Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian (196)

Very small scroll painting for in the back of a house shrine. Sumie. Daruma standing on a reed stalk crossing the river Yangtse. In the upper part a commentary or a poem. Black ink on silk. Red seal to the left. To the right the typical jar shaped seal in red.
Painted area: 7 5/8 x 3 13/16 in.
Size of whole scroll: 7 x 17 ¾ in.
Back of scroll needs fixing, scroll ends missing, painting slightly yellowed and soiled, crease at the top, some tears in lower area, due to rolling, generally good condition.
Hakuin 1685-1768.

Framed painting of a warrior with a drawn sword, holding a severed head in his hand. On his back a flag with the image of a skull. Perhaps one of the heroes of the Taiheiki, such as Endo Giemon Masatada. But between Kuniyoshi and other Utagawa artists, several series of heroes were produced. Unsigned. The style of Utagawa Kuniyoshi or Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Black ink and colors on paper, mounted as a scroll, cut and framed. Japan, Edo period, 19th century.

Frame H 49 ½ x W 27 ¼ in. Image H 38 x W 20 in.

Some restored horizontal tears and worm holes.

Finely cast bronze censer on four linked feet with very elegant flower décor on the body and fretwork on the rim, patinated in a rich brown. Bottom decorated in low relief with repeating, extremely fine fretwork of faces. Seal on bottom: Dai-Nihon Bunsei nen Seimin sei. Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
H H 2-7/8 x diam. 6 ½ inches.
Excellent condition

Murata Seimin (1761-1837), bronze sculptor active in Edo, well-known for his fine casting of bronze vessels and animals.

Sculpture of the Bodhisattva Jizo, standing with a jewel in his left hand. His right hand points down to the earth in a welcoming gesture. The sculpture was built according to the yoseki saigu technique of separate blocks. Originally a layer of gesso covered the wood, over which black lacquer. The lacquer and gesso have come off from most of the sculpture, revealing finely written sutras or Buddhist texts in black ink all over the body of the figure.
Mounted on an black base with Velcro

Japan, Edo period, 18th century

H 19 in.

Some small, old chips, most lacquer and gesso missing.

Simple wooden shishi (or lion) dance mask with movable ears and jaw. The ears and eyebrows are stained black. Behind the ears a row of small holes have been made, used for attaching the garment (the body of the lion). Mingei.
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.

Sculpture of Fudo standing in front of a flaming halo from which three phoenix heads emerge. Fudo holds his sword in his right hand, his rope in his left. His flaming halo is curved, surrounding him in a dramatic way.
Exquisite carving in very soft wood, probably cryptomeria (sugi), lightly stained with a shade of darker brown.
Japan, Meiji period.

Height 10.6 in. (27.6 cm).

Excellent condition

Sculpture of Shomen Kongo, standing with 6 arms, holding ghanta and sword, bow and arrow, halberd and chakra. Shomen Kongo protects against demons and diseases. Wood stained black, with metal parts. Japan, Edo period, shortly after 1800.
H ca. 11 inches.
Sword missing, few traces of usage. All in all very good condition.

Kane gong or bell of a very simple, cylindrical or dish shape, without any sort of decoration. Two loops for cords to hang the gong on a wooden rack. Yellow bronze (sentoku).
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.

Reddish brown shrine with three very fine sculptures: Benzaiten in the middle, to her right Daikoku, and Bishamon to her left. Benten is seated on a lotus, depicted in her 8-armed appearance, holding a jewel, her other attributes are lost. On her head a crown with jewels and the snake-shaped Ugajin. Bishamonten stands on a demon and holds a pagoda, his staff now lost. Daikoku stands on two rice bales and holds a hammer and a bag. All of them on separate rock shaped bases. Excellent carving with extremely fine painting. Japan, 18th century.
Height: 9.5 inches; width: 8.75 inches (24 x 22.2 cm).
On the back two old paper labels. One is the address label of B.H. Collins , Coins and Curios in Washington, DC. The other label is a catalogue description of this piece (with correction).
Inside: most attributes lost, otherwise very good condition. Box with finely engraved hardware: few traces of usage, mostly very good condition.

A small Pure Land Buddhist shrine -zushi- containing a figure of the 11-headed Kannon on a lotus, holding a flask in his left hand, standing before a full-size mandorla.
Painted in mineral colors and gold onto the gilded doors are Jizo bosatsu to his right and Kokuzo bosatsu to his left.

Carved wood (probably boxwood), decorated with gold. Jewelry gilded metal (now black).
Red lacquered shrine with fine gilded hardware. Japan, Edo period, 18th century.
Case: ca. 5.1 x 2.3 x 1.75 in. (13 x 6 x 4.5 cm).
Case with minimal wear consistent with careful handling despite age and use. Kannon covered in soot and gilding professionally repainted over the soot, probably in the late 19th century. Some metal jewelry missing. Excellent condition, very well cared for.

Kokuzo embodies wisdom and mercy. He is often paired to Jizo, whereby Jizo is responsible for Hell and Kokuzo for Paradise. The 11-headed Kannon expresses the eleven kinds of worldly power, or is honored as the bodhisattva that saves man from the eleven worldly desires.

Small shrine with the esoteric Buddhist figure of the Fudo Myōō who personifies Dainichi Nyorai. He is standing on a rock pedestal – symbol of his steadfastness - with a rope in his left hand and formerly with a sword in his right hand (broken off and missing). Behind him a flaming red mandorla. The patterns on his garment and his jewelry painted delicately in gold and mineral colors.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century.

