Catalog (102)

Japanese hand scroll painting, late Edo – Meiji period, 19th - early 20th century. This 11 meter long fantastic painting comically depicts a group of well-endowed men measuring the strength each other and humorously showing off their thingies. This painting is called "toba-e", which is comical scroll pictures considered as the oldest form of manga (cartoon) in Japanese history. Tobae was originally made by Toba Sôjô Kakuyû (1053-1140), usually depicting animals (frogs, rabbits and monkeys)...

Superb Kenzan ware decorated with designs of overlapping fans depicting an early winter scene with a house gate by pine trees covered with a rice straw mat as well as Japanese old poems on the interior and with stylized Japanese pampas grass design on the four sides. Edo period. In the interior decoration dated "gen-bun ni-sai" means 1737. The winter scene depicted here shows a great ancestral wisdom has been performed since 17th century, where the rice straw mat called “komo-maki’ is used t...

Fine decorative fan featuring two white rabbits under the gleam of the moon. The sumptuous gold background is producing a shimmering effect. Rabbit is often appeared in East Asian folklore as a messenger from the moon, where it is seen pounding in a mortar and pestle. In Chinese folklore, it is often portrayed as a companion of the moon goddess Chang'e or Chang-O, constantly pounding the elixir of life for her, while in Japan and Korea, it is just making mochi, which is the popular snack of mas...

A night in the summer when fireflies wink their light. The exquisite moment at dusk is finely depicted on the decorative gold leaf background. It is in excellent condition. This piece is a pair with another fan item# 1118796.

H 9 1/2” x W 9 3/4” (H 24cm x W 24.5cm)

This scene may have been depicted from a national treasure “Hikone Byobu six panel folding screen”. The screen has been collected by the Hikone castle museum located in Shiga prefecture in Japan. The screen has been very well known for not only the quality but also as a representative masterpiece depicting the custom of the early Edo period showing early-modern Japanese history. In this painting depicts a young robust courtesan with her western puppy. Her kimono is decorated with a special t...

An ukiyo-e folding screen depicts a group of ladies preparing for Japanese Star festival called Tanabata festival, which takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year. Painted on silk with ink and pigments. On the right panel depicts a beautiful woman sitting at the coffee table preparing to write her wishes on the colorful piece of paper. As part of the custom, the wishes are to be hanged on a bamboo tree in the hope that they become true. The other ladies are depicted on the other pa...

An antique okinawan incense container decorated with a lacquer and inlayed mother of pearl depicting a dragon appearing from clouds. Circa 19th Century. Mother-of-pearl inlay, which is known Raden in Japan was first introduced to Japan during Nara period (710-784). The technique was popularly used with lacquer for artworks such as instruments. It is in good condition with tiny loss of inlayed mother of pearl. The piece accompanied a poulownia wood store box.

L 3 3/8” x D 7/8” (8.5cm ...

A group of samurai won a victory in a battle. Hanging scroll Circa Edo period, 17th century. Painted on paper with ink and pigments. The samurai on the far right is holding a stand with the head of their enemy’s general. In Japanese history the enemy's head was to prove the samurai's feat in a war. If the opponent defeated was in a higher position, the better rewarded. There is an inscription on the scroll reads Tosa Mitsuoki hitsu, means painted by Tosa Mitsuoki. Tosa Mitsuoki (1617-1691) was...

A pair of gold and silver Koi fish or carp paper weight by Hisamatsu Koshun (1926-1989). Signed. There are some abrasions; otherwise it is in good condition.

Gold: H 1 1/4”x　W 5 3/8” x D 1 1/8” (H3.0cm x W13.5cm x D2.8cm)
Silver: H 1 5/8”x　W 7 1/8” x D 1 1/4” (H4.0cm x W18.0cm x D3.0cm)

Unique Zen ink wash painting depicts scroll and bamboo broom representing Kanzan and Jittoku. Kanzan and Jittoku were Zen eccentric monks thought to have lived at a monastery on Mt. Tendai in China during the Tang period (618-907). They had a thorough knowledge of Buddhist philosophy. Kanzan often depicted holding a scroll, presumably of his poetry, while Jittoku holding a broom, indicating his position as a scullion at a monastery. Their unconventional appearances have often been painted by Zen...

The painting depicted a samurai met an old man at night. In Japan there are many legendary tales of ogre extermination where samurai fights with ogre to protect people and their town. Some folklore says that the ogre turns into human and attacks people go around. Here, the samurai was prepared for the fight by the torii, which is a traditional Japanese gate commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the profane to the sacred. Whil...

A samurai and his retainer helping his load to dress in armor. Painted with ink and pigments on silk. During Warring States period (sengoku period), samurai had a specialist retainer who can put armors on them before going to a war. The specialist stylists were familiar with armor and well aware of the order of dressing up so that samurai did not waste their time to join the war. Signed Hogan Eishin and sealed. Kano Yasunobu (Eishin) (1613-1685) was a brother of Kano Tan'yu (1602-1674) and K...

A male dancer dressed in massive and splendid Noh attire. The painting is attributed to Iwasa Matabei (1578–1650), a renowned Japanese painter who is often considered originating ukiyo-e genre painting. As is often the case with this artist, these two paintings do not bear his signature or seal, however the depiction of the figures with rich cheeks and long jaws shows typical expression of people of high social rank during medieval periods, which he exaggerated the expression was originated fr...

A female dancer dressed in massive and splendid Noh attire. The painting is attributed to Iwasa Matabei (1578–1650), a renowned Japanese painter who is often considered originating ukiyo-e genre painting. As is often the case with this artist, these two paintings do not bear his signature or seal, however the depiction of the figures with rich cheeks and long jaws shows typical expression of people of high social rank during medieval periods, which he exaggerated the expression was originated ...

The painting depicted court musicians playing divine music called Bugaku. Bugaku is a Japanese court music accompanied by dancing. Here one of the players plays shen (a bamboo instrument first produced in China in 7th century) and the other one sounds a massive drum with mitsudomoe crest (three comma-shaped figures in a circle). Bugaku carries a ritualistic implication and is usually played at the start before dance performance begins. Bugaku purifies the stage. Painted with ink and pigments. Si...

This lovely Bizen ware is called Kogo / incense container used for Japanese tea ceremony. The shape is a seed of wisteria suitable for tea ceremony in autumn / winter. This is the work of a potter Yoshimoto Shuho. Shuho was born in 1938 in Okayama prefecture and studied pottery under Fujita Yoshiro. After Shuho became independent, he first produced Bizen ware for 10 years. Later he became attracted to the beauty of natural grace of Sue ware (type of unglazed pottery made from the middle of the K...

Taoism guardians known as the embodiment of Good Fortune (Fu), Prosperity (Lu), and Longevity (Shou) finely curved and kept in a Zushi, a miniature shrine decorated with gold leaf and handmade silver work. Circa 19th Century. The guardians are often kept as personal daily worship at household and decoration. Signed Shugetsu. The seal reads Hara. It is attributed to one of prominent doll make artists, first Hara Shugetsu. It is in fine condition.

Hara Shugetsu was born in Sakai in Osaka. He...

An album of twelve erotic pictures, Edo period, 18thcentury. Painted with ink and pigments on silk. The each image is exquisitely depicted throughout the year with some seasonal changes in the scene. The paintings bear a seal, which is quite rare as artists usually remained anonymous when they executed Shunga pictures during Edo period. The seal is recognized as Shunsho school. The inscription on the cover reads “jyunikagetsu emaki ikkan” meaning twelve months painting album - first volume. ...