$245.00
The overall shape is an irregular cylinder which turns into a plum blossom when seen from the top, with three clusters of stamen. Ash glaze inside the lower part of the box.
Small, shallow impressed seal in the shape of ‘i-no-me’ (boar’s eye, more or less heart-shaped).
The foot has been shaped to show the shame boar’s eye as to mark the kiln
Most likely Shigaraki ware, possibly Iga ware.
Japan, Showa era, 1970s-80s
H 2.1 x W 2 in.
Excellent condition
$400.00
Light colored stoneware with pastel colored sgrafitto clay inly. Excellent craftsmanship. Kyoto ware.
Signed on the bottom Gyozan
Japan, late Meiji/Taisho era, 1910s-1920s
H ca 9.25 inches
The Gyozan studio and kiln were in Kyoto. The studio produced traditional Kyoto Satsuma ware for the export market. It also engaged in making bold, colorful designs that resemble works by Kenzan studios and others. This vase clearly shows the heavy influence of art deco, which was very much the taste in Japan during the greater Taisho era (1910s-1930s).
$525.00
All light wood, wooden joints (ears on sticks for manipulation by hand).
Japan, 19th century.
H 6.5; D 9.5 inches.
Nice patina, minor traces of usage: small chip at one of ears, short and unimportant crack in skull. All in all very good condition.
$450.00
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century. Very rare pieces.
L stick 1: 15 in.; depth saucer 3.5 in. L stick 2: 16 in.; depth saucer 3.5 in.
Iron corroded and connections a bit loose (not disconnected, though!), one bamboo with very thin crack the does not impact the stability or beauty of the piece. Traces of usage.
$450.00
Black ink and some gray on paper. Mounted in brocade and framed in wooden Asian frame. Originally this was a hanging scroll but the mounting was cut and used as a decorative border inside the frame.
Korea, first half 20th century.
Frame: H 24.75 x W 18 in.
Painting: H 17 x W 12.75 in.
Paper yellowed and thin on the lines of the paper grid
Please enquire
Polychromed wood with some gold details. The roof of the shrine is a separate piece and can be detached, which allows for taking apart the zushi.
Japan, Meiji period, 19th century.
Height of zushi ca. 7.8 inches (19.5 cm).
Frontal golden curtain dislodged due to warping, but still with the zushi; one door lost its hinge-functions (top and bottom pin broken off, triangular splinter on right door on last photo), paint on brocade cover of horse chipping and fragile.
This piece needs to be seen as a form of ema, which were offered to temples and shrines as a calling to the deity. In the Shinto religion, horses are intermediaries between this world and the gods. The horse is seen to be used by various deities, for example Benzaiten.
$1,600.00
Mounted on an black base with Velcro
Japan, Edo period, 18th century
H 19 in.
Some small, old chips, most lacquer and gesso missing.
$800.00
His shoes and a ewer stand underneath his chair.
Ink, mineral colors and gold on silk.
Japan, 19th century.
Painted area: ca. 34.7 x 15.95 inches (93.1 x 40.4 cm); total length 65.2 inches (165.5 cm)
Scratch through upper part, few horizontal dull creases, basically good condition. Mounting with damage.
Kobo daishi is the posthumus name of Kukai. Kukai was a Buddhist monk, a civil servant, engineer, scholar, a poet, artist and calligrapher. As part of a government sponsored expedition to China in 804, Kukai was allowed to study Chinese Buddhism in Ximing Temple in Chang’an (today’s Xi’an). In 805 he met Master Huiguo (746–805) who initiated him into Chinese Esoteric Buddhism.
$3,500.00
In the front two red colored Nio are guarding the deities.
Inscription on the central base reads: Ichijoten (name of the temple hall), junsan koichi hongu.
The inscription on the bottom reads: Kazusa Shibayama Tenozan Kanon kyoji.
Rollers cut off and framed in mounting.
Black ink and colors on paper.
Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
Painted area: 22 7/8 x 10 9/16 inches
Frame: 29 ½ x 12¼ inches.
Paper slightly creased and rubbed at places, some pigment loss on creases, otherwise good condition.
This painting was sold at the Kannon kyoji temple on Tenno Mountain in Shibayama (Chiba Prefecture). It shows the main hall’s statues of worship, the 11-headed Kannon, Bishamonten and Fudo Myoo, and the famous nio at the gate. Printed versions of this image were also sold.
