Catalog (6143)

Antique Japanese zushi (traveler's shrine) with double panel doors which open to reveal a standing figure of Jizo Bosatsu (O-Jizo-Sama). Jizo is the protector of travelers and firefighters as well as the guardian of the souls of all children. He stands on a lotus base with a Buddhist ring staff (shakujo) in his right hand and a jewel in his left. The doors of the shrine are painted with tennin, celestial beings on either side. Made of wood with lacquer and gold gilt.

Age: Edo Per...

Antique Chinese large porcelain low bowl possibly for bulbs. Shallow, oval form with purplish-blue monochrome glaze and four low feet. Zhuanshu Yongzheng mark (1722-1735) under glaze on the bottom. With wooden stand.

Mark: Yongzheng

Dimensions: 10 1/2" long x 7 5/8" wide x 1 3/8" high (3 3/4" high on stand)

Antique pair of deep brown lacquer bowls. Carved all over with detailed scenes of scholars in gardens and pavilions in the mountains. Dramatic rock formations and various trees. The inside and bottom of each bowl is lacquered black. The rim and foot are ringed in bronze.

Age: Ming Dynasty C. late 16th early 17th Century

Dimensions: 3 1/2" high x 6 1/2" wide

Antique Chinese pair of carved wood display cabinets. Each cabinet has three large areas for display open from the front and sides and framed in elegantly carved scrolling leaf boarders. The lower sections have a pair of side-by-side drawers over a compartment opened by a pair of doors. The cabinets are lacquered their original deep reddish color and metal hardware includes round lock plates with matching hinges.

Age: circa 1900

Dimensions: 69" high x 34" wide x 16" deep ea...

A rare antique Japanese Sakata Funa Tansu (captain's chest originating from Sakata, Japan) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. The sides and top of the body used solid unspliced thick wood boards. All original Urushi lacquer finish and heavy gauge hand forged iron hardware. Constructed using straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wood nails. Carrying handles to each side and 6 drawers of varying sizes.

The Funa Tansu was usually kept in the captain's quar...

A rare antique Japanese Hangai Tansu (captain's business transaction chest) made of Keyaki Tamamoku (Zelkova Burl) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original translucent Urushi lacquer with hand made bronze hardware. Security door with two side trick latches and a top lock and key that hides 6 interior drawers of varying sizes. The trick latches unlock by lifting the knob up and to the right for the left latch and up and to the left for the right latch. Unusual feature where the outer sides...

A rare antique Ryobiraki Choba Tansu (merchant chest with hinged doors) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Kirinoki (Paulownia) woods. All original thick gauged hand forged iron hardware. Shackle lock with working key secures the removable hinged doors that open to a pair of sliding doors and four drawers. A secret button unlatches the left hinged door to open. The spacious area behind the sliding doors was used to store merchant business records and books while the drawers were used to store money,...

Antique Chinese unusual double-gourd monochrome porcelain vase. The body with circular reserves in the center of either side of the vase. On one side is a highly raised and detailed scene of noblemen and a horse with a carriage and attendants. In the background is a pavilion roof and mountains. On the other side, a maiden sits in a garden beneath the moon with two attendants. All the genre scenes are painted with exquisite detail in gold and the negative space (like the rest of the vase) i...

An antique Japanese Kansai Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Ninoki (Cypress woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hirute handles. In 2 sections, the upper portion has three sets of sliding doors with storage space behind each and 3 small drawers to the right with 5 side by side drawers along the lower part. The bottom section has 2 sliding doors with spacious storage behind and a set of 4 drawers vertically aligned and 4 drawers along the bottom ...

A rare example of a Japanese bamen, samurai horse mask. Hand carved of wood to resemble the face of a dragon, this bamen was worn to express the power and prestige of the horse's owner. Custom fabricated antiqued bronze finish, ready to be enjoyed.

Age: Mid to late Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 11 1/2" high (14" high on metal stand) x 6" wide x 7" deep

A pair of Japanese vintage bronze temple lantern. Each lantern is made of 3 sections, the base, the light housing and the crown. The crown has a scalloped rim with heart shaped designs and a beautiful finial. The housing has an arabesque design and the base has matching heart shaped designs and a upper hexagon shaped platform with a design of 2 pine needles representing longevity that changes into a stylized infinity symbol.
Age: Early Showa Era (1930's)

Dimensions of each: 37" H...

Antique Japanese long tanegashima matchlock rifle with silver inlay of a water dragon in the clouds. Bronze hardware decorations including a fu-dog and chrysanthemum blossoms. A silver moku-ka mon in two places is that of the Oda clan, a daimyo family which was a strong political force in unifying Japan during the mid 16th century.

