Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (178)

A Chinese style celadon incense burner by one of the 5 Imperial Court Artists of Meiji. Sozan spent his life perfecting techniques for celadon production first used in the Souther Song Dynasty as evidenced here with his powdery blue “kinuta” glaze. The bottom of the vessel is unglazed showing the fine porcelain clay and the adjacent glazed foot bears his Imperial Court Artist seal...

With a traditional wheat-straw pattern commonly seen in Seto-ware and in the Mingei pottery movement of the 20th century, these lovely tea cups are perfect for an afternoon Japanese sencha gathering.

One of the most popular and important Japanese potters of the last 150 years, Rokubei Kiyomizu V (1875 - 1959) has been regarded by some as the most talented in a long line of Kiyomizu potters and as a cornerstone of the illustrious Gojo-zaka district in Kyoto...

Japanese sumi on paper—this piece by well-known Meiji/ Taisho artist Tomita Keisen depicts a lone banana tree. Deceptively simple in style, each brush stroke made with sweeping yet calculated motions to evoke nostalgia for sultry summer days and tropical climes...

A very interesting ceremonial tea bowl produced by one of the oldest generational potting families in Kyoto. In excellent condition with one fine gold repair along the rim; apart from its obvious beauty, this piece is interesting as a conversation piece for its involvement of two generations of Eiraku, a Head Tea Master of Urasenke, and a former Head Priest of Daitokuji...

Ivory white, forest green, and metallic brown/ gold combine to lend this tea bowl a dynamic and refreshing landscape. Bamboo fronds perceived here in the stylized outlines of white marks crisscrossing the front and back inside lip of the bowl signifying strength and resilience...

A black Raku ceremonial tea bowl displaying an excellent patina bestowed by time. The light colored clay peeks through in areas giving this piece a unique feel. Though the box is signed by the artist known as Rakuen, details on this particular potter seem to be lost to time...

A medium sized ido-gata (well shaped) tea bowl with exceptionally fine and beautifully crafted kintsugi gold repairs. One side of the bowl features a thickly applied ferrous glaze that pools generously near the base, while the pale green ashen glaze on the outside is decorated with impressed textured patterns...

Meticulously crafted from carefully woven strips of bamboo, this traditional “chabako” would typically contain all of the basic utensils for conducting tea ceremony. As the same name is commonly used to describe wood boxes used to store and transport tea leaves, the piece below could also be described as a “chakago” to avoid confusion—though the former descriptor is much more commonly used...

One of the most prominent potters of the Meiji period and one of only five to ever be appointed as Imperial Court Artist, the name Tozan is synonymous with fine porcelains including: Kyo-style tea and sake-wares, pieces for the western export market, distinctively home-grown Japanese motifs, and expertly crafted Chinese-style pieces such as the one seen here...

The shape of the this tea bowl is known as “tsutsu” in Japanese and is regarded as being especially attractive. Tsutsu bowls are used mainly in the depths of winter to keep in the heat and prevent the tea from cooling too quickly. Though most tsutsu bowls are defined by their smooth, curved edges and contoured clay bodies, this piece is distinct in having more defined edges and straight sides...

Over 100 years old, this exquisite lacquered box set was crafted in the fourth year of Taisho (1915). On the underside of the lid are painted butterflies and the sides and top of the box set feature Chrysanthemum flowers in gold, sumi, and mother-of-pearl. Long considered an auspicious symbol of longevity and rejuvenation in Japan, when first introduced to the island nation during the Nara period (710 – 793 AC), the Japanese Royal Family was fascinated with the Chrysanthemum...

Know more for his works of powdery-blue celadon, on occasion Sozan also produced fine white porcelains as well. This delicately-crafted porcelain kashibachi (sweets bowl) is one such example. Displaying a wonderful low-relief vine and leaf pattern on a backdrop of nearly eggshell thin ivory-white porcelain—this is a rare and interesting composition by Sozan I.

Suwa Sozan I (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture...

This finely crafted tripod incense burner is one of several often-employed motifs used by renowned Meiji/ Taisho ceramic artist Suwa Sozan I. With a design borrowed from ancient Chinese porcelain production, this piece displays horizontal bands on a field of luminous light-blue—contrasting nicely with the lid which is a dark varnished wood.

Suwa Sozan (1852—1922) was born in an area of what is known today as Ishikawa prefecture...

During the Meiji period in Japan, the humble iron kettle, known as a "tetsubin," emerged as an iconic symbol of traditional craftsmanship and functional artistry. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail and often adorned with intricate designs—as can be seen here with a cherry blossom motif and a what appears to be a pine-cone for a gripper—they became an essential tool in the Japanese tea ceremony...

This captivating bin-kake, or traditional brazier for tea ceremony, is crafted from fine celadon porcelain using methods first perfected in the southern Song Dynasty...

Featuring rich earthy tones and intricate hand-drawn stencil designs of passion flowers resting on a string of vines, this bowl would be perfect for displaying an ikebana flower arrangement. A kintsugi (gold) repair attest to the age and care that went into maintaining this piece through generations. The label on the lid of the box reads “e-Seto Karatsumon O-wan” indicating a large Seto bowl with arabesque hand drawings (絵瀬戸 唐草文 大鉢). The piece also features a technique known ...

This beautiful vase is a truly Japanese expression of a classical Chinese form. Fashioned after Song Dynasty pieces that are thought to have been introduced in the 9th century from Syria, the fine Kinuta celadon glaze is masterfully recreated by one of the most skilled Kyoto potters of the Meiji period. The outer ring of the foot is unglazed showing the fine porcelain clay this piece is constructed from and the glazed center bears the seal of the Imperial Court Artist who fashioned this piece. ...

During the Meiji period there were only five potters ever to be awarded the prestigious designation of Imperial Court Artist: Ito Tozan, Seifu Yohei III, Miyagawa Kozan, Itaya Hazan, and the artist whose work is featured here, Suwa Sozan. This mizusashi for tea ceremony is made of the finest “kinuta” celadon that Sozan was well known for—having recreated and perfected the technique used by the Chinese Song Dynasty potters. Being one of the main objects of importance in the tea ceremony rit...