Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (899)

19th century netsuke of a recumbent goat, its head lowered as it scratches its haunch with one horn. Perfectly captured essence of the creature, wonderful carving of its face and rich fur. Eyes inlaid with amber, himotoshi formed by its hind leg. Very beautiful wear and patina, old stable age lines. Signed RANGYOKU in oval reserve on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 1148 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Formerly in Edward H...

Late 19th century to early Taisho period Japanese netsuke (can be viewed as a small okimono) carved as three wise monkeys performing their habitual "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” routine in an unusual way by servicing each other: Mizaru with covered eyes, Kikazaru with covered ears and Iwazaru with covered mouth. Nice faces and hairwork, good depiction of limbs, light staining, himotoshi (cord openings) are formed by their limbs, pleasant patina. Length 2 5/8 inches.

Early 19th century Japanese sword tsuba with combination of sunken and raised relief decoration of a seated man wearing eboshi (a specific hat worn by aristocrats to indicate rank) holding a bitter melon in his hands and looking at more melons and lotus leaves with flowers, design continuing on the back. Material appears to be shakudo (alloy of copper and gold) with characteristic black patination resembling lacquer...

19th century Edo period Japanese bronze kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with multimetal inlays depicting wispy clouds supporting a tiger, a shishi and a kirin, all on a punched ground texture called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar. Unusual combination of animals, wonderfully made piece with crisp metalwork and gilding, in great condition. Length 1 1/4 inches.

Unusual 19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke with copper bowl and mixed metal top depicting a tiger on rocks with bamboo grass and a dragon holding a Precious Gem in flight among swirling clouds: the two appear ready to engage in a fight. Very nice pairing of the most powerful Zodiac animals, bronze disc with gilding, eyes of both beasts are inlaid with shakudo with its characteristic strong black color...

19th century boxwood netsuke of Thunder God Raiden standing on his drum that he tore open by beating it with a striker on the clouds. According to Japanese folklore by beating the drum Raiden creates thunder. The stretched leather part of the drum is lacquered in Negoro style: red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black starts showing. The bottom of the drum is carved as a seal, with a seal script reading HARUYOSHI (alternative reading is Shunko) in a reserve shaped like a mallet of Daikoku...

19th century netsuke of a puppy wearing a collar with a bell and lying on an old straw sandal. Wonderful quality carving - see its right front paw lifting a straw rope that it is about to chew, its chubby body and perfectly rendered texture of woven straw of the sandal. Signed KAIGYOKUSAI in rectangular reserve on the bottom for Masateru, whose more common signature is KAIGYOKU MADO MASATERU (Kaigyoku’s grandson, Masateru)...

Very unusual 19th century lacquered wood sashi type netsuke carved in a shape of a cloud dragon with its head turned back onto itself, its neck forming himotoshi. Does not photograph well, impressive when handled. Elegant and clever carving, all 4 legs are in different positions, nice rendition of its face and hair. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black starts showing, gold lacquer highlights, excellent wear and patina on the surface...

19th century Japanese silver two pronged kanzashi - a hair pin - with ear pick spoon on the terminal and decoration of a sacred key and Daikoku’s magic mallet. Excellent and clever piece implying a wish of wealth to the owner, with superb quality work - see the incised wood texture of the mallet. I did not test the metal, but confident that it is silver, the sacred key is gilded. Some tarnished areas, can be cleaned if needed. Length 6 3/4 inches.

Unusual 19th century Japanese small page turner / book mark carved in low relief with two landscape scenes in scholarly taste: the front with a scholar’s hut dramatically perched on high vertical rocks above pine trees, the back with pines on rocks with a view of two sailing junks on the sea. Beautiful design perfectly imitating scroll format - what you see are really two unrolled scroll paintings, superb quality quiet carving, pleasant wear and patina...

19th century/Meiji period Japanese bone paper knife/page turner with low relief carving of a butterfly in flight above a flowering peony bush issuing from rocks. Very nice quality carving, brown, green and red ink highlight. Great patina, signed OSAI on the back, pleasant to hold, good desk object. Length 5 15/16 inches.

19th century/Meiji period Japanese bone paper knife/page turner with low relief carving of a butterfly in flight above 2 branches of morning glory, one of the in bloom. Very nice quality carving, red ink highlights. Great patina, signed GYOKUSAI on the back, pleasant to hold, good desk object. Length 6 1/2 inches.

Late Meiji Japanese Bizen pottery ware chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) with slender body and narrow mouth. Wonderful potting, beautiful patina, very nice texture and play of colors to the partial light glaze on its surface. Inscribed by the potter on the bottom. Turned bone cover lined with silver colored foil on the inside. Great piece in excellent condition. Height with cover 2 15/16 inches.

Late Meiji - early Taisho (1890s - 1910s) Japanese Arita porcelain chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) with sometsuke (underglaze blue and white) decoration. Painted in Shonsui style: initial Shonsui ware is Chinese blue and white porcelain imported to Japan starting in the reign of Tianqi Emperor (1621-1627). Starting from the 18th century Arita kilns have been producing their own items in Shonsui style...

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle depicting a a centipede wrapped around an arrow. Unusual and elegant piece, extraordinary crisp work - see the head and body segments of the creature and fine feathers of the arrow. Gilding, finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar, in great condition. Length 3 3/4 inches.

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with multimetal inlays depicting a Shinto ritual ladle containing various flowers, its bamboo handle decorated with a tied ribbon. Superb crisp work - see the fine textures of different flowers and nodules of the handle, silver and bronze inlays, gilding, finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar, in great condition. Length 3 9/16 inches.

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with multimetal inlays depicting two silver fern fronds and a length of shimenawa - a rice straw rope used for ritual purification in the Shinto religion. Decoration most probably refers to a particular festival. Superb crisp work - see the fine textures of both leaves and rope, silver and bronze inlays, gilding, finely textured ground called nanako, which means “fish-eggs” as it resembles fine rows of caviar, in great condition...

19th century Japanese kozuka (sword knife) handle with multimetal inlays depicting a kingfisher sitting on reeds as it watches a stream beneath it for fish. Kozuka body is made of sentoku (alloy consisting of copper, zinc and tin), bronze, copper and shakudo inlays, gilding and silvering. Wonderful elegant design in Japanese taste, excellent detailing. Overall in very good condition. Length 3 7/8 inches.