$300.00
Hanging scroll with gold brocade mounting and gilded hardware, as used for Buddhist paintings. The image of the bodhisattva Kannon sitting on a rock, with a poem underneath, is painted in black ink, red and gold, in the center of the silk. She is surrounded by 37 stamps and poems (goeika, originally written by Emperor Kazan, after his retirement), collected on the circuit of 33 temples of the Saigoku Pilgrimage (Kansai area), that are dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, at and four other temples. Each temple of the Saigoku circuit has a number, reflected in the read seals. The stamps used on this scroll are the ones that have been used from the Showa era on. The additional four stamps are from the Yamato-kuni Chokuku temple and the Kiko temple in Nara, dedicated to Kannon, and from two other temples.
It has become very rare that the poems are added to the stamps. The calligraphy is very good and is certainly not to be reproduced today.
Japan, Showa era, ca. late 1970s.
Image H 48.75 x W 17.5 in.
Mounting 74.25 x 23.25 in.
Width bottom scroll 25.75 in.
Excellent condition
$500.00
Ink, mineral colors and gold wash on silk.
Signed Wakō, seal Wakō.
Mid-20th century or a little later.
Mounting: H 67 x W 23.5 in. (inc. scroll ends)
Painting: H 42 x W 16 in.
Very good condition. Scroll ends are plastic, imitating ivory.
Comes with the original wooden storage box. Inscription outside: Kyokojitsu (Rising sun). Inside signed Wako and with red seal Wako.
Wakō is the artist name of Kasai Toshiyuki (b. 1917 in Gifu Prefecture) who was active during the Showa era (1926-1989). He studied painting under Katō Eizō (Nihonga artist, 1906-1972 from Gifu Prefecture). He was chosen for the Nitten 20 times, 9 times for the Nisshunten. He won many awards.
$2,800.00
Painting of the demon of Rashomon stealing back his severed arm from Watanabe no Tsuna. Excellent use of dry-brush technique.
Signed: Yoshimitsu saku, seal Hoko. Japan, Taisho/Showa era.
Newly mounted with original embroidered brocade.
Image: 24 x 12.5 inches.
Total length: 58 inches.
Few old water stains on brocade, few tiny stabilized damages in paper, some damage to embroidery, all in all very good condition.
$800.00
Ink and color on silk.
Signed and red artist’s seal.
Japan, Taisho or early Showa era, 1920s-1930s.
Image: H 43.25 x W 16.5 in.
Mounting: H 76.5 x W 21.5 in.
W scroll ends: 23.5 in.
Light brown stains in the backing paper. All in all very good condition.
$600.00
Signed: Shoto …utsutsu. Seal: Moroku sensei.
Black ink and mineral color on paper.
Japan, Taisho era, 1910s, perhaps 1920s.
Painted area: ca. 52 x 13.5 in. (132 x 34.5 cm).
Total length ca. 77 inches (195 cm).
Few light stains and tiny spots, some foxing in mounting, otherwise very good condition.
Kurata Shoto (1865-1928) was a painter from Akita. He worked in the nanga style. His paintings were often Buddhist in subject matter, but he also painted historical and mythological figures. His sense of humor is often visible in his work.
$1,200.00
Ink and mineral colors on silk, in a gold brocade mounting with bone scroll ends.
Signed in lower right: Shogai. Two red seals: Tani-shi Hidemasa; Shogai no in.
Silk: H 49 x W 16.5 in.
Mounting: H 77 x W 21.5 in.
W at the bottom with scroll ends: 23.6 in.
Comes in the original wooden storage box. Inscribed on the outside: Keiba no zu (image of horse racing). On the inside of the cover: Taisho juichinen chushun (spring of Taisho 11=1922), Shogai shiki and two seals: Tani Hidemasa and Shogai.
Although the artist cannot be further identified at this point, the painting is of high quality, in a style that is reminiscent of Katsushika Hokusai.
Two tiny tears on the edges, stabilized by the mounting, several very light stains. All in all in very good condition. Mounting in very good condition.
$200.00
The reverse is red silk, decorated with peonies in brocade weave.
Tassels in the four corners, made of red and cream-colored twisted silk thread
The image of this fukusa is filled with auspicious symbols and so the cover would be used on a day of celebration.
Japan, Meiji or Taisho era, early 20th century
H 26 x W 25.5 in.
Brown spots in the lower area and folding creases, consistent with use and storage
$300.00
Reverse of the cover is a bright red silk cloth decorated in brocade weave with cranes, chrysanthemums, bamboo, pine and shippo design.
Silk tassels. Japan, Meiji era, probably early 20th century.
H 26 ½ x W 25 inches.
One tassel missing, one sharp central fold bending some silver threads, otherwise fine condition.
$300.00
Although no information on the artist was found, his works do show up from time to time. Stamped with the same seals.
$350.00
Feel free to ask for more pictures.
$2,500.00
Mat and frame
Painted area: 37 1/8 x 13 1/8.
Frame: 19 ¼ x 48 ¾ inches.
Some creases, one tiny hole, generally in good condition.
$1,200.00
Painted area: 34 1/8 x 11 ¼. Frame: 54 ¾ x 17 ¼ inches.
Silk darkened with age, stained, undulating, one minor crack, otherwise good condition.
$1,200.00
Cotton image: 11 ¾ x 8 ¾ in. Frame: 36 ¼ x 13 in.
Excellent condition.
$3,000.00
Black ink, light mineral colors and gold wash on silk.
Signed Bunrin; seal Bunrin and seal Shion.
Japan, Meiji era, 1870s.
Image H 49 x W 19.5 in.; total height 76.25 in.
Gold slightly oxidized, otherwise fine condition.
Comes with wooden storage box, inscribed Bunrin hitsu hotaru no zu Shiokawa ...
Shiokawa Bunrin (1808-1877). Shijo painter, Kyoto. Pupil of Okamoto Toyohiko. Learned nanga painting and western style painting. Specialized in landscapes.
A pair of six-panel screens from 1874 signed by Bunrin and dealing with the exact same subject matter and same color scheme, is located in the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City, object numbers 74-12/1 and 74-12/2
$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.
$800.00
Image: 29.25 x W 21 inches. Mounting: 44.25 x 26.5 inches. Silver scroll ends decorated with cut out peonies on rocks mounted over a sentoku core.
Punch hole in bottom, stabilized by mounting, few small rubbed spots, dent in scroll end.
$1,200.00
Black ink and colors on silk.
Signed Bunrei; two red seals reading bun and rei.
Japan, mid 19th / second half 19th century.
Painted area: 14.5 x 20.2 inches. Total height: 46.5 inches.
Painting with some light stains, otherwise in excellent condition, mounting damaged.
Mori Bunrei (Meiji era painter) was the adopted son and pupil of Mori Ippo (1798-1871), the Shijo painter. His style and technique closely follow those of Ippo.
A very similar painting by Nishiyama Hoen (1804-1867) is in the British Museum. This type of painting is typical for the Maruyama/Shijo school and could have originated with Maruyama Okyo.
The image of a procession walking out of the painting symbolizes the fading away of Edo culture in the 19th century.
$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.