Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (1202)

Late 19th century marine netsuke of a scholar holding a scroll. Nicely carved, decent face, good patina. Height 1.84 inches.

19th century ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in drum shape made out of sections of rosewood and staghorn. Very pleasant to the touch, beautiful wear and patina. Diameter 0.65 inches.

19th century boxwood netsuke of two scholar-hermits wearing simple robes and leaf capes and skirts, totally absorbed by the game of GO. Perfectly captured mood of quiet concentration. Very good assured carving, great faces, wonderful detailing of leaf capes, beautiful mellow patina. Signed SEIZAN in rectangular reserve on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 928 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1.22 inches.

19th century boxwood netsuke of Sennin Tobosaku showing off the Peach of Immortality which he stole from a tree in the garden of Seiobo, the Chinese Queen of the Fairies, where it ripens only once it 3 thousand years. Excellent carving, great face, wonderful flow to the lines of his robe, small old loss to the peach...

Early 19th century wooden netsuke of a snarling shishi (Buddhist lion) seated on a base. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - golden lacquer over dark red/brown over black, so as it wears first red, then black and then wood start showing, thus adding yet another color to the piece. Very smart use of lacquering technique, wonderful depiction of its face, ribs and bushy tail, beautiful wear to the surface, really nice feel of age to the piece. Height 1.40 inches.

Unusual 19th century Japanese ceramic Kuro Oribe guinomi - a sake cup, can be used as a small yunomi - a tea cup. Comes with very well made shifuku (silk brocade storage bag). Superb free potting, the foot shows grey stoneware body, beautiful patina. Characteristic kuro Oribe (“black Oribe”) beautiful dark brown to black glaze enveloping most of the sides with one open area painted with underglaze black flower and a distant mountain, great patina...

19th century or earlier good size Japanese magatama bead made out of jadeite with wonderful play of hues of white to very light green. Beautiful matte surface with wonderful patina, great feel of age, very pleasant to the touch. Magatama are curved beads which first appeared in Japan during the Jomon period (circa 1000 BCE), and in Korea during the Prehistoric period, mainly in the Bronze Age and Neolithic...

Late Meiji (1890s - 1910s) Japanese bamboo wrist rest used by painters and calligraphers, with low relief carving of a sparrow in flight, its wings spread wide. Beautiful subtle piece, superb quality carving, rich warm patina, in excellent condition. Wonderful object for a scholar’s desk. Size 6 1/4 x 1 3/4 inches.

18th century Japanese sword iron kashira (metal pommel at the end of the hilt of a sword) with low relief decoration of Shoki the demon queller. Beautifully made piece, traces of gilding, great feel of age. Length 1.34 inches.

19th century Japanese tobacco pipe consisting of a reed stem and 2 metal parts, the mouth one with low relief design of a blooming peony and inlaid brass butterfly, the smoking one with inlaid copper butterfly. Main metal has not been tested, but appears to be silver. The top of the smoking part bears the signs of wear due to the fact that it was tapped on hard surfaces to empty the bowl...

Very tall early 19th century netsuke of a strange foreigner wearing richly decorated Chinese dress and European pantaloons with a karako (Chinese boy) sitting on his shoulders. He is holding a scroll in one hand, and there is a small drum hanging off his belt on his right side. Strong early carving, excellent detailing, wonderful face with a perfectly captured expression of slight madness, textile highlights on his belly are inlaid with turtle shell...

19th century small lacquer netsuke carved in a shape of mokugye - a Buddhist gong with 2 dragons contesting a Precious Gem in their mouths. Carved out of a slab of lacquer, which was made of differently colored layers, thus giving the finished piece rich play of colors. Beautiful patina, signed with a single character MITSU. Height 0.96 inches.

Late Taisho - early Showa (1920s) small Japanese 2-toned chosen matsu (Korean pine wood) okimono of a floating mandarin duck. Perfectly captured essence of the bird, excellent sense of volume, skillfully carved in characteristic style of Hida school with clever use of wood colors and structure to add to the charm of the piece. Eyes inlaid in dark horn, superb patina. Signed SHOO on the bottom. Length 2 1/4 inches.

Rather unusual late Taisho - early Showa (1920s) Japanese boxwood scoop for loose tea, its handle carved as the head of angry Daruma, Patriarch of Zen Buddhism. Beautifully carved, nice patina, signed on the front with 3 characters that appear to read CHUKOBI. It is very unusual to see signed tea scoop. Length 3 inches.

Late Meiji period (1890s 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of berries and flowers, design continuing on the back. Very well made, excellent expert multicolored lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in great condition without any losses. Length 4.19 inches. Part of East Coast collection of Japanese hair items.

Late Meiji period (1890s 1912) Japanese buffalo horn kushi (hair comb) with lacquer decoration of arrows with different tail feather patterns, design continuing on the back. Very well made, excellent expert multicolored lacquering, wonderful work in Japanese taste, in great condition without any losses. Length 4.3 inches. Part of East Coast collection of Japanese hair items.

Pair of late 18th to early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting magpies in different attitudes jumping around gnarled branches and waves by woven rattan containers with stones - such bundles were used for shoring riverbanks during floods. Elegant design, bronze with gilding and silver inlays, overall in great condition. Length 1.57 inches.

Pair of 18th to early 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting a sitting spotted usagi (rabbit) with its ears spread widely to the sides. Great design with somehow funny faces. Bronze with black, copper and silver patinas. Overall in great condition for two hundred years old pieces. Length 1.28 inches.