Catalog (6144)

Antique Japanese small zushi, a shrine made for traveling. Carved of wood and lacquered black on the outside, the tiny doors open to reveal the figure of a praying abbott standing on a lotus pedestal. The interior of the shrine as well as the abbott himself are all lacquered gold and he holds a tiny strand of glass prayer beads. There is a tiny metal hook on the top of the zushi.

Age: Edo Period 1603-1867

Dimensions: 4 5/8"H x 2"W x 1 3/8"D

Antique Himalayan small silver Buddha Sakyamuni seated in vajrasana position on a lotus throne. His feet are folded in his lap in vajraparyankasana and his right hand reaches down in bhumispara mudra. His expression is compassionate with downcast eyes and a slight smile. The bottom of the base is covered in copper.

Age: 19th century

Dimensions: 3 1/8" high x 2" wide x 1 5/8" deep

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Hikute style handles and wiped Urushi lacquer finish. Horizontal slats on all four sides provide strength and visual Japanese architectural design. Two sets of sliding doors with two side by side drawers. A pair of small drawers behind the lower doors with a false floor behind the lower drawer that hides a secret storage space where valu...

An antique Chinese wine pot with a dark glaze and narrow lip. Wide shoulder that tapers to a narrow base. Some loss.

Age: 17th Century

Dimensions: 14 1/2" High by 14 1/2" Diameter

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Originates from northern Honshu in the Tohoku region. All original hand forged iron hardware including the double pine tree catch on the lock plates and the plum blossom handle stoppers (called Atari). Storage consists of three large and three small drawers with a pair of sliding doors hiding a spacious area where merchant books and store records were kept.

Age: Meiji Period (1880-18...

A pair of vintage Chinese blue and white large ceramic Fu Dogs. The male is holding sphere which represents the world while the female is holding a playful youngling under her paw. They both sit atop their own decorative plinth each draped by a cover made to look woven.

Age: Mid Century (1960's)

Dimensions: Each measures approximately 9" Wide by 23" High by 12 1/4" Deep

An antique Japanese Daruma wooden mold used for making paper mâché dolls. Retired from duty and lacquered to preserve its years of production and service. The worn lacquer is a testament to its display and use that extended beyond its useful life and paid tribute to the former artisans that supported the craft. The original removable base was made with a concave divot to allow ease of rotation of the mold when in use. Knife cuts and natural cracks from wear show how the mold was used.

Antique Japanese bronze bowl in the form of a large, round lotus leaf. The bowl is raised on it's coiling lotus stem and another unfurled leaf. A tiny frog perches on the edge of the bowl.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 4 1/2" high x 8" wide

Antique Japanese cloisonné vase decorated with various types of blooming chrysanthemums from a large white variety to purple then small red and yellow flowers. The ground is a deep blue. The interior and bottom are covered in green enamel.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 7 1/4" high x 3" wide

Antique Japanese lacquer raised tray. Standing on four legs with square frame and decorated all over with scrolling vines and pine bows in maki-e lacquer on a black ground with clouds of gold nashiji. Prominent in the design is the appearance of the aoi mon (crest) of the Tokugawa clan, marking this tray as the property of the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 8" high x 14 1/2" wide x 14" deep

Antique Japanese scroll painting depicting 13 Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and Wisdom Kings. The deity at the very top is Dianichi-nyorai (Vairocana) with his hands in dhyana mudra. The 13 figures are (not in order of appearance): Shaka (Sakyamuni), Monju (Manjushri), Fugen (Samantabhadra), Jizo (Ksitigarbha), Miroku (Maitreya), Yakushi (Bhaisajyaguru), Kannon (Avalokiteshvara), Seishi (Mahasthamaprapta), Amida (Amitaba), Ashuku (Akshobhya), Dainichi (Vairocana), Kokuzo (Akasagarbha), and Fudo (Acala...

An antique Japanese Tohoku Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware including the rounded Kakute style handles with Sho Chiku Bai back plates. The full moon lock plates have an incised open fan design. In 2 sections, the upper portion has two full width drawers and the bottom section has a full width drawer, a partial width drawer and a security hinged door hiding 2 small drawers. Secret hiding space behind the smal...

An antique Japanese Gifu Choba Tansu made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles. Famed Gifu region horizontal slats comprising the pair of sliding doors and the sides of the tansu. Comprised of 5 drawers of varying sizes, a spacious area behind the door pair and two small drawers to store valuables behind the hinged security door.

Constructed using through mortise and tenon joinery.

Age: Meiji Peri...

Antique Himalayan tsha tsha (small votive plaque) depicting White Tara seated on a lotus throne. White Tara (the Mother of all Buddhas) is worshipped as the embodiment of the maternal aspect of compassion. Her seven eyes allow her to see all suffering.
Tsha Tsha were cast of clay mixed with ground incense and sacred ash. They were dried in the sun and painted with polychrome pigments. Small votives like this one were left as offerings at spiritual sites along a pilgrim's route. This t...

Antique Himalayan tsha tsha (small votive plaque) depicting a red bodhisattva seated on a lotus throne. Tsha Tsha were cast of clay mixed with ground incense and sacred ash. They were dried in the sun and painted with polychrome pigments. Small votives like this one were left as offerings at spiritual sites along a pilgrim's route.

Age: 18th century

Dimensions: 3 3/4" high x 3 1/8" wide x 1 3/8" deep

Antique Tibetan pair of offering bowls. Each bowl is carved of burl wood and has an ornate silver foot decorated with cabochons of coral and turquoise. The silver bottom of each bowl is incised with a scene of mother and baby fu lions. The bowls have interiors that have been lined and edged with silver.

Age: 19th century

Dimensions of each: 2 1/2" high x 6 1/4" wide

Antique Japanese sarugaku performance mask in the form of a monkey. Sarugaku, which literally means "monkey music" was one of the oldest Japanese theatre arts and consisted of many different types of performance including comedy, dancing, mime, singing and various acrobatics. The performers wore masks usually portraying human characters but this one is distinctly primate. The high point for sarugaku was during the Muromachi period when, along with dengaku (ritual shrine dancing), the perfo...

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant box) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware. Upper carrying handle and hinged door that hides 4 drawers of varying sizes used by a merchant to store writing paper, receipts, money and calligraphy brushes.

Age: Meiji Period (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 10" Wide by 12 1/4" High by 14 3/4" Deep