Catalog (189)

An attractive slip decorated Japanese style teabowl, chawan, by Devon potter John Pollex.

Approximately 11.5 cm maximum diameter, 8.5 cm tall. Perfect condition.

Please study the photographs.

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TWO JAPANESE WOODBLOCK PRINTS COMMEMORATING FREDERICK STARR & NOSATSU.

Frederick Starr was a professor of anthropology at Chicago University who first visited Japan in 1904 and made many subsequent visits. He wrote many papers on Japanese subjects but is probably best known in Japan for his interest in pilgrimage, he dressed in traditional pilgrim’s clothing and performed the Shikoku pilgrimage in 1917 and 1921. He became fascinated with the tradition of nailing name slips (nosatu) to te...

A striking porcelain double gourd vase by the eminent Kutani potter Matsumoto Saichi V The tall shape has four raised ribs on the matt buff/white glazed body, the bottom gourd boldly painted with sets of green stripes on a tan ground. The buff/white glaze is curious, on close inspection it looks like crushed oyster shell. Signed on the base. The vase comes with its original signed and inscribed box.

Approximately 31.7 cm high. The vase and box are both perfect.

Matsumoto Saich...

The second Living National Treasure of Mashiko. The first was his teacher Shōji Hamada.

A ash-glazed stoneware box and cover with an intaglio design of grasses filled with white slip. Shimaoka’s seal within the foot-rim.

Approximately 11.5 cm high, 10.3 diameter.

Please study the photographs.

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An unusual lacquered flower vase, hanaike, by the eminent bamboo artist Tanabe Chikuunsai II ( 1919~2000 ). The black lacquered bamboo vase is decorated in vermillion lacquer with a sago palm and is also signed. The vase is complete with its original blue cotton bag and a signed and inscribed box.

Chikuunsai I began the family tradition of making fine bamboo crafts in 1890, it still flourishes today under the direction of Tanabe Chikuunsai III.

Approximately 30 cm high. Fine...

An interesting and inventive sculpture of a performing elephant balancing upon a ball whilst supporting an acrobat with his trunk. The sculpture is solid bronze and cast in the lost wax technique, cire perdue. This method is able to faithfully reproduce all of the quirky textures that the artist has chosen. The sculpture is mounted on a white marble base and is, as far as I can see, unsigned.

Approximately 33cm high. Fine original condition. The weight is 3478 gm.

Please...

An amusing tonkotsu, a container for tobacco, skillfully carved in wood as a man emerging from a basket! His clasped hands pierced to allow a suspension cord, not present. The eyes are inlaid and the base has a mother of pearl signature tablet.

A 20th century production but hand carved.

Approximately 12.5 cm high. In fine condition

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A fine agate snuff bottle of large size the sides carved in relief with various birds on prunus branches. The bottle is very well-hollowed and weighs only 97 grams without the stopper. The foot and mouth both slightly concave. The stopper is grey smoky agate, the spoon is bone. The bottle is fairly large and might have been used as a table bottle. 20th century.

Approximately 7.8 cm high. Perfect condition.

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A glass bead decorated gourd from the Maasai people in Kenya. This type of gourd is used traditionally for the mixture of milk and blood that is a staple of the Maasai diet. Early 20th century.

Approximately 24 cm long. In fine condition. Noted are half a dozen insect holes in the lid, these are old and mostly filled in. Please note that the stand is not included with this item.

Please study the photographs.

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A splendid stoneware dish by Sakuma Totaro (1900-1976) with the original signed and inscribed storage box, tomobako. Showa period, mid 20th century.

A substantial dish with deep brown iron glaze leaves on a jade green copper glaze. The back of the dish is undecorated and covered in a transparent ash glaze. Most pieces by Totaro, like those by Hamada Shoji, are unsigned.

The original wood storage box (tomobako) is signed in ink with "medium dish (chu-zara) with flower on green glaze...

A fine and large stoneware dish by Sakuma Totaro (1900~1979). Decorated with a flowering plum tree against an oatmeal coloured ground. The back is plain and glazed with a clear transparent ash glaze.

The original wood storage box (tomobako) lid is inscribed in ink "Mashiko decorative dish with plum in iron oxide", the signature of the potter with his red seal.

First son of Sakuma Fukujiro, a mingei potter in Mashiko, Totaro studied ceramics with his father. The potter met Ham...

A fine and large stoneware dish by Sakuma Totaro (1900~1979). Decorated with a flowering plum tree against a transparent ash glazed ground. The back is plain and glazed with a clear ash glaze. Mid 20th century.

The original wood storage box (tomobako) lid is inscribed in ink with a title and the signature of the potter with his red seal.

First son of Sakuma Fukujiro, a mingei potter in Mashiko, Totaro studied ceramics with his father. The potter met Hamada Shoji who visited M...

A Tsuiki Jippo Cloisonne Enamel Writing Box (Suzuribako), 
Ando Company, early 1930’s .

The box is formed from heavy gauge copper, the lid decorated with tsuiki-jippo enamels in relief on a raised design of a Shinto shrine in a wooded setting, a Torii and lantern also present. The interior has been applied with a coarse cloth lacquered with both clear and red lacquer in an abstract design and contains a hardwood tray with fitted inkstone and tsuiki-jippo water-dropper. The base ext...

A Remarkable Indian or East Asian offering Bowl on Stand, late 19th or early 20th century.

The bowl is cast and then finished by fine chisel work and engraving, all against an intricate punched ground. It features a myriad of hunters and animals, the trees seem full of game. On the hilly horizon can be seen various dwellings and pavilions, tiny birds in the sky. The base is an arrangement of three elephant heads supporting an acanthus cup on which sits the offering bowl.

I have ...

Family name Kanō Morizumi, Gō: Tanrei. Japanese style painter. Studied under Kanō Tambi Moritaka. After the Restoration, active as a Kanō painter; showed at several exhibitions sponsered by the government, receiving prizes. Member of the committee of the Nihon Bijutsu Kyōkai and Nihongakai. Produced a number of paintings for imperial buildings. ( from ‘A Dictionary of Japanese Artists. Laurance P. Roberts, Wetherhill, 1977.) He also founded the Kano-kai (Kano Associati...

A Japanese woodblock print from Ukiyo fuzoku Yamato nishiki-e (Japanese colour prints in Ukiyo style). The portrait is by Kabukido Enkyo, active 1796, of the Kabuki actor Ichikawa Yaozo III as Umeomaru.

This print is from the celebrated set of reproductions of the best of ukiyo-e art published in 12 large vols. 240 woodblock-printed reproductions of famous ukiyo-e prints. 1914. The project was overseen by Hashiguchi Goyo, 1880-1921, who also provided text and cover designs. ...

A painting in gouache on paper depicting Krishna as a seven year old boy in dancing costume. In this form he is known as Shri Nathji. This distinct tradition emanates from Nathadwara in Rajasthan and these paintings were probably intended for domestic shrines. 19th century.

Gouache and metallic pigments on paper. The grey scarf is silver pigment, now tarnished. A very subtle effect is the decoration in grey on the black ground, seen clearly only under a strong light.

Appro...

An ivory snuff bottle in the form of of an attractive lady of status carrying a fan. The head can be removed to reveal the snuff. Probably Japanese work for the Chinese market at the end of the 19th century.

Approximately 9.2 cm high. In very good condition with only a little chipping to the back of the collar, noted in the photographs. A few age cracks as normal with this material and light wear from handling.

Please study the photographs.

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