$800.00
Inscription incised in the rim on the back/inside. It mentions the dedication of this gong at the Zenshoji temple in Meiji 40 (1907).
Diam. 12.5 in.; H ca. 3.5 inches.
There are several temples in Japan with that name. One in Tottori Prefecture, one on Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, one on Kyushu, one in Hyogo Prefecture, etc. Further determination based on the inscription is not possible.
Some mild traces of usage (scratches and small dents on the surface outside, one edge dented unobtrusively. Inside white circles from playing it. Good sound.
Kane are musical instruments that are used in the Japanese folk music or Min'yo. The instrument can be hung or held with one hand, and the player hits the instrument with a mallet from the inside. The kane can produce two distinct sounds: chi and chon. Chi is the sound of hitting the bell on the interior sides. Chon is the sound of hitting the flat round inner face of the bell. A third sound, ki, is produced by reversing the stroke.
This instrument is used s well in Buddhist and Shinto ceremonies like a gong, usually to tell time or to invite/alert people to a certain event, but also as a prayer gong.
$750.00
Bishamon stands on a demon that is lying on a rock. In his left hand he holds a pagoda and in the right a short staff or stick. Behind his head a gilt metal flaming mandorla. The garment of Bishamonten is decorated in gold paint, the crown and mandorla made of gilt copper.
The inside of the doors decorated with waribishi (diamond) pattern. The back of case inscribed in red lacquer: Fu-kan-jo, which together could mean a ‘wish for wealth’.
Japan, 19th century
Height zushi 4.5 inches.
Tip of pagoda in his right hand is missing. Case: cracks in black lacquer, lacquer chips at the bottom, partially restored around bottom, short crack in lower right side door.
Bishamonten is a deity of treasure, wealth and warriors. The wish for wealth, as written on the back of the case, refers to this capacity. He is one of the seven gods of good fortune, shichifukujin.
$800.00
Over brownish beige very fine stoneware a layer of mottled brown glaze has been applied, over which a blue-green finely crackled flambé dripping glaze. The inside covered with brown mottled glaze, the outside bottom left unglazed.
Impressed mark in the bottom: Kato Shuntai.
Japan, 19th century.
Height: 3.25 in.; diameter: 6 in. (8.3; 15.2 cm)
Excellent condition.
The jug comes with the original storage box. The inside of its cover is inscribed with authentication of the piece as a mizusashi in the shape of a karako in ao-Oribe, made by Kato Shuntai from Seto. Authentication written and signed by Matsumori An.....
Kato Shuntai (1802-1877) worked in many ceramic styles. The splashes of flambé crackled glaze are very typical for his works (Shuntai-yaki). His works and the works of his ancestors can be found in museums around Japan and the US.
$1,300.00
The pin holders are decorated as a male and a female doll in court style, their mouths wide open. The words ireko ningyo are branded into the wooden board. On the back of the board paper label with a flying plover and the words ireko ningyo; another paper label shows the proper names of the different parts of a rowing oar. Ireko ningyo is almost a play of words. It means nesting dolls (doll in doll in doll), but it also means pin holder on an oar in the shape of a doll.
Wood with color pigments, iron nails. Mingei (folk art).
Japan, early 20th century.
Measurements: W 19 in.; H 8 to 10.75 in.
Paint virtually completely weathered away, upper part missing, old repairs with iron nails
Please enquire
The esoteric trinity of Benten (defender of Buddhism and state) with Daikoku (god of agriculture) and Bishamon (guardian of treasure, defender of the nation) first appeared in the 14th century in Japan. The three of them have similar protective functions and are part of the shichifukujin, the seven gods of good fortune.
In this shrine Benten appears in her eight-armed martial form holding various weapons (wheel, bow, spear, sword, club, lock, and arrow) and the wish granting jewel. On her head she carries the snake-bodied Ugajin, old god of fertility and nourishment. Around her are 15 Children or Disciples or Attendants (jugodoji), each carrying specific attributes that are essential for Benten/Ugajin to gain satisfaction and success.
Benten is sitting inside a glass dome, in the ship of a wish granting jewel with flames (in polished brass) on top of a lotus leaf.
