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Diameter 6 ¼ inches
Excellent condition
P.O.R.
The outside decorated in makie: A lotus pond with leaves and flowers in raised gold and silver takamakie and with okibirame. Over the pond clouds and two apsaras, playing the sho and the drum. Hinges in the form of silver butterflies. Japan, Edo period or early Meiji at the latest, 19th century.
Closed: 7.7 x 3.3 x 0.9 inches (12 x 8.5 x 2.3 cm).
Some warping, otherwise fine condition.
Shrines like these were often decorated on the outside by well known lacquer studios. Signatures were often put on the outside bottom of the case. In the 1915 Red Cross Exhibition a similar piece was shown (Sculpture, no. 24, and today included in the British Museum) that was described as carved by Naito Koseki and lacquered by Komatsu. This piece dates from the early 20th century. The quality of the lacquer work is clearly different from the piece here. Naito Koseki was a Buddhist sculptor who was still alive in the 1930s.
$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.
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Case H ca. 10 ½ inches; sculpture H 6 ¼ inches
Zushi with a lot of wear. Sculpture in fine condition; was formerly glued to another base plate.
$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
The six rings symbolize the Six Realms of Existence where Jizō is active and the Six Perfections that lead to nirvana: generosity, morality, patience, vigor, concentration, and wisdom.
Mounted on a short wooden pole, covered with red lacquer.
Cast sentoku. Japan, 19th century.
H including pole ca. 10" (25.2 cm);
H metal head only ca. 4.75" (12.3 cm).
Minimal corrosion on head, otherwise very good condition. Comes with a custom-made metal base.
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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.
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H zushi 16-1/2 inches.
Colors on peacock chipped (touched up), gilding on feathers that form the halo and on the garment brittle and flaking, white pigment on Kujaku with chips and small cracks, one attribute to Kujaku missing, some of the crown missing. All damages consistent with usage and age. All in all good condition.
$600.00
$2,500.00
Japan, Meiji era, late 19th century.
Measurements: ca. H 12.25 x L 9 x W 7 inches (ca. 31.75 x 22.8 x 17.75 cm).
Tips of the upper flame bunch on the mandorla are bit bent and partially broken off, otherwise excellent condition.
Daiitoku (Sanskrit Yamantaka) is an emanation of Amida Buddha; he is positioned in the West; the white buffalo is a symbol of enlightenment; he has the power to eliminate evil and to establish goodness and to defeat poisonous snakes and dragons.
$650.00
The pagoda is made in two parts. The lower part can be opened (double doors on one side), showing a void that could be filled with something circular. The upper part has four disc shape decorations sitting on a lotus dais, each with a name of the Bodhisattva in bonji (Sanskrit): Aizen Myoo (front), Kokuzo bosatsu (left), Senju Kanzeon bosatsu (back), and Seishi bosatsu (right).
Gold and black lacquer on wood, Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
H ca. 15.5 in; W 5 in.; D 5 in.
Few segments missing (jewel on top of the pike; lotus dais underneath one of the bonji, one of the corner petals on second tier), dedication and name of donor scratched out (back), knicks and dents
$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.
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Each keman is fan-shaped (or perhaps boar's eye-shaped) with a design of two pairs of double chrysanthemum family crests set between karakusa (winding weeds) in openwork. The knotted cord in the center is executed in gilt bronze repoussé (hollow underneath). The openwork design is very carefully executed, with engraved details and nanako ground.
The ‘saddles’ are decorated with kiku-mon between karakusa, in low relief.
From the bottom of each keman three solid brass balls are suspended, which may be original, or may be replacements for streamers.
The family crests each contain a 16-petaled chrysanthemum, two of which hold a double plum blossom in the center. The double chrysanthemum could point to a family relation with the imperial family. The keman were probably hanging in a family temple.
Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
H 10.75 x W 14 in. (27.8 x 35.6 cm).
H incl. ring and balls 15 in. (38.1 cm)
Some of the eyelets from which the balls were dangling are broken, gilding rubbed (on the reverse the gilding is better preserved than on the front), otherwise excellent condition.
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Japan, Edo period, 19th century
H 8.5 x W 11.75 x 11.5 in.
Unfortunately badly abused as a planter, causing water damage on the patina on the outside, and with numerous small and unobtrusive dents. Some of the gold on the butterfly wings damaged.Legs have been removed and are lost. In spite of that, a magnificent piece decorated in a technique commonly used among the dexterous makers of sword fitting.
$800.00
Bishamon and Benten are two of the seven gods of good fortune (shichifukujin), but they each hold a position in the Buddhist pantheon, as well.
Both images in plain, unpainted camphor wood.
Japan, 19th century.
Diameter 2.1 inches (5.4 cm).
Wood slightly warped, gold lacquer on the outside dull (under influence of sunlight etc.), otherwise very good condition, very detailed carving.
$800.00
Soft wood stained dark brown, with gold painted decoration and some red.
The insides of the doors decorated in reddish brown with meandering flowers over gold foil on black lacquer.
Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Height case: 5.25 inches (13.4 cm).
Case with clear but acceptable traces of usage (tiny dents, chips, small repair at left edge of right door), and basically in good condition. Right hand of the Buddha is broken off and missing, otherwise in very good condition.
Amida Nyorai (Amitayus, or Infinite Life) is the central figure of Pure Land Buddhism.
$5,500.00
From the ceiling of the zushi hangs a drapery, decorated with of two phoenixes in fine gold on a lapis blue ground.
Wood with mineral colors, gofun, and fine decorations in gold. The crown of the Buddha in gilded metal.
Japan, Meiji era, later part 19th century.
Height case: 9 7/8 in. (25.7 cm).
Figure: Segment of crown missing, small tension crack in his left thigh, seam of right arm open, otherwise excellent condition. Case: Few dents, lacquer chips in one spot, otherwise very good condition.
The figure in the shrine is an amalgamation of figures. The mudra and especially the wearing of jewelry (crown, bracelets) identify him as Dainichi Nyorai. Dainichi is the only Buddha who appears as a Bodhisattva (i.e. wears jewelry). The lion hat is very rare for Dainichi, so is the disc-shaped mandorla. However, both are common attributes of Aizen Myoo, an incarnation of Dainichi Nyorai. This figure represents the three incarnations (sanshu rinshin)of Dainichi Buddha:
As Nyorai, he represents the Wheel of Self Nature (jisho rinshin).
As a Bodhisattva, he represents the Teaching of the Law to Buddhist adherents (shobo rinshin).
As a Myoo, he represents the Teaching of the Law to wayward souls who need intimidationto become faithful Buddhist practitioners (kyoryo rinshin).