Guns were first introduced to Japan during the Sengoku era through the Portuguese in 1543. From just a couple samples, Japanese metal smiths were able to...

Japanese scroll painting of two skeletons hard at work counting money. The calligraphy verse up top appears to be influenced by the Confucian scholar, Kameda Bosai and is sealed Gakubutsu. Below, the skeletons pour over accounting ledgers next to a large scale. This painted portion of the scroll is sealed Nisekisai. Painted in sumi-e ink on paper.

Dimensions: 81 1/2" high x 30 3/4" wide (33" wide including rollers). Size of art: 53" high x 26 3/4" wide

Antique Japanese 2-section mizuya tansu (kitchen chest) from the Mikuni area. Made with hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood framing and beautifully grained keyaki (zelkova elm) wood panels on the drawers and sliders. The frame is lacquered a rich reddish-orange while the slider frames are lacquered black. The top section has an unusual, narrow full width compartment on the very top with two sliders. Below this is a large compartment also with two sliders beside a small compartment on the right op...

Beautiful Japanese kusuri medical tansu made of kiri wood (paulownia) and sugi side frames (Japanese cypress or cryptomeria). With warm original finish and hand forged hardware. Lacquer dark reddish, brown and mahogany tones that shows well in lighter and dark rooms. Total of 102 individual drawers.

Edo Period late 18th early 19th Century

39" High x 34" Wide x 9" Deep

An antique Japanese Kusuri Tansu (medicine or herbal chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original bronze hardware including the Hirute style handles and hand forged iron corners.. Organized into 3 distinct sections. The upper section contains 56 small drawers, the center section has 40 medium sized drawers and the bottom section has 4 large drawers for a total of 100 drawers.

Age: Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 35 1/4" Wide by 35" High by 7 3/4"...

Antique Japanese suzuribako. Made for holding materials for fine calligraphy writing. The cover of the box is decorated with gold maki-e wild flowers including ferns and daisies with silver details and clouds of gold flakes. The interior of the box holds an ink stone, a copper water dropper and areas for resting brushes all treated with clouds of fine gold nashiji on a black lacquer ground. The underside of the lid is decorated with a scene of a rocky riverbank covered in wild flowers. The ...

An antique Tibetan religious storage cabinet used for food preparation with lift-off cover. Hand painted front panel depicting a scene featuring a seated Buddha with worshippers, a temple, elephants, a deer, a monkey, ducks, horse, a rabbit, and a wise man surrounded by attendants. The panel is framed with an arabesque design.

Age: 18th Century

Dimensions: 48" Wide by 27 1/4" High by 13 3/4" Deep

Exceptional antique Japanese large kannon biraki tansu (chest with hinged doors). Two stacking sections made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. This chest has unusually bold hardware made of iron with traces of red lacquer. Each of the two large doors on the upper portion is fitted with a large iron kiri mon (specifically Gosan-no-kiri-mon) During the Edo Period, this crest became a well established mon of the Japanese government where previously it was used only by the imperial family. The top s...

A mid century Chinese buffet finished in a striking patinated bronze over wood. A solid stone top was designed with a bull nose edge on all sides. The finish has a checkerboard style of look. Two pairs of doors with the left set opening to 5 drawers and the right set opening to a spacious storage area.

Age: Mid Century Dimensions: 96" Wide by 33 1/4" High by 20 5/8" Deep

Rare and unusual Antique Japanese Keyaki (elm) burl chose tansu. The pair of sliding doors has elegantly hand carved paneling with multiple storage shelving within. Bold pierced iron hardware decorating each drawer corner with kakute (square) handles and locks. Stunning original deep red finish complimenting the natural burl woodgrain. Excellent hardware and unusual design. Edo Period (circa 1840's). Size: 36" H x 35" L x 15"D

Antique Chinese small porcelain lidded cup, etched with wave patterns, famille rose enamel heavenly scenes with an immortal riding a dragon, flying cranes, and a lotus.

Jiajing period (1521-1566)

Provenance: From the Josephus Beard estate, former president of IBM World Trade Corporation in Japan.

Size: 3" W x 3.75" H

A Chinese robin's egg ceramic brush washer, with a rounded body tapering to the flat, unglazed foot, the round wide opening shows the interior is all glazed in robin's egg glaze. The sides are in the classic mottled turquoise and purple glaze with stipple texture from the time of firing. The robin's egg glaze technique requires low-firing and uses two different colors of mottled purple-blue and turquoise. Period 18th centnury.

