Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art (4988)

Antique Chinese figure of a standing bodhisattva, most likely Avalokiteshvara since he holds a gold lotus in one hand and a gold water jar in the other. Standing on a double lotus base and on a carved hardwood stand. Flowing drapery and high chignon with gold detail. Made of silver repoussé. Provenance Estate of WM Bogdanowicz, Wisconsin.

Age: 18th/19th century

Dimensions: 13 1/2" high (including stand)

Antique pair of Japanese menuki. These small but detailed elements of a traditional samurai sword were originally made to hide the pins (mekugi) that hold the back end of the blade (tang) to the hilt (tsuka). Made in pairs, they were positioned on either side of the handle. These menuki are especially fine and depict two men, likely sages by their long hair. Probably they are the friends, Kanzan (the Zen poet) and Jittoku (a servant at a monastery)...

Antique Japanese ikebana basket for flower arranging. Made of light color split bamboo woven into a rounded form. Contrasting dark and twisting wisteria vines make up the handle and pierce the undulating form of the basket.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 15" high x 12" wide x 11" deep

Antique Japanese wedding kimono Tansu made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made heavy gauge iron fittings and thick wood construction for strength and durability including straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. Specially commissioned chest for use as part of a bride's dowry to store her formal wedding kimono, her formal after wedding kimono and her informal wedding celebration kimono...

Antique Japanese round hibachi made of kiri (paulownia) wood and lacquered with highly raised maki-e design of irises and hydrangeas. Exuberant blossoms in gold and black lacquer with shell inlay. With a copper insert. This hibachi was originally used as a household brazier.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 9" high x 15" wide

An antique Japanese Kansai Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Beautiful original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron fittings including the Warabite handles. Sliding doors hide a spacious area that was used to store business books and records while the 11 drawers held all things suitable for a merchant e.g. writing brushes, inkstone, receipts, valuables and money.

Each side has handles for carrying about the chest...

Large Oushak Turkish hand knotted angora wool carpet with lovely color and deep luxurious pile, made with rich color vegetable died palette of rust gold reds and various blues with charcoal and apple greens.

Size: 14.4' x 15.9'

Age: circa 1920s

Stunning Antique Japanese moon handle basket for ikebana flower arranging. Made of split bamboo that has been twisted into rope and woven tightly together along with criss-crossing whole bamboo stalks. The deep reddish color of the split bamboo contrasts dramatically with the light color bamboo stalks. The wildness of the weaving highlights the tidiness of the overall form of the basket...

Antique Japanese Tobako-bon (tobacco box) with two small drawers. The top portion has an open square compartment lined with copper, a small rectangular-shaped space and another square compartment closed with a wooden lid. Just above the drawers is a long diagonal space to hold pipes. The box has a bamboo handle for carrying. Made with hardwood burl with dramatic swirling figure...

Antique Japanese rare gyosho bako (peddler's box) for a barber. A set of 3 separated boxes that fit together and can be easily carried. The largest box has 5 drawers with bronze hardware including hirute shaped drawer pulls and decorative peony back plates. The top of the box has 2 open compartments, a small covered compartment, and a handle for carrying. On the right side, a smaller box attaches onto the large box with 2 hooks...

An antique Japanese Yosegi Kobako (marquetry personal drawer box) from the Hakone region made of various natural colored woods with a Hinoki (Cypress) structure and drawer backs. The expert craftsmanship is quite evident by how the front marquetry design flows seamlessly across all of the drawers. Made with various woods including Keyaki (Zelkova), Kakinoki (Persimmon) and Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut). The box has 5 drawers with Mokko shaped drawer pulls...

Antique Japanese large moon handle basket for ikebana flower arranging. Split bamboo is twisted and woven into an openwork star pattern. Dramatic looping handle made of wide, layered split bamboo.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 16 1/2" high x 18" long x 11" wide

Antique Japanese uma-jirushi, flag standard for battle. This uma-jirushi is a large inverted gourd surrounded by smaller gourds. The great daimyo, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (famous for being the second unifier of Japan) made the upside down gourd his uma-jirushi symbol. A large upside down gourd was placed on top of his flag pole and smaller gourds were added around it with each victory. Called "Sen nari hisago" or "thousand gourds"...

