Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (193)

Furoshiki made of handspun cotton and natural brown dye. It has family crest and katazome asanoha (hemp leaf) and check design. Generally, in good condition but it has some brown color faded parts. It has brown cotton belt for hangong in the back. 19th century. 128cm x 132cm

A bag made of deer skin with indigo dye hemp rope. It was used for coins which were distributed among citizens in Edo period. Paper moneys were issued later, in Meiji period (1868~1912). The first half of the 19th century. 26cm x 62cm

Katana-bukuro made of hand-spun cotton with komon, tiny pattern which is katazome (stencil-resist-dyeing). It has tsuta-mon (ivy) family crest. All hand-sewn. In good condition but has much color faded parts. 19th century. 16cm x 86cm

Han-juban (short under kimono) made of hand-spun cotton and katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and shibori (tie-dye) pattern which are vegetable indigo dye. Shibori is made in Yokote in Akita prefecture. Late 19th to early 20th century. 56cm x 59cm

Beni-itajime-zome (board-clamped dyeing with safflower) han-juban (short under kimono). The body part is hand-spun cotton and the sleeves are figured silk and the wrist parts are wool muslin. In good condition but the dirty line in the neck, rips in the front sleeve and some moth holes in the wrists. Late 19th to early 20th century. 125cm x 66cm

Wood oke, a container with a handle. The strips around it are made of bamboo. Generally in good condition. It has carved character in the bottom but unreadable. The second half of the 19th century. Diameter:20.3cm, Height:23.3cm

Oshie (raised cloth picture) with samurai, which is displayed with hina-dolls on the Girl's Festival, or Hina-Matsuri, on March 3rd. It is from a collector in Matsumoto city in Nagano prefecture, and this one was made by a craftsperson in the city too. Made of several kinds of silk, gold brocade, silk crepe, black satin, etc. The face is hand-painted. The back side is washi. In excellent condition. Late 19th early 20th century. W:33cm, L:45cm

Tall Eboshi-shaped fire hood for a samurai, made of hand-spun cotton, both outside and inside, and dyed with vegetable indigo. In Edo period, the town of Edo often suffered from massive fires, so that "machi hikeshi" by town people as well as "samurai hikeshi" were organized. This hood was worn by a samurai together with samurai fire costume when the fire broke out. In good condition except for slight dirt in the top part. The piping is silk. 19th century. W:53cm, L:69cm

A mirror made of copper with wood stand which is one of "Sanshu-no-Jingi", the Three Imperial Regalia. In ancient time, all natural objects and phenomena were worshipped in Shinto, but three items such as mirror, jewel and sword are objects to be worshipped later. A mirror is often put in the shrine pavilion these days. This mirror is rather small, so it might have been put in a house shrine. In excellent condition with molded auspicious design with a crane, a turtle, pine trees and bamboos...

Silk crepe cloth with beautiful embroidery of wisteria motif which is one of the long sleeves (furisode). The ground cloth is white silk crepe (chirimen) and the embroidery threads are vegetable dye. It has kata-kanoko (stencil-dye pattern) imitating small shibori pattern named kanoko shibori. In excellent condition except for a light brownish line in the center. The first half of the 19th century (late Edo period). 35cm x 190cm

Rice bag made of fragments of hand-spun cotton with stripes, katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and checks, all vegetable indigo and brown dye. The cord is cotton. Kome-bukuro was used when people dedicated rice to temples or shrines. In excellent condition except for several mending. The first half of the 20th century. W:44cm, H:33cm

Fireman's hat with hand-stitched sashiko (quilting). The outside cloth is dyed with vegetable indigo and the lining is dyed with natural brown. Two belts are recycled from old cotton cloth with katazome. In good condition. Meiji period (1868～1912). W:33cm, L:55cm

Han-juban, short under kimono, made of hand-spun cotton and dyed with benibana (safflower). The dye technique is Beni-itajime which is board-clamp dye. The cloth is folded in some layers between two boards which are pattern carved and generally about 12 boards are used to dye about 22m length of cloth. Beni-itajime was mostly dyed in Kyoto until the end of Edo period but it was practiced in other places later. The lining is also hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. In excellent condition...

