Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (113)

This interesting and finely carved Japanese ivory okimono is a mid-19th century product. It is 6” high, 2” wide and 1” thick. It depicts one adult and one youngster engaged in folk dancing. The man is wearing a traditional hat called “Kazaori Eboshi.” He has raised his two arms up and is holding drum mallets. The boy is holding a paper fan. The artist’s signature “Yoshiaki” is on the base...

This very well carved and rare Japanese ivory okimono is a mid-19th century product. It is 10 ¾” high, 3″ wide and 2 1/4″ thick both measured from the bottom. It depicts a fisherman sitting on a wood stool with his tool box on his side. He is repairing his broken fish net which is hanging on a tall pole. The artist (carver) did a wonderful job on the fisherman’s robe, his cigarette pipe and pouch, even the tool box was carved with wood grain...

This mid 19th century Japanese netsuke of a KAWAZU (frog) is 1 ¼ inches tall 2 1/8 inches long and 2 ½ inches wide. It depicts a frog resting on a folded lotus leaf. The frog has two inlayed eyes. It is carved from stag horn and is in very good condition. The signature is unknown.

Realistically cast as a walking elephant, its head and trunk raised high. Its teeth are made of ivory. Meiji period. It is in great condition. H: 8 ½ inches, L: 10 inches, W: 4 ½ inches

This small Japanese ivory okimono is a mid-19th century product. It is 4 1/8″ high, 1 3/4″ wide and 1 1/4″ thick. It depicts a smiling fisherman standing on the shore. The fisherman is wearing a traditional bandanna and a straw apron. He uses both hands to pull a fish net in. The artist’s signature “Gyokudo” is on the base. Aside from some old repairs and crack lines due to its age, it is in good condition.

This 19th century carved wood netsuke of an Otafuku (traditional female theater character) is 2 ¼” long, 1 ¾” wide and 1” thick. It was made by a well known wood netsuke carver Shuzan; his signature is on the back. Shuzan was the pupil of master netsuke carver Shugetsu. It is in excellent condition.

This early 19th century painted pressed horn netsuke is 2” high, 1 1/5” wide and ¾” thick. It depicts a big headed smiling man. He is wearing a kimono and sandals and is carrying a mask of Otafuku on his back. It is in excellent condition.

This mid 19th century, Tokyo School wood carved netsuke is 1 ¾” high, 7/8” wide and 3 /4” thick. It is not signed. It depicts a young boy wearing some kind of bib, holding his belly with both hands. It is in excellent condition.

This realistically cast Meiji period bronze vase is 13 1/4 inches tall and 5 inches in diameter at its widest point. It depicts an eagle resting on an old tree. There is a stamped maker¡¯s mark on the bottom which reads ¡°Hidemitsu¡±. The owner purchased this piece from Sotheby¡¯s in the early seventy¡¯s. It is in excellent condition.

It was carved by a late Meiji period (1868~1911) artist Tozan (東山). It depicts a smiling wood cutter taking a break and tying his straw sandal lace. A sparrow is resting on his straw hat. It is 6 1/5" high, 3 7/16" wide (from the bottom) and 3" thick (from the bottom). Aside from two hair line cracks; one on his back head and one on the bottom, it is in great condition.

This interesting and finely carved Japanese ivory okimono is a mid-19th century product. It is 4 7/8” high, 2 3/8” wide and 1 ¼” thick. It depicts one adult and two youngsters engaged in the pastime of catching bugs. One boy, on the back of the adult, waves a fly swatter in his left hand while his right hand grabs at a dragonfly over his head that is trying to escape. The second boy stands next to them straining to hold up the long insect-catching bamboo pole...

This Japanese walrus tusk carving of a young maiden is a late-19th century or early 20th century product. It is 7 ¼” high (8 7/8” high with wood base) and 2 ¾” wide. It depicts a young maiden holding a long necked vase in one hand and a long stemmed flower in her other hand. There is a tall stand beside her with an incense burner. The statue is permanently mounted on the carved wood base. It is in great condition.

This very well made bone carving of the legendary Chinese figure Xiang Yu 項 羽 (232 BC~202BC) is a late 19th century product. Xiang Yu is popularly known in Chinese as “Xi Chu Ba Wang” 西 楚 霸 王 which means “Conqueror of Western Chu”. For more information, please refer to the entry on Xiang Yu in Wikipedia. This statue is 9" high (with carved fitted wood base is 10" high), 3 3/4" wide and 3" in depth...

This well cast Meiji period Japanese bronze vase is 10 ¾ inches tall and 4 inches in diameter at its widest. It depicts a wild goose flying away from the moon. The moon is silver inlaid and the goose is silver overlay on top of the bronze body. The goose eye and feet is gold. There is a maker¡¯s seal on the bottom, it reads ¡°Kyoto, made by Kuroda¡±. There are a few scratches on the body and lighter color around the moon due to cleaning.

This very nice carved ivory okimono of a young farm girl is a mid-19th century product. It is 5 ¾” high (with base is 6 ¾” high), 1 5/8” wide and 2” in depth. It depicts the farm girl carrying a wood and rope woven knapsack on her back. She holds a basket of fruit with both hands in front of her. Her smiling face is simply charming. The wood base might be a later replacement. It has good patina and is in very good condition. More detailed photos are available.

This carved antler netsuke of a young boy holding a puppy is a late 19th century product. It is 2" high, 1 1/8" wide and a little less than 1" thick. The contrast of the smiling boy and the less than happy puppy provides a great over all impression for the piece. It is not signed. It is in great condition.

The Koto is a string instrument that originated in China and came to Japan in the 7th ¨C 8th century. The Japanese Koto is a large instrument, about six feet long. This rare smaller version of Koto from Meiji Period (1868~1911) is 21 inches long, 4 inches wide and 2 ½ inches tall. It has a hollow body made from Kiri wood, underneath the body are two sound holes, one at each end. There are 13 strings which are tied over at each end of the body...

This very well carved and designed Japanese ivory okimono is 5 ¾ inches high, 2 ¼ inches wide and 1 ¾ inches deep (measure from the base). It depicts a Buddha standing on the back of a dragon which is rising from an ocean wave. It has great patina. There is a red maker’s mark on the bottom. Aside from an old loss which had been re-carved and polished, it is in excellent condition.