Antique Chinese pair of porcelain figures of standing children, each holding a vase with lotus. Dressed in traditional baby clothes, the "heavenly twins" are delicately painted with enamel in a famille verte pallet. Impressed signatures on the bottoms.

Hehe Erxian, "two immortals of union and happiness", comes from the ancient story of two best friends, Hanshan and Shide, who were Buddhist monks...

Antique Japanese bronze suiban with raised designs of dragons on the front and back. Swirling mist motifs decorate the sides of the suiban and continue on the four feet it stands on. A key motif runs along the edge of the rectangular container. Four character mark on the bottom. Suiban are intended for displaying flowers (with a kenzan) or for displaying suiseki scholar stones for viewing and contemplation. Some repair to the feet.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions:...

An antique Japanese Kyoto Todana Tansu made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Two large sliding doors open to a spacious storage area with a center shelf. Horizontal wooden slats on the doors and the sides allow for visual aesthetics and strength of the chest. Side swivel handles were used for transporting this chest by running a long wood pole through the handles allowing a group of helpers to easily carry this chest from location to location.

The Japanese philosophy th...

An antique Japanese Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand made iron drawer pulls in the shape of a full moon with bow style back plates. Sliding doors feature Kakinoki (Persimmon) wood inlaid handles. Constructed using mortise and tenon joinery with horizontal side ribs for strength and durability. Abundant storage space behind both sets of sliding doors with additional space available in the four drawers.

...

A rare antique Japanese Kasane (stacking chest on chest) Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron hardware. Double side by side upper drawer design sometimes considered the matriarch pattern among Sendai Tansu collectors. Beautifully poised Shishi or Botan (Peony) motif on all of the lock plates with unusual scalloped cast framing surrounding each image. Warabite handles with incised Chrysanthemums along the bottoms of each...

Antique Caucasian soumak saddle bag. Opened flat, finely woven of beautifully colored wool with symbols of protection and fertility.

Age: 19th century

Dimensions: 50" long x 42" wide

A wonderful original Japanese six panel byobu screen. Hand painted with natural mineral colors on gofun paper. Unusual low height for the full six panel length. Finely painted pheasant sitting central to the painting. A family of swallows swooping and dancing around in a playful fashion. Natural full wisteria branch rises up to create a perch for the pheasant.

Fun fact, pheasants are the national bird of Japan. In Japan the pheasant is a divine messenger for Amaterasu, the great...

Antique Japanese full length tanegashima rifle with working original matchlock mechanism. Made of burl keyaki hardwood with original lacquer finish. The hand forged iron barrel is inlaid with a 3/4 length silver dragon swirling through clouds. Original decorative brass fittings with auspicious animals such as fu-dogs, birds and flowers. Unusual silver inlaid stripes on the mouth of the barrel.

Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display. (In the group picture, this tanagashima is...

An antique Japanese full length tanegashima rifle with working original matchlock mechanism. Hand made of high figure burl keyaki hardwood with original translucent lacquer finish. The whole length of the hand forged iron barrel is inlaid with a swirling silver dragon in clouds and the crest of the noble Tokugawa clan with six character mark which reads: 松平三河守 Matsudaira Mikawa-no-kami. Matsudaira refers to the Matsudaira clan. Mikawa-no-kami is a title that was held by Tokugawa ...

An unusual shorter length Japanese tanegashima (gun rifle) with working original matchlock mechanism. Made of hardwood with original dark lacquer finish. Iron barrel has a silver inlaid sasa mon (bamboo leaf crest). Elaborate brass work includes many chrysanthemum florets.

Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display. (In the group picture, this tanagashima is the second from the front.)

Age: Edo Period (c. 1830's)

Dimensions: 38 1/4" long (12" high on stand)...

