Catalog (87)

Jizo Bosatsu standing upon a stylized lotus-form dais, a hoju (sacred jewel) in the right hand and a long-stemmed lotus bud in the left, sculpted in relief from a large natural-form igneous stone. Clearly dated to the second year of the Taisho Era (1913). Excellent condition, with desirable softening of the lines and contours overall. Variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 52.5 cm
Width: 38 cm
Depth: 18 cm
Packaged weight: 60 kg

Standing Jizo Bosatsu, the hands holding a long-stemmed lotus bud, sculpted figuratively from tuff, an igneous stone composed primarily of volcanic ash. Clearly dated to the 42nd year of the Meiji Era (1910). Excellent condition. Variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 51.5 cm
Width: 27 cm
Depth: 22 cm
Packaged weight: 43 kg

A charming Jizo stone, with lotus bud rising balloon-like overhead.

Standing Jizo Bosatsu, the hands forming the gassho adoration mudra, sculpted in relief from tuff, an igneous stone composed primarily of volcanic ash. Clearly dated to the 10th year of the Kyoho Era (1725), mid-Edo Period. Minor old loss. Variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 53 cm
Width: 31 cm
Depth: 18 cm
Packaged weight: 35 kg

Seated Buddha, a branch-like nyoi (scepter) held in both hands, sculpted in relief from a brown igneous stone. Late-Muromachi Period ca. 1550. Minor old loss, with overall softening of the lines and contours.

Height: 23 cm
Width: 23 cm
Depth: 18 cm
Packaged weight: 23 kg

Standing Amida Nyorai, Buddha of the Western Paradise, the hands forming the raigo-in mudra, sculpted in shallow relief from an iron-rich granite. Late-Muromachi Period~Momoyama Period ca. 1575. Minor old loss and overall softening of the lines and contours.

Height: 72 cm
Width: 26 cm
Depth: 14 cm
Packaged weight: 37 kg

A classic pre-Edo Amida stone boasting excellent size and significant age, the bottom surface sculpted in a tapered style to facilitate insertion directly into the soil. Uncommon.

Standing Jizo Bosatsu, the hands forming the gassho mudra of adoration, figuratively sculpted from a gray-brown igneous stone. Mid- to late-Edo Period ca. 1800. Minor old loss, most notably to the front-right edge of the base. Variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 51 cm
Width: 27 cm
Depth: 21 cm
Packaged weight: 32 kg

A charming Jizo stone with good size and desirable old loss.

Standing garden lantern sculpted in three parts from an iron-rich granite, featuring a standing deer sculpted in relief on the side of the cylindrical lantern box.

Height: approx 110 cm.

An uncommon and enchanting little piece.

Standing Korean guardian figure sculpted from an igneous stone, the bottom surface sculpted for insertion directly into the soil. Late-Joseon Period ca. 1900. Very minor old loss, with softening of the lines and contours. Overall lichen accumulation.

Height: 27.5 cm
Width: 18 cm
Depth: 11 cm
Packaged weight: 8 kg

An open-mouthed ("ah") tobikomi shi-shi (lit. diving Chinese lion) sculpted from a gray-blue igneous stone. Late-Edo Period/early-Meiji Era ca. 1875. With the exception of old loss to the shi-shi's right eyebrow, excellent condition.

Height, including base: 46 cm
Width of base: 25 cm
Depth of base: 42 cm
Packaged weight: 49 kg.

Sculpted in the rarely seen "diving" pose with understated stylistic flair, this playful guardian beast was originally paired with a similarly styled close-mouthed ("un") shishi and placed at the entrance to a Japanese Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple.

A monkey seated on a rectangular base, the hands forming the gassho adoration mudra, sculpted figurally from a gray-brown sedimentary stone. Late-Edo Period ca. 1850. Very minor old surface loss, and a hairline crack from the base to the monkey's lower-right leg, now stabilized with lacquer.

Height, including base: 15.2 cm
Width of base: 8 cm
Depth of base: 6.5 cm
Packaged weight: 2 kg

A notably charming small-scale depiction of Sarugami (lit. monkey god), a popular Shinto deity associated with safe and easy childbirth. Uncommon.