Juban (under kimono) made of three kinds of silk cloth. One is silk crepe with yamamayu (wild silk) stripes and the other is silk crepe with stripes. The third one is tsumugi (pongee silk) with katazome komon (stencil-resist-dye small pattern). All natural dyed. Yamamayu (wild silk) is rare and precious comparing with cultured silk. It is hardly dyed, so that it stands out shiny when woven together with silk crepe. It is sewn with very fine choma (ramie) thread so that it is rather old...

Hemp furoshiki (wrapping cloth) made of hemp whose warps and wefts are hand-plied. It is dyed with vegetable indigo. It has many original mending patches, holes and worn out. The second half of the 19th century. W:105cm, L:112cm

A container for gun powder used by samurai. It is in shape of hyotan, but made of wood and painted with urushi. The netsuke in the shape of mokugyo (temple block) with delicate carving. 19th century. In good condition. H:14cm Diameter:8cm

Hinagata (sample book of hanten (short jacket) design which is wood-block print. Hinagata is a sample design book and it was for customers when they make orders. The designs are stencil-dyed in the back of hantens which were worn by workers such as shop clerks, fish market workers, firemen and so on. This book is a remake of the original book as the ground paper had many damages so that the original design hantens were cut out and pasted on Japanese paper and newly bound...

Dochugi made of kudzu fiber for wefts and cotton yarn for warps. Dochugi is a kind of haori worn over kimono and kudzu-fu one is worn in summer. Kudzufu has been produced mainly in Kakegawa in Shizuoka prefecture since 13th century. It was used for hakama (pants), kamishimo and dochugi. The collar and one of straps of this dochugi are replaced. straps have damages and several pin holes in the back and a cut (3cm) in front. It has a slit for a sword in the left side...

A wooblock print book whose pictures were originally by Ando Hiroshige (or another name Utagawa Hiroshige) who was a prominant and well known ukiyoe-shi (1797~1858). This book was edited in Ansei 2nd (1855). In good condition but has some patina from aging. 11.5cm x 18cm x 0.5mm 38 pages

Two pairs of fireman's gloves made of cotton and hand-stitched sashiko. Long ones are used but in good condition. Short one look almost new. The second half of the 19th century. Long gloves L:40cm, W:17cm. Short gloves L:24cm, W:14cm

Girl's hanten worn at the festival or ceremony with the girl's name "Kimiko" in front. Itis made of hand-spun cotton and cotton lining with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) crane motif. In excellent condition except for two tiny holes in front. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:73cm, L:53cm

A sample book of wa-sarasa (Japanese sarasa) with 106 fragments on 43 sheets of paper board, mostly made in Meiji period (1869～1912) and some from early Taisho period (1910s). Originally it has 45 sheets, but 2 (3rd and 20th) are lost. The dye techniques are katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and print. The book is published by Kyoto Shoin in Showa 42 (1967). The 4th among limited 60 issues. 27cm x 35cm x 5cm.

Raku-yaki tea bowl for tea ceremony. Raku-yaki is hand-shaped with pallet but not with the potter's wheel. This bowl has pinkish glaze and nice grey glaze in the bottom inside. 18th or 19th century. In good condition. Diameter:13cm Height:9cm

These are two wooden miniature Fudos ( Cetaka ) who is the incarnate of Dainichi Nyorai, the highest ranking Buddha. It is said that he can change evil minds of demons and make them good. He has an expression of rage, holding a sword in the right hand, the kensaku ( originally a trap for birds or small animals ) in the left hand ( Both are lost of these Fudos ). One is standing on a rock, but this wooden one is not an original. Right-H: 12cm W: 7.5cm Left-H: 10.5cm W: 4.2cm

Kurume kasuri futonji (bedding) with geometric pattern. Kurume kasuri was invented by Inoue Den around 1800, a woman lived in Kurume in Fukuoka prefecture in Kyushu. This futonji is made of hand-spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. Weaving of Kurume kasuri changed from handloom to machine weaving around 1883, so it may be woven before 1883. In excellent condition Late 19th century. 130cm x 144cm

