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Women pray to her as the goddess of easy delivery, child rearing, for harmony between husband and wife, love, and for the well-being of the family. Childless women also pray to Kishimojin in the hope of becoming pregnant.
Wood sculpture with beautifully painted details. Eyes inlaid in glass or crystal.
Japan, Edo period, circa 1800.
H of case 12 inches.
Excellent condition. Case doors slightly warped
$1,100.00
Japan, 19th century.
Length 13-1/8 inches
Tiny chip at leaf edge. Fine condition.
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In his hands he was holding a scroll and a fly whisk that are now missing. Figure stands on an irregularly shaped base. Japan, mid Edo period, 18th century.
Height incl. base ca. 5.25 inches (13.3 cm).
Hands slightly damaged.
Genjo Sanzo (Chin. Xuangzang) was a monk who went to India. Founder of the Hanya sect. He usually appears as one of the sixteen good spirits, rarely by himself.
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Wood with polychrome and gold color over gesso, eyes reverse-painted glass or crystal, staff of En no Gyoja gilded bronze.
Japan, Edo period, circa 1800
Measurements zushi H 21 x W 13 x D 9.5 inches
Extremely rare subject matter
En no Gyoja was a 7th century mountain ascetic. He is considered to be the father of Shugendo, a sect in which Shinto and pre-Buddhist mountain worship blends with Tantric Buddhist rituals. Physical endurance, such as seclusion, fasting, meditation, engaging in austerity, is seen as the path to Enlightenment. Practitioners are called Shugenja or Shugyosha, and Yamabushi. Amalgamations of Shinto and Buddhism were forbidden at the Meiji restauration and the Shugendo sect was banned in 1872. Its existing places of worship were either transformed to Shinto shrines or became branches of Shingon or Tendai Buddhism.
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The figure and the lotus dais are made in wood with gilding over red lacquer, with details in gold and black. Eyes are in reverse-painted glass or crystal. The crown, the mandorla, and most of the weapons in gilt metal. The rock formation in polychromed wood over gesso inlaid with semi-precious stones and/or glass. Japan, Edo period, circa 1800.
Shrine measurements: H 20.5 x W 14 x D 11.5 inches
Zushi: one hinge missing the vertical pin, otherwise very good condition. Statue: Damage to one hand and to the foot, some cracks and lacquer chips commensurate to age and use. All in all excellent, original condition.
Benten in the 8-armed appearance (happi Benzaiten) is a defender of Buddhism and protector of the nation. This is her appearance as described in the Sutra of Golden Light. According to the sutra, she is supposed to hold in her hands bow and arrow, sword and ax, spear and pestle, and iron wheel (rin) and rope. In statues, the objects vary and over time, objects related to wealth and well-being came to replace the original ones, such as the wish-granting jewel and the key to the storehouse.
Benzaiten with Ugajin on top of her head is Uga Benzaiten, goddess of wealth and good fortune, mostly connected to Shintoism.
In this zushi, Benten holds sword and wish-granting jewel, arrows and (missing) bow, key and lotus, and pestle and halberd. Her function has started to shift with the needs and the taste of the times, incorporating the two prominent religions in Japan.
$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
P.O.R.
The reliquary has two shelves, filled with various smaller and larger relics of the historical Buddha, Shaka Nyorai. In the back wall of the zushi, behind the reliquary, is a double door, which can be opened to reveal the reliquary or to lighten the reliquary. The sides of the zushi are covered in gold lacquer. The hinges on the doors are decorated with a manji motive on the inside.
The outside of the zushi is covered in black lacquer, with gold lacquer bands around the edges of the doors and following the contours of the roof. In the center of the roof, in gold lacquer a fully opened lotus flower. The golden band along the edges of the doors is decorated with flowers. The hinges on the outside engraved with meandering flower patterns.
Japan, Edo period, 18th century
H ca. 14.5 in.; W ca. 8 in.
Very fine craftsmanship. Few traces of usage, all in all excellent, original condition.
Very rare piece
The reliquary represents the Buddha Shakyamuni; he is flanked by the bodhisattvas Monju and Fugen, forming the Shaka triad. The combination of the wish granting jewel and the relics of the Buddha originates in esoteric Buddhism.
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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.
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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.
$500.00
Scene from the story of the Hell Courtesan, as described by Santo Kyoden, the equivalent of memento mori.
Signed and sealed at lower right by the artist.
Ink, mineral colors and gofun on silk.
Japan, early 20th century.
Painting 34 ¼ x 8 in.
Mounting 55 x 11 ½ in.
Mounting a bit dry, causing some horizontal ribs. Otherwise very good condition.
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H zushi 9 inches
Some traces of usage (chips on lotus base, rubbing of painting), one door with minor damage on inside, otherwise excellent condition.
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Inside each half is a deep relief carving of Buddhist deities. On one side the three-eyed Aizen Myoo with a lion crown, sitting on a lotus base in the clouds before a red mandorla. His six hands hold Vajra and ghanta, bow and arrow, and lotus bud and pouch. On the other side the two-armed Kannon bosatsu, holding a lotus bud in the left hand, sitting on a lotus base in the clouds. Inside decorated in gold, red, blue and black for details, green mineral color for the background.
The outside decorated in gold lacquer over a black lacquer ground: loose lotus petals and a bonji on each side (one bonji probably for Fugen and one bonji A (for Amida)).
Japan, Edo period, around 1800.
H ca. 3-7/8 inches
Inside in excellent condition with minimal abrasions of the blue in the hair and of the green background pigment. Black lacquer on the outside with some losses. Above the bonji for Fugen (?) a restoration. Wood a bit warped.
Rare
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H 2 ½ inches
Some age and use related chipping along the edges, minor damage in the lacquer, and nicks and dents, hinges a bit weak, rubbed and bent, but all in all in very good condition
$700.00
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.
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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.
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H 2 ¾ inches
Few age cracks (see photos), paint on doors a bit rubbed, otherwise excellent condition. Beautiful details.
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H 19-1/2 x W 6-1/2 x D 9 inches.
One tail restored, key broken and partially replaced for the sake of symmetry, few chips. All in all excellent condition.
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Mounted on Japanese, old kiri-wood stand
H 4 ¼ inches
Excellent condition