Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art: Asian (155)

Unusual good size glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in ball shape with hollow inside and design of multiple blue and red spirals. Rare technique of thick walled material with hollow inside, superb execution, beautiful colors. Diameter 0.87 inches.

Unusual good size glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in ball shape with hollow inside and bright design of 2 sunbursts with wavy blue and yellow rays. Rare technique of thick walled material with hollow inside, superb execution, beautiful colors. Rather stunning piece. Diameter 0.94 inches.

Vintage Japanese kiriwood kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony) in a form of an open fan with painted decoration of blooming kikyo-zaki (Japanese morning glory) and other flowers and grasses. Comes with tomobako (original storage box made by the artist) inscribed, signed and stamped with a seal of Munehiro Michiba, Very clever design, in perfect condition. Great piece in Japanese taste. Length 3 5/8 inches.

Vintage Japanese wooden kogo (box for incense during tea ceremony), its cover carved in a shape of the Zen Patriarch Daruma wearing a monk’s cape, and with gold lacquer on the inside. Beautiful dense fruitwood, carving is done in ittobori (one cut) style characteristic for the Hida school of carvers. Wonderful face, in excellent condition. Signed KAZUICHI SAKU (made by Kazuichi) on the bottom. Diameter 2.1 inches, height 1.5 inches. Part of a small East Coast kogo collection.

Vintage wooden Japanese sumitsubo - a carpenter line, in a form of a base with a spike, and rotating spoked wheel with a thread on it. Unusual version of the tool - it lacks a vessel part for ink soaked cotton, but has a spike. I am not entirely sure how it functions, but it is probably fixed to a wooden beam by pushing in the spike, and the thread is pulled to the desired point to make a straight line...

Vintage Japanese kiriwood okimono in a shape of Kan'ei Tsūhō - an Edo period coin with a value of 1 mon. Actual copper Kan'ei Tsūhō was a Japanese coin in use from 1626 until 1868. It was introduced by the Tokugawa shogunate to standardize and maintain a sufficient supply of copper coinage, and it was the first government-minted copper coin in 700 years. These coins would become the daily currency of the common people and would be used for small payments...

1930s Japanese plastic kushi (hair comb) with embedded gold tone metallic flower design and 2 types of mother of pearl inlays depicting magical rain hat and and Daikoku’s mallet, design continuing on the back. Very well made, wonderful work in Japanese taste, 2 losses to inlays (handle of the mallet and a leaf on the back), otherwise in great condition. Length 3.82 inches. Part of East Coast collection of Japanese hair items.

Vintage Chinese wooden stand of rectangular shape with 4 short legs. Beautiful dark dense rosewood with wonderful patina, in excellent condition, good object for a scholar’s desk. Size 114 x 87 x 37 mm.

Japanese glass ojime in a form of tombodama bead with blue and red core, four pink petaled flowers with numerous white stamens, leaves and fine tiny silver foil inclusions. Tombodama can be translated as “dragonfly ball” and the name is thought to come about because when the molten glass is applied to the core bead it resembles a dragonfly’s eye. Superbly made piece - see the individual stamens and finely textured petals, in perfect condition. Height 0.77 inches.

Japanese glass ojime in a form of tombodama bead with four yellow petaled flowers with richly textured complex centers, leaves and fine tiny silver foil inclusions. Tombodama can be translated as “dragonfly ball” and the name is thought to come about because when the molten glass is applied to the core bead it resembles a dragonfly’s eye. Superbly made piece - see the individual stamens and finely textured petals, in perfect condition. Height 0.88 inches.

Vintage Japanese Komai metal obidome (sash ornament) with gold and silver decoration of bamboo stem and leaves. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, it is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Nice design, great quality crisp metalwork, two fittings for a cord on the back, in excellent condition. Stamped SUMIJI on the back. Diameter 1.4 inches.

Vintage Chinese soapstone miniature brush rest carved to represent a Taihu scholar’s rock with numerous perforations and crevices. Beautiful Laos soapstone with part of the boulder’s original caramel colored skin left on the side, wonderful carving, compressed dust on the surface, in great condition. Wonderful object for a scholar’s desk. Length 1.57 inches, height 0.78 inches.

Glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in a form of tombodama bead in barrel shape with semitransparent body and decoration of Santa Claus, Christmas tree and falling snow. Tombodama can be translated as “dragonfly ball” and the name is thought to come about because when the molten glass is applied to the core bead it resembles a dragonfly’s eye. Beautifully made, very pleasant patina. Diameter 0.72 inches.

Wooden okimono of a grinning skull by contemporary carver Brad Blakely (American, b. 1951). The piece represents a Nevadan Lovelock Cave Giant’s Skull, c. 1,000 A.D. Superbly quality carving, exquisite execution of details and textures, beautiful staining. Mountain mahogany & 14K gold reserve with the initial of the carver. Length 2.17 inches.

Tall boxwood netsuke of 8 quails feeding on millet. Perfectly captured mood of the scene, extraordinary carving to the last detail, eyes are double inlaid with horn and mother of pearl, beautiful finish, in superb condition. Signed AKIHIDE on the bottom - this brilliant contemporary artist (born 1934) belonged to the So School lineage. Height 4.1 inches (104 mm).

Netsuke of standing Jurojin (one of the 7 Gods of happiness, usually associated with longevity) holding a scroll and a fan in his hands, with a reclining spotted deer (symbol of longevity) by his feet. Excellent carving - see the detailing of his face, incised fingernails, coat and spots of the deer. Great quality staining, beautiful patina. Signed SHINZAN on the bottom - for a brief discussion of the artist see CONTEMPORARY NETSUKE by Miriam Kinsey, p. 237. Height 2 1/16 inches.

Netsuke of a standing sumo wrestler wearing an apron and getting ready for a match. Excellent concentrated and tranquil face, great sense of volume to his limbs and body. Signed NORIMITSU inside the apron. Excellent sculpture. Height 2 1/8 inches.

Limited edition large size original woodblock print NIGHT SCENE (RED) by Joichi Hoshi (1913-1979) printed in 1977. The print and the sheet are perfectly rectangular - all distortions are from photographyNumerous stars glow over a canopy of a weathered tree, a dramatic image in soft shades of gold metallic leaf, reds and browns...