Large furoshiki made of hand spun cotton and vegetable indigo dye. It has tsutsugaki (freehand drawing with paste-resist-dye technique) crane and turtle motif. Used and has some stains and tiny holes. The second half of the 19th century. The crest is "Ken-ni-Katabami Mon, (sword and oxalis). W:132cm, L:145cm

Tatougami which was used at the pawnshop for wrapping pawned items. The name of the shop is "koyama Shichi-ten" and it has the shop's logo "小" in the square. It is a few layers of old washi (handmade paper) pasted together and painted with kakishibu (persimmon tannin) for strength and waterproof. Shichiya (pawn shop) appeared in Kamakura period and developed much in Edo period. 19th century. Top:82cm x 32cm, Bottom:82cm x 56cm

Tatougami which was used at the pawnshop for wrapping pawned items. The name of the shop is "koyama Shichi-ten" and it has the shop's logo "小" in the square. It is a few layers of old washi (handmade paper) pasted together and painted with kakishibu (persimmon tannin) for strength and waterproof. Shichiya (pawn shop) appeared in Kamakura period and developed much in Edo period. 19th century. 32cm x 81cm

Cotton cloth with katazome (stencil-resist-dye) and dyed with pigments, which is called "wa-sarasa", Japanese chintz. It was produced from late Edo to early Meiji period. This one is "Sakai-sarasa", made in Sakai in Osaka. The second half of the 19th century. In excellent condition. W:34cm, L:120cm

Tatougami which was used at the pawnshop for wrapping pawned items. The name of the shop is "koyama Shichi-ten" and it has the shop's logo "小" in the square. It is a few layers of old washi (handmade paper) pasted together and painted with kakishibu (persimmon tannin) for strength and waterproof. Shichiya (pawn shop) appeared in Kamakura period and developed much in Edo period. 19th century, however one of mending paper has letters "Taisho 4 (1916). Top:87cm x 32cm, Bottom:75cm x 32cm

Han-gappa which is a kind of jacket worn over kimono. Wefts are silk yarn and warps look cotton yarn. The collar is made of black wool which might be imported, and straps are made of wool cloth and vegetable indigo dye silk cords. In good condition except for a few moth holes in the wool collar and a rip in the shoulder. The second half of the 19th century. 129cm x 98cm

Asa (hemp) baby's kimono with hand-painted pine tree motif whose wefts as well as warps are hand-plied. It has se-mamori in the back which is a charm with silk threads and this one is boy's kimono as they are in the left as well as in the center (girl's one is in the right). Evils are believed to come from back in old days and it protects a baby from diseases. The second half of the 19th century. In good condition but some stains in front and holes in two belts made of thin raw silk...

Hagoita (battledore) with oshie which is the Japanese traditional craft. Motifs are figures, kabuki actors, flowers, birds etc. They are made into raised pictures with silk crepe with lining of cotton and attached on the wood or paper board. Hagoita is used for the game "hane-tsuki" played on the New Year's Day. Two persons hit a shuttle with hagoita. This one has oshie woman in traditional kimono...

Two long bags made of hand spun cotton, probably bags for swords. The top one is katazome "tsuta", ivy motif. The purple belt is made of silk crepe. The bottom one is katazome and vegetable indigo dye. Both are in excellent condition. 19th century. Top:12cm x 75cm, Bottom:16cm x 78cm

This is possibly a card or ticket case made of rare piece of bingata cotton cloth. Bingata is katazome ( stencil-dyeing ) produced in Ryukyu islands ( now Okinawa ). This bingata was produced in 19th century, but this case might have been made later, early 20th century ( sewn by machine ). The lining is silk. In excellent condition. 13cm x 7.7cm

Wood urushi plate with kin-makie (gold lacquer) of "Yajirobeh"", a balancing toy motif. In good condition except for a mending, however, it is done by a professional and no serious problem. Meiji period (1868~1912) Diameter:16.5cm, Depth:2.7cm