Height of zushi: ca. 5.8 inches (14.6 cm).

Baldachin split and restored, gold decoration rubbed; sword missing.
Shrine with usual wear and tear, hard ware loose in places. All in all very good condition.

Fudo Myoo converts anger into salvation and frightens people into accepting the teachings of the Buddha Dainichi. His sword symbolizes wisdom as it cuts through ignorance. His rope is used to catch and bind demons. The flaming mandorla (also called garuda flame, referring to the fire breathing bird from Indian mythology) represents purification of the mind by the burning away of all material desire.

Small and shallow (thin) shrine. Inside are the figures of Bishamonten (right) and Kongoyasha Myoo (left), both standing. Bishamon holds a pagoda and a halberd. The three-headed Kongoyasha’s two hands are empty.
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.

Large two-door shrine holding inside the figure of Kujaku Myoo sitting on a lutus dais on the back of a peacock. Kujaku means peacock and is revered for transmuting the "poisons" of greed and anger and for eliminating karmic hindrances. The peacock (in India) eats poisonous plants and snakes and is thus thought to guard against evils from poisoning or calamity. Kujaku has four arms, holding a pomegranate, peacock feather, and either a lotus flower or a Buddha-fruit (one attribute is missing). Wooden carving decorated in colors and gold, jewelry and one attribute in metal. Bottom dated Kaei 5 (1852) and inscribed with maker’s name. Japan.

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.

Very small, black lacquered shrine (gilded on the inside) with inside the wooden figure of the Bodhisattva Marishi-ten in three-headed form (left head is a boar's head), sitting on a lotus base carried on the backs of seven boars. In his hands he holds a branch of the asoka tree, a sword, bow and arrows. The carving is slightly abstracted, but nevertheless full of detail. The halo and attributes are all gilded metal.
On the outside bottom there is a paper label with inscription in ink, stating: An old Buddha from 150 -200 yrs. old that used to be carried by the Japanese who prayed to it for strength. 1922 (or 1932)

Japan, mid Edo period (around 1800).

Height case: 2.75 inches (6.9 cm).

Case with minor traces of usage, and all in all in very good condition.
Statue: Snout of one boar (second from right) chipped, some attributes damaged or missing, otherwise very good condition.

Marishiten is the deity of prosperity, venerated in the warrior class, and by entertainers.

Buddhist shrine containing a sculpture of Shichimen Daimyojin in sitting pose, one leg crossed over the other. She sits on the summit of mount Shichimen, one of her shoes by her side, holding a (golden) jewel in her left hand. In the right hand she hold another object, likely a key that is now missing.
Wood decorated with gold and mineral colors. Gilt metal mandorla behind her head, decorated with flaming jewels.
The baldachin above the figure is decorated with auspicious symbols in mineral colors. The pedestal is decorated with a few of the Treasures.

Japan, Edo period, late 18th century.

Height zushi: ca. 11 inches.

Some cracks in the wood, flaking lacquer at the base, some cracks in the lacquer on the figure, stabilized with clear finish, all in all in stable condition.

Shichimen Daimyojin is the protectress of Minobu, the site of temple Kuonji, general quarters of the Nichiren sect and burial place of the founder of the sect. Mount Shichimen is south of Minobu.

Zushi, shrine used in Buddhist temples, containing a statue of Aizen Myoo. He sits on his typical lotus throne carried by a vase full of jewels, surrounded by a circular, red, flaming nimbus. He has six arms and on his head he wears a crown in the shape of a lion’s head flanked by two gilded sharito reliquaries. In his lower hands Aizen holds a ghanta and a bell, the secondary hands hold arrows and formerly held a bow, the upper pair of hands used to hold probably a rope and a jewel. Sandalwood decorated with gold and black and red. Jewelry made of gilded copper and glass beads. Japan, Edo period, 18th century.

H zushi ca. 16 inches; figure of Aizen ca. 5 inches.

Figure: one arm re-stuck with glue, other joints showing small seams, some beads missing in gilded jewelry. Zushi: some lacquer chips on the doors, edges and other traces of obvious age and usage. All in all very good condition.

Very rare. Simple wooden zushi with a figure of Fudo Myoo sitting on a high rock before a flaming halo. In his right hand he holds a sword, in his left a rope.
On lower levels of the rock formation sits Seitaka doji, holding his scarf in his left hand and a (now missing) club in his right, and stands Kongara doji, holding a lotus flower in his hands.

Light brown CLAY, hand modeled (not molded!), fired at low temperature, painted dark brown. Back of halo engraved with name of temple and donors? The rope in Fudo’s hand is twisted metal wire, the sword is made of clay and wood.
Country style, folk art. Probably late 19th century.

Height figure group 8 in. (20.8 cm), height box 11.25 in. (29 cm).
Paint is flaking here and there, pieces of the halo broken off and put back (best seen in photo of the back, where they show up as purple), some larger chips at bottom of base repaired. All in all good and stable condition.

Very small portable shrine, zushi. The figure of Amida Nyorai is standing on a lotus base with intricately carved curled lotus petals. His slender body covered in a finely, gold ornamented garment, his left hand pointing down in mudra, his now missing right hand would be held up in mudra, as well.

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.