Dimensions: 5 1/4" x 4" H

Antique Chinese large cloisonne censer. Standing on 3 legs, the round body of the censor has two large wing like handles, a tall neck, and is topped with a domed lid. 4 pierced characters around the lid allow for incense smoke and a seated fu-dog acts as a finial and lid handle. Everything but the fu-dog finial and parts of the side handles is covered with cloisonné enamel. The most dramatic portion of the design is the large fu-dogs amidst exuberant peony blossoms. The bottom of the cen...

Chinese dragon robe woven with 8 dragons (3 on the front, 3 on the back, and 1 on each shoulder). Dragons and Taoist symbols woven in silver on a blue silk ground. Black silk sleeves and collar are also woven with silver dragons. The robe is lined in blue silk.

Princes or noblemen were permitted to wear blue (the Qing Dynasty’s official color) while blue-black fabric indicated the wearer was a court official.

Age: Qing Dynasty (19th century)

Antique Japanese Raku ware chawan (tea bowl) with green crackle glaze. Kyoto. Incised ridges so the bowl molds to your hand. Magnificent.

Age: 18th century

Dimensions: 3 1/2" high x 4 1/4" wide

Provenance: From the personal collection of Cheever Torrey (1864-1935), partner of Vickery, Atkins & Torrey, interior design firm and art gallery founded in San Francisco in 1888.
The gallery, most famous for its role in helping to introduce California to Impressioni...

Antique Japanese Keyaki (zelkova wood) Choba tansu (merchant chest). Solid Keyaki hardwood used on the top, sides, front and Frame. The front panels are made of a gorgeous, warm Keyaki burl wood in original finish. There are several round iron lock plates that are incised with kiri leave. The handles to the sliding doors are also incised with floral patterns. There is a side lockbox with beautiful decorative hardware that conceals three small drawers within. Original Condition with Original Key...

Chinese Jade brush pot. Fairly light green jade with darker markings mixed throughout. Smooth clean look with nice proportions. Dimensions: 4 1/2'' High X 2 1/8'' Wide

A Chinese rock crystal carving of a mythical beast called a Qilin. Resembling a fu dog, the creature is a chimera mixed with a lion, a deer, a dragon, and sometimes other animals. The Qilin is said to appear with the arrival and the passing of a sage or high ruler.

19th Century

Dimensions: 4" L x 1 3/4" W x 4 1/2" H

A small Japanese bronze vase, finely cast with lotus blossoms in relief. The upper and lower body cast with bands of archaic scrolls. The side handles are dragon heads with hanging rings. The side is marked with artist's two character seal.

Dimensions: 2 3/4" W x 4 1/2" H

Rare three piece set of Chinese porcelain Doucai for wine serving, beautifully and delicately painted floral roundels with reds, greens, blues outlined with black on white porcelain ground. A pair of small wine cups and their wine server, each with the Drunken Ink Studio mark on their recessed bottoms. Perfect condition.

Size: Cups 2 3/8"D 1 1/4"H, Saucer 1 1/2" Opening 1 3/4" Widest 2"H

Charming antique Chinese small teapot with Daoist figures encircling body, lid with flowers and figures, signed on body and on recessed base.

Size: 3.5"H 5.5"L 3.5"D

Republic Period

An antique Japanese Buddha statue of Shaka Nyorai standing on a Lotus stand made of wood and finished in gilt. The Buddha has the Vitarka Mudra hand gesture symbolizing the wisdom and teachings of Buddhism. The mandala has 7 sitting Buddha in meditation surrounding Shaka Nyorai.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 30 1/2" High by 9" Wide by 9" Deep

Antique Japanese 2 section Soma isho tansu from the Northern Honshu area, beautiful keyaki (elm) wood on front, sugi (cryptomeria) wood frame, deep red translucent lacquer finish, iron hardware with incised warabite shaped drawer pulls and very large round chrysanthemum shaped lock plates, safe box in lower right hand corner with 2 small interior drawers, safe box has key, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 44" high x 45 1/2" wide x 18" deep

Chinese monochrome porcelain brushwasher, ox-blood glaze with white rim and underside. Period: 18th century Size: Height 3", Diameter 3.75"

Antique Chinese purple hued agate censor. The base and lid are carved with a scrolling foliate design on two oblong registers. The base has bird-like head handles with loose rings. The censor has scrolling foliate handles with loose rings. The top has simple vine like handles with loose rings. The lid is topped with a dragon. The agate has natural white and yellow/brown inclusions. It measures 15.5" tall, the base measures 8" tall, the top 7.75" tall.