Antique Japanese tanegashima short rifle (gun) with working original matchlock mechanism. Not original barrel, this one has been replaced with a shorter forged barrel onto the rifle wood stock.
Made of hardwood with lacquer finish. Silver inlay on the iron barrel includes an rare arrow motif. Elaborate brass work includes little florets and frolicking fu-dogs. Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display. (This tanagashima is the front gun in the group picture.)

Age: Edo P...

Antique Korean Nong storage cabinet. Single section with two compartments and four drawers along the top. Made with cypress wood frame and hardwood burl panels. Brass hardware with round lock plates and hinges.

Age: Joseon Period (late 1900's)

Dimensions: 56 3/4" high x 42 3/4" wide x 20 3/4" deep

An antique Japanese Kasane Tansu in 2 sections with a 3 drawer upper and 2 drawer lower design made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand made iron hardware with Urushi dark red lacquer finish and Gumbai handles. Constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. Lock plates have hand engraved auspicious symbols with Sho Chiku Bai comprising the upper section while the crane and turtle making up the bottom section.

Sho Chiku Bai or Pine...

An antique Japanese Zeni Bako (merchant coin box) made nearly entirely of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood. All original hand made iron fittings. Rope holes at the bottom sides used to tie and secure box for transport. Top has original round coin insert with neighboring later created coin slot to accept larger coins for safekeeping. Removable cover features a hard mount iron loop allowing a lock to be added to keep it from opening. Small bottom drawer with iron loop connection was made for the same pu...

Antique Korean bandaji, blanket storage trunk. Original finish with deep, rich patina. Iron hardware with cut out designs in hinges, lock plates, corner and side bracing. The door opens downward to a large compartment with a high shelf for storing smaller items. Though these trunks were used for storage of household items, bedding was usually folded and placed on top, thus giving them the name blanket storage chest.

Age: Joseon (Chosŏn) or Yi Dynasty (early 1800's)

Dim...

Antique Japanese yari saya, carved wooden cover for a yari spear. Favored by many samurai and ashigaru (foot soldiers) for the reached allowed by the long pole arm, the yari was a popular weapon for greater military use. At times of peace during the Edo Period, the yari also acted as a ceremonial weapon. The job of the yari saya was to protect the blade when not in use. Often the yari saya was decorated, in this case with inlaid shell. Over the shell is a very fine scrolling vine motif ...

An antique Japanese Kyoto Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress), Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) Woods. Constructed using through mortise and tenon joinery. Sliding doors hide a spacious storage area and a hinged door with hand tied wired panel behind which dry goods and items requiring air circulation were stored. The sides feature horizontal supports for strength, durability and visual aesthetics. All original iron hardware including the Warabite handles.

Origi...

An antique Japanese hand carved wood Ranma (transom) framed in Hinoki (Cypress) and hand carved in deep relief of Akita Sugi (Northern Cryptomeria) woods. Featuring a complex multi level temple and grounds amidst a a beautiful pine tree forest with mountains and clouds in the foreground and background. Continuous elaborate design on the reverse side of the transom.

Age: Meiji/Taisho Era (1910-1920)

Dimensions: 72" Wide by 15 3/4" High by 2 1/2" Deep

An antique Japanese Todana Tansu similar to the western sideboard cabinet or chest made of Momiji (Maple) for the drawer fronts and frame and Keyaki (Zelkova) panels for the sliding doors. with the interior made of Japanese Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. Original hand made iron hardware including the Warabite handles. Floating panels for the front, sides and top to prevent the wood from cracks from expansion and shrinkage. Constructed using through mortise and tenon Japanese joinery for strength ...

An antique Japanese Matsumoto Kimono Isho Tansu made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made iron hardware including the stylized Gumbai handles and the fancy lock plates with hand pounded stippling work. Each side both have side hand carrying handle as well as swivel handles through which a wood pole can be fitted allowing two persons to carry the tansu from place to place. The hinged door hides two small drawers for storing valuables. Hardened wood nails were used in its con...

An antique Korean scholar's low desk made of Chestnut drawer fronts and heavy old growth Red Pine wood for the balance of the piece. Designed with cubby-holes for the book stack of small manuscripts and books providing a Korean scholar's precious visual arrangement. Brass drawer pulls with foliated backplates. Delineated hard mounts with foliated tips to match the desk design.