Stone bust fragment of a seated Jizo Bosatsu sculpted figurally from granite, displayed on a custom-made wooden dais. Early-Edo Period ca. 1650, possibly earlier. Fragmentation notwithstanding, very good condition with only minor old loss and dried lichen accumulation.

Fragment height: 19 cm
Width: 13 cm
Depth: 6 cm
Dais width: 20 cm
Depth: 12 cm

Female monkey seated on a square base, the hands forming the gassho adoration mudra, sculpted figurally from a gray-brown sedimentary stone. Late-Edo Period ca. 1850. Very good condition, with only minor old loss. Variegated lichen accumulation, including a whitish variety on the monkey's head.

Height, including base: 13 cm
Width of base: 7 cm
Depth of base: 7 cm
Packaged weight: 2 kg

A small-scale realistic depiction of Sarugami (lit. monkey god), a popular Shinto deity associated with safe and easy childbirth. Uncommon.

Standing Jizo Bosatsu, the hands forming the gassho mudra of adoration, sculpted figurally from a gray-brown igneous stone. Joseon Period ca. 1700. Desirable softening of the lines and contours, with variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 16 cm
Width: 6.5 cm
Depth: 6 cm
Packaged weight: 2 kg

A desirable, small-scale example of Joseon-Period Buddhist stone sculpture. Uncommon.

Kasuga-style standing stone lantern (Jp. tachigata ishi-doro) sculpted in six parts from a high-quality fine-grained granite. Late-Edo Period~early-Meiji Era ca. 1875. Desirable old loss as well as softening of the lines and contours overall. Light lichen accumulation.

Height: approx. 175 cm

A notably handsome, well-executed Kasuga-style standing stone lantern, sourced from the gardens of a private residence in central Tokyo.

Jizo Bosatsu seated upon a lotus-form dais, the left hand holding a hoju (sacred jewel) and the right originally holding a shakujo (crozier), now missing, figurally sculpted from an iron-rich granite. Mid-Edo Period ca. 1750. Excellent condition overall, with only very minor old loss. Variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 28 cm
Width: 22.5 cm
Depth: 20 cm
Packaged weight: 13 kg

Left arm of a standing Fudo-Myo (Skt. Acalanatha), the Knowledge King associated with Dai-Nichi Buddha, sculpted from unfinished hinoki wood (Japanese cypress). Momoyama~early-Edo Period ca. 1600, possibly earlier. Very minor old loss, with desirable patination overall. Wooden box included.

Length: 20 cm

Gorinto (5-tiered stupa) sculpted in four parts from a gray-hued igneous stone. Late-Muromachi Period ca. 1500. Excellent condition, with only very minor old loss and desirable lichen accumulation overall.

Height: 59 cm
Width: 24 cm
Depth: 24 cm
Packaged weight: 42 kg.

The gorinto is a distinctively Japanese style of stupa comprising five geometric forms. The Japanese Shingon sect of esoteric Buddhism views the gorinto as a symbol of Dai-Nichi Buddha, who, underlying all things, manifests himself in the five elements making up the physical world.

Gorinto sculpted in four parts, the uppermost part comprising two of the five geometric forms, are far more uncommon than gorinto sculpted from a single stone. This is a notably handsome Muromachi-Period example, all of a piece and showing pleasing formal balance.

Standing Ebisu, one of Japan's 7 lucky gods (Jp. shichifukujin), with a sea bream (Jp. tai), Ebisu's characteristic attribute, held vertically in the left hand and a fishing rod in the right. Mid-Edo Period ca. 1750. Very minor old loss.

Height: 18 cm
Width: 13 cm
Depth: 9.5 cm
Packaged weight: 3 kg

Of Japan's 7 lucky gods, only Ebisu has Japanese roots, the other six gods having either Indian or Chinese origins. Stylistically, this small-scale example is a rarity, with the sea bream held vertically in the left hand rather than tucked horizontally beneath the left arm and the fishing rod held in the right hand pressed against the body. Highly collectible.