend, a Tanuki is a real animal with supernatural powers, as are the fox or a cat. He is a mischievous animal that uses many disguises to deceive or annoy passers-by.

Netsuke measures 1.42 inches (3.6cm) in diameter (on the bottom), and 1.64 inches (4.2cm) tall. It is in excellent condition as you may see in the posted photos.

EDO, Late 18th Century, Japanese Wood Netsuke: Merchant

Late 18th Century, nicely hand-carved wood Netsuke depicting a Merchant who seems concerned, probably, because he has not been able to sell his stock. He is shown here with his right hand over his head while he is taking a step forward, with his right heel slightly raised.

Very nice stylized touches characterizes this netsuke made during the EDO Period of Japan. The large and uneven himotoshi on this netsuke is typical of carvings made during the 18th century, and beginning of the 19th century. Rich patina. Wear and handling has given it a very smooth and shiny surface, with very pleasant tactile qualities. Unsigned.

Netsuke measures 1.46 inches (3.7cm) wide, and 2.14 inches (5.4cm) tall. It is in excellent condition for its age (over 200 years), as may be seen in the posted photos.