There are 7 drawers for the storage of brushes, papers, inkstone and paperweights and the construction includ...

Antique Japanese wide lotus leaf. Made to be part of a Buddhist altar arrangement. The lotus represents enlightenment blooming from out of the mud. Carved of wood and lacquered gold. Fitted with a custom metal stand.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 20 3/4" high (including stand)

Antique Japanese gracefully curling tall lotus leaf. Made to be part of a Buddhist altar arrangement. The lotus represents enlightenment blooming from out of the mud. Carved of wood and lacquered gold. Fitted with a custom metal stand.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 27 1/2" high (including stand)

Antique Japanese tall and graceful lotus blossom. Made to be part of a Buddhist altar arrangement. The lotus represents enlightenment blooming from out of the mud. Carved of wood and lacquered gold. Lotus petals are carved separately and joined. Fitted with a custom metal stand.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 27" high (including stand)

An antique Japanese Ranma (transom) made of Akita Sugi (northern Japan Cryptomeria) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. The frame was finished in a black Urushi lacquer while the design was hand carved in relief on both sides. It depicts a scene of a male and female flying crane (each symbolizing 1,000 years of long life and together symbolizing a harmonious partnership) gliding through a forest of gnarly pine trees (symbolizing longevity).

Traditionally the Ranma was used above the sliding F...

Antique Japanese bajo jingasa, lacquered military hat for a horseman. Decorated with textured brown lacquer and with the Kyogoku family mon in gold. The underside is lacquered red with a black circle in the center and four hooks for chords.

The samurai class in feudal Japan, as well as their retainers and footsoldiers (ashigaru ) used several types of jingasa made from iron, copper, wood, paper, bamboo, or leather and usually treated with lacquer for weather proofing and decoratio...

Japanese conical ichimonji gasa (military jingasa) with a gradually pointing top and unusual, wavy brim mimicking cloth material. Lacquered a deep brownish black with areas of red lacquer showing through in a negoro lacquer effect. The raised red lacquer mon is that of either the Katakura or the Matsukura Clan. The underside is lacquered in the same manner as the top except for a round red lacquer circle in the center. On one side of the red circle are 4 rings for attaching chord.

...

A highly original late 18th century Tibetans monks trunk. An early example of painted Tibetan furniture, the chest is lavishly decorated with emblems symbolic of two deer resting on lotus blossoms looking up at the wheel of Dharmachakra. Original pigment in great condition showing much of the colors.
Raised outlines and layers of glossy lacquer catch the light, accentuating the trunk’s otherworldly subject matter. The extravagant decoration along with the elegant spear-like iron fitt...

A rare pair of 18th century hand carved Edo period solid keyaki (zelkova) peonies that would have been mounted on temple doors. Finely carved three dimensionally with great detail, condition is very good.
Custom fabricated stands with antique bronze finish float each carving securely and ready to display.

Age Edo Period 18th Century

12" wide X 12 1/2" high (each) X 16 1/2" high w/stand X 5" wide

Japanese circular jingasa with a gradual pointed top and curved rim in the front. Lacquered black with a crest in gold. The underside is lacquered red.

Jingasa ("war hat", a type of kasa commonly worn by samurai and ashigaru.
In the Edo period, the politics of display of sankin kôtai and other ceremonial occasions led to jingasa becoming more decorative in appearance, as was also the case for many other items of samurai arms, armor, and clothing. Still, these performed imp...

Antique Korean pair of nong, bedside chests for storage. Made of zelkova elm wood panels with cypress wood frame. Hardware is made of brass and has butterfly shaped door latches and hinges. The upper portion of each chest has a row of 4 small drawers with handles featuring bat shaped back plates. There is additional decorative corner hardware on the body and doors of the chest. Hinged doors open to a large open compartment. The doors themselves are finely inlaid with contrasting hardwood. ...

Antique Japanese pair of bronze candle sticks. Simple and elegant with bell shaped feet. Most likely for use at a temple shrine.

