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

On the eve of Armageddon, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope—and a terrible secret. And one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in a shape of a tongue-cut Sparrow. Good design, brown staining, natural imperfections in staghorn, overall in very good condition. Height 9/16 inches.

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in a shape of a gourd with leaf. Good design, green staining, natural imperfections in staghorn, overall in very good condition. Height 11/16 inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century Japanese lacquered wood Boddhisattva with his hands in praying attitude, mounted on burlwood plaque. Wonderful beatific face, quiet dignity in its posture, old nicks here and there, overall in great condition for a 200 year old piece. very pleasant patina. Newer burl board with beautiful texture resembling dense swirling clouds, nice metal fitting for hanging. Good devotional or decorative object. Board height 6 7/8 inches, figure height 3.5 inches.

19th century/Meiji period Japanese small Satsuma ceramic teapot with cover. The body is painted with 2 scenes of a bamboo grove and various flowers and morning mist painted with gold enamel, with design continuing on the cover. No chips, cracks or repairs. Excellent quality decoration in Japanese taste, typical Satsuma earthenware body, beautiful finely crackled glaze. Signed on the bottom KIYOMIZU TOMONICHI (alternative reading of the last 2 characters is Chojitsu)...

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) of double gourd form carved and pierced with geometric designs. Nice work, pleasant feel of age, beautiful patina. Height 11/16 inches.

Late 19th to early 20th century Japanese hanging scroll of a Chinese scholar enjoying wine in the shade of a banana plant. Ink and slight color on paper, great content face with a slight smile, superb quality brushwork - see the ink washes used for banana leaves. Signed DAI SOUISHI SOKO FUDE followed by a seal in red paste. The characters for Soko can also be read as Zengzhi - I believe the painting actually depicts Shen Zengzhi (1851-1922), great Confucian scholar-poet of late Qing Dynasty...

Late Meiji (1890-1912) Japanese hanging scroll painted with ink on paper with classic landscape in scholar’s taste boats by low hills in the foreground and long view of an expanse of water with more boats and distant mountains with huts. Excellent spirited painting of a timeless theme, wonderful free brushwork in depicting various tree and rock textures. Paper and silk textile mounts, wooden scroll ends, very nice feel of age...

Early 1910s Japanese scroll painted with ink and color on paper. The scroll depicts a temple gate (torii) and pines covered with fresh fluffy snow. Superb quality realistic painting perfectly capturing the mood of the scene. Wonderful composition in Japanese taste, the painting is in great shape, beautiful brocade mounts with cloud design, lacquered wood scroll ends. Signed IMURA HOGAI (born in 1882- died in ?) in ink, and marked with red paste seal (see detail)...

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in a shape of abalone shell. Good design, natural imperfections in staghorn, stained pale red, overall in very good condition. Length 13/16 inches.

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in a shape of a ceramic sake jar with high shoulders and decoration of concentric circles . Clever elegant design in Japanese taste, beautiful staghorn texture, in great condition. Height 5/8 inches.

19th century Japanese leather tobacco pouch with kiseruzutsu (tobacco pipe holder). Bronze kanemono - pouch clasp - is made in a shape of a roof tile bearing Toyotomi mon - the crest of the Toyotomi clan. Ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) appears to be bone stained coral red. The pipe case is made out of dark celluloid type material and has a dent in it as seen on photos. The pouch still contains a bit of finely shredded tobacco...

Late 19th century Japanese stoneware kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony) in a form of Daikoku holding a rice bale in front of him. Daikoku is one of the 7 Gods of Good Fortune, that of rice, and, as a consequence, of wealth. Stoneware with wonderful potting, beautiful celadon glaze, very pleasant patina. Great piece in Japanese taste. Height 2 inches.

Rather unusual 19th century Japanese bronze box for use in the incense game, when the player was blindfolded and given an incense to identify. Three cutouts on the top are made in a shape of paulownia crest used by the Tokugawa Shogun family. The paulownia crest was Imperial and represented the Emperor, but it could be bestowed on someone whose service to the throne was most important. Shoguns Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were using it before Tokugawa...

Unusual early 19th century Japanese cloisonne kogo (covered box for incense during tea ceremony) made in a shape of a clam shell and decorated with various flowers on the background of scrolling vines. Rims are silvered (some wear), white enamel background on the outside, blue enamel on the inside. Very pleasant finish with original pitting, rare and early object in terms of Japanese cloisonné, from the period of transition from Chinese to Japanese style. Great piece in Japanese taste...

Late Meiji - early Taisho (1890s - 1910s) Japanese Arita round porcelain kogo (covered box for incense during tea ceremony) with sometsuke (underglaze blue and white) decoration. Painted in underglaze blue 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...

Pair of 19th century Japanese bronze vases of a kind used on top of an altar for holding incense sticks. Elegant shape with broad shoulders and splayed mouth and foot. Pleasantly heavy, wonderful patina on the metal, beautiful devotional objects. Height 4 3/4 inches.

19th century ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved as a seated monkey performing “speak no evil” routine. Nice work, pleasant patina, no chips or repairs, dust on the surface. Height 3/4 inches.