Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (2768)

Unusual Japanese gyosho bako tansu (merchant's chest). With original red lacquer finish, this large piece holds three very deep drawers, each with squared kakute iron pulls on stylized pine tree mounts. The top drawer features a large central lock with flying crane motif, while the lower drawers feature chrysanthemum locks. The sides of the tansu also have two handles for traveling.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 22" W x 27" D x 39" H

Japanese two section tansu, made with Kiri (paulownia) wood with natural finish front drawers, and original black lacquered frame. The piece has pine tree shaped hand-forged iron lock plates, with warabite iron pulls. The locks are incised chrysanthemums and the corner hardware is fan iron plating. The piece holds a side lock box with a large decorative iron chrysanthemum plating and keyhole. Inside the box are two small drawers with triangular plates and round pulls...

Japanese Imari ware porcelain charger with the image of a large koi fish in blue cobalt underglaze, with red and blue ground of scrolls, plum blossoms, the plate with fluted foliate petal edges, the underside with blue floral motifs and bands. The underside has a blue marking.

Circa 1800s

Dimensions: 14" x 2 3/4" H

Japanese pair of Fukugawa Imari ware porcelain bottle neck vases. With imagery of blue and gilt enamel phoenixes against a ground of red cherry blossoms, blue waves, floral medallions and gilt outlines. The long slightly fluted neck with medallions on a gilt design ground and gilt rim, tapered to a rounded body with short tapered foot, blue lotus petals and double ring above the foot, each vase signed with a Fukugawa mark signifying the pieces date from 1900 - 1920...

Pair of Japanese Kutani tall porcelain bottle vases, with elongated bodies slightly tapering to the short neck and gilt rim, decorated with red enamel landscape scene and gilt clouds over white crackle ground. Each vase signed with 2 character mark.

Circa 1900

Dimensions: 3" x 9 1/2" H

Japanese 2 panel byobu screen painting on silk, of a male and female deer resting below a maple tree. Each panel is bordered in gold leaf and signed "Kagayama Hakuho" with a red chop.

Kagayama Hakuho (1880-?) was born in the Okayama Prefecture Japan. His studies continued under Takeuchi Seiho in Kyoto, and later moved to Kobe for his work. Works by Hakuho have been displayed at the Kyoto City University of Art.

Dimensions: 69 1/2" W x 68" H

A collection of twelve samurai arrows, or yajiri, mounted on a custom built museum display stand.

Dimensions: 8 3/4" x 3" x 16" H (overall)

A collection of samurai arrows, or yajiri, mounted on a custom built museum display stand.

Dimensions: 5 1/4" x 1 1/4" x 9 3/4" H (overall)

Antique Japanese scroll painting of a flying goose, sumi ink on paper. With calligraphy signature and red chop. This scroll has the original two tomobako (storage boxes).

Early Edo Period Circa 1600's

Dimensions: 22" x 48 1/2" H (entire scroll) 15 1/4" x 11 1/2" H (artwork only)

24" x 3 1/2" x 3 1/4" (red lacquer tomobako)

Museum grade very large Japanese Ginbari enamel vase. Ginbari is a technique using a foil design made with an embossing plate. The vase has a robin's egg blue enamel ground comprised of small flowers, with Wisteria branches bearing pastel green and purple flowers, small birds perched and flying through the tree branches. The elongated vase has a slightly tapered form with short, fluted foot and neck...

A Japanese Butsudan, or Buddhist shrine for in-home use. The exterior of the shrine is lacquered in red with black lacquer and gold gilt pigments. The gilt hardware of the butsudan are highly ornate with motifs of chrysanthemums, lotuses, vines, and dharmachakra wheels. The lower area of the shrine features two pull-out platforms and hidden drawers...

Japanese zenibako (money safe box) made with Keyaki (zelkova) burl wood in original red lacquer finish. The zenibako is fitted with brass hardware including side handles in a mokko (melon) motif. The hinged lid has a large front lock plate with matching key, and a calligraphy inscription on the underside. The interior of the zenibako holds two open compartments.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 20 1/2" x 12" x 7 3/4" H

Japanese two section tansu made with Kiri (paulownia) wood. The chest's four front drawers feature large, round Kiri wood mon (family crest) motif lock plates , while the Warabite style drawer pulls have small pierced plates below them in the style of a crane mon. The bottom section holds a small corner safe door with two small drawers inside.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 40 1/2" x 17 1/4" x 42" H

Japanese two section clothing tansu, made with Kiri (paulownia) wood. Decorated with classic round iron locks and handles. The lower section holds a corner safe box.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 37" x 16 1/2" x 43 1/4" H

A Japanese single section Sendai tansu, constructed of Keyaki (elm) front panels and Sugi (cedar) sides, with original light finish and black lacquered frame. The drawers of this chest have large, decorative, hand-forged iron lock plates with floral motifs and mokko (melon) handles. The side of the chest has a safe door with 3 small Keyaki burl front drawers inside.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 46 3/4" x 19 1/4" x 35" H

An unusual Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) constructed of Kiri (paulownia) wood with natural finish. This unusual piece contains a top compartment behind sliding panels as well as another below it, the lower compartment containing two shelves and a set of 3 small drawers with decorative locking plates, opened by kan (ring) pulls. The middle inner drawer contains a secret hidden compartment. All in original condition...

Japanese pair of 2 panel byobu screens, with hand-painted scenes of small flying birds, a pond with foliage, a blossoming plum tree branch with gold flecks.Applied gold clouds and pigment on silk. enclosed in a black lacquered frame dating circa 1930.
Yamashita Chikusai (1885-1973) was born in Kyoto and studied under the important turn of the century master Yamamoto Shunkyo (1871-1933) from the age of fifteen, becoming one of his highest ranking pupils...

Japanese small choba tansu, constructed of Kiri (paulownia) and Sugi (cypress) natural finish wood. With hand-forged iron hardware and plates. The choba has hirute handles, with foliate edge motif lock plates, small pair of sliding middle doors with slats, and a corner bottom safe box with two small drawers inside.

Late Edo / Early Meiji Period (circa 1850's)

Dimensions: 23 3/4" x 14" x 24" H