Age: Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 13" high x 4 1/4" wide at base

Antique Japanese small bronze suiban for flower or rock arrangements. Cast with designs of irises on two sides, the ends have bronze handles in the shape of knotted chord. Stands on four small feet.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 7 1/2" long x 5" wide x 2 1/8" high

Antique Japanese teshoku candle holder made of bronze. A long handle makes it easy to carry a candle around for light as well as very stable when set down. Cut-out design is of a Hoju, the Buddhist wish granting ball. History of the HoJu: Known as the hōju 宝珠 or hōju-no-tama 宝珠の玉 or nyoi houju 如意宝珠 in Japan, this jewel signifies the bestowal of blessings on all who suffer, for it grants wishes, pacifies desires, and brings clear understanding of the Dharma Buddhist law ...

Antique Japanese round porcelain plate decorated with blue underglaze scene of two fish and underwater plants. The plate stands on a round foot and the underside is decorated with rings and scrolling flora in blue underglaze. A small gold kintsugi repair and kiri tomobako are evidence that this was a valuable and prized part of someone's collection years ago.

Age: 17th century

Dimensions: 6 1/4" wide x 1 1/8" high

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) on horseback. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents. The cards are often used as part of...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a ḍākinī with phurba in one hand. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit writing on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents. The cards are often used as part of altar di...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) wielding a sword and banner. He wears a tiger skin around his middle and a human skin tied around his neck. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualiz...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) wielding a knife on the back of a fu-lion. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents. The ca...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a beast-headed ḍākinī. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit writing on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents. The cards are often used as part of altar displays that...

Antique Tibetan tsakli card depicting a wrathful deity (Heruka) wielding a sword on horseback. Painted in mineral colors on paper with Sanskrit description on the back.

Tsakli cards are powerful miniature paintings of Buddhist deities and objects. They have many different ritual uses. They can be used for teaching when a lama holds the card out for a student to focus on, thus helping them with the visualization and meditation on that deity and what it represents. The cards are ofte...

Antique Tibetan bronze seated figure of Vajrasattva. Also called Dorje Sempa, Dorje means "indestructible diamond" and Sempa is the Tibetan term for Sattva in Sanskrit meaning "heroic being". Sempa in this case, refers to the role of a Bodhisattva, someone on the road to becoming a Buddha but who has stayed behind, selflessly dedicating themselves to helping others gain enlightenment. Draped in beauty and calm, Vajrasattva sits on a lotus throne with a vajra scepter in one hand and a vajra...

An incredible large antique Japanese merchant Todana Tansu (storage chest with doors and drawers) in 2 sections made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Originally used in a Japanese store to stock and display wares and supplies as well as provide a beautiful functional furniture accent for the merchant. Original hand made iron locks that were used to secure the contents when the store was closed.

Constructed using mortise and tenon joinery as well as floating wood panels w...

Antique Japanese small scroll painting for a shrine depicting the goddess Benzaiten (Benten). One of the 7 Lucky Gods, Benten is the goddess of good fortune, wealth, music and knowledge. She originates from Saraswati, goddess of music. Here in this painting, she is in her 8-armed form called Happi Benzaiten. Each hand holds a specific buddhist attribute. She stands atop a dragon which hold a precious magic pearl in it's claws. On her crown is a small torii gate. Below, each on their...

Chinese large Pair of 2 tiered cabinets made of solid huanghuali with beautiful grain. The inside of one cabinet has an interior shelf with two drawers. The other cabinet is outfitted with a rod for hanging clothes.

Age: Republic Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 94" high x 47" wide x 21 1/2" deep each

Chinese pair large of 2 tiered cabinets. Made all of solid hardwood and carved with a dynamic scenes of 5 clawed dragons in swirling mist. The fronts and sides of the cabinets are completely covered in high relief carvings. On each cabinet, there are sixteen dragons carved on the front and 6 dragons on the sides.

Age: Republic Period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 80 1/2" high x 37" wide x 15 3/4" deep

Semi-antique tribal hand knotted wool carpet, Azeri, Fachralo, in rust and blues

Age: circa 1900

Size: 3.2' x 4.8'