Group inside: Wood with mineral colors (lapis lazuli, malachite) and gold paint, gilt metal attributes and jewelry to Benten and Bishamon, glass and polished yellow bronze. The black and blue minerals absorb and reflect light, giving the group a glow at very low light.
The zushi (case) is decorated with foaming waves, in gold and silver makie and silver inlays on black polished background on the outside, continuing the design on the inside on a gold kinpun background. Hinges and hardware outside and inside in finely engraved gilt copper. On the back is an inscription in gold makie: Dedication of Benzaiten and the 15 Disciples, Daikokuten and Bishamonten on the first day (day of the snake) of the 4th month of the 2nd year of Koka, the year of the snake kinoto-mi (1845)
Case: H 10.5 x W 9 x D 8 in.
Condition: Chip on the roof of the zushi, one hinge loose, but overall very good condition. Inside: One pole of cart missing, horse a bit dislodged and at an angle, but stable, gold and colors a bit flakey, some of the attributes bent. All in all good condition.
More images are available. Please inquire.
BEWARE: Due to the glass dome around Benten, which is not fixed in place, but cannot be taken out, packing and shipping has to be done by art shipper.
$450.00
The figure was molded in a cast in two halves and joined before firing. A hole in the back functions as a vent and prevents the statue from exploding while fired in the kiln.
Stoneware with gomma. Details are beautifully worked out, showing best in the expression on his face.
Two small characters impressed in the back, forming the name Bizen.
H 7.75 inches
Japan, Bizen/Inbe, early 20th century
Excellent condition
Gomma (sesame seed) is created by the ash of the pinewood with which the kiln is fired. It lands on the object and melts due to the high temperature. Gomma cannot be steered, it occurs spontaneously. It occurs more profusely near where the fire is. The ashes blow into the kiln flowing on the flames. The further away from the fire, the less ashes remain flowing through the air.
$650.00
Both are standing on a rock which is placed on a pedestal and both have a small mandorla behind their heads.
Soft wood carved and decorated with mineral colors. Mandorlas, attributes and helmet ornament in gilt metal.
Case is lacquered black on outside with gilt copper hardware, and the inside is covered has gold foil. Small metal loop on the ‘roof’ used for hanging it from a temple beam.
Height 4.75 in. (12.8 cm).
Japan, late Edo / early Meiji period, 1890s-1900s.
Bishamonten is one of the four guardian kings, presiding over the north, protector of the Buddhist teaching and of the nation.
Kongoyasha is one of the five Myoo, presiding over the north. Emanation of one of the five Buddhas of the Diamond Realm, destroyer of foolish human desires and symbolizing strength.
Condition
Sculpture: 4 missing arms to Kongoyasha Myoo. Attributes in remaining two hands missing. Metal ornaments and weapons bent.
Case: dents and lacquer chips on edges. All damages acceptable as slight traces of usage.
$1,500.00
Japan, Edo period, 19th century or a bit earlier
H 11.25 inches
Very good condition
$290.00
The bottom half decorated on the outside with classic lotus sepals, as used to image a Buddhist lotus dais, in relief. The top half also decorated in low relief in a much more stylized manner. The closed lotus bud, crowned by a 16-petal chrysanthemum and topped by a knob, which is probably a stylized rendering of the chrysanthemum heart.
Alternatively the shape could refer to the sprout of a butterbur plant (fukinoto).
Thin earthenware that turns reddish brown in unglazed spots, covered in multiple colored glazes, such as dark brown, reddish brown, gray and soft pink; inside is glazed dark brown.
Kyoto/Kiyomizu ware. Kochi style, with impressed artist’s seal and signature inside the cover: Choraku.
Japan, Showa era, ca. mid-20th century.
H 2.25 x Diam 2.1 in.
Some glaze chafing on the inside rim of the cover.
A similar piece by Kiyomizu Rokubei I (1738-1799) is in the British Museum, inventory no. Franks.1311 (identified as lotus flower). Another piece by Eiraku Zengoro XI, Hozen (1795-1854) is in the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida, inventory no. 2012.8.44 (identified as butterbur sprout). Ohi Choraku (1902-1999) studied under Aoki Sotokichi. He received the name of Ohi when Ohi Chishin’s kiln was closed in 1924. Exhibited regularly.