This finely crafted Japanese yakkan (copper teapot) shows the kind of beautiful patina that can only be achieved with time and careful used and looks to date from the Meiji period of the late 1800s.

The brilliant rich auburn color of this type of metalwork is achieved by adding smoked straw during the firing process and often deepens in character over time...

Antique Japanese small merchant's box. Although this tansu has the appearance of a gyosho bako (peddler's box), it does not have loops for carrying straps. It was probably custom made for a merchant's raised platform area. All of the drawers feature hand forged iron lock plates and mounts. One of the smaller drawers is stained with ink meaning it would have stored an ink pen for receipts and accounting...

Used for ceremonial purposes by the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Traditionally, the jue vessel was made of bronze with a pouring spout on either end and a pair of capped posts rising from the rim. This ceramic jue cup is done in fine porcelain with underglaze enamel and is described on the tomobako as being a jue-shaped incense burner (korou)...

Height: 3.5 cm (1.3 in)
Length: 4.2 cm (1.7 in)
Depth: 2.2 cm (0.8 in)

Japanese dragon fish netsuke modelled in the form of a Mokugyo bell; natural material; inlaid horn eyes; signed within an oval panel

Antique Japanese kannon biraki (opening door) isho tansu (clothing chest) in 2 sections. Made with kiri (paulownia) wood front with sugi (cryptomeria) wood top and sides. The top section has a pair of hinged doors which open to reveal two large drawers. The bottom section has two large drawers and a safe box in the lower right hand side. The hinged safe box door opens to reveal two small interior drawers, one of which has a hidden compartment...

Large and heavily potted porcelain body, decorated in an nice pale cobalt blue in Shunzui style and with medallions showing flying birds and wild gees, birds sitting on branches, sailboats and Fujiyama mountain. Japan, nineteenth century. Diameter: 42 cm. H : 33 cm. Condition: Broken at one area to the rim. This broken area would be absolutely suitable to ennoble the piece with a most beautiful Kintsugi repair ( Gold lacquer repair, please see the images ).

Japanese Edo period woodblock print depicting “The lay priest Ryuen, Uramatsu Kihei Hidenao, behind a rack of kimonos” from the series “Stories of the Faithful Samurai.” The print is signed at the lower left "Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga" (1797-1861). The red Yoshi Kiri seal is beneath the signature. The publisher’s seal and series number is below the artist’s seal. The date seals are above the signature. The series title is at the upper right...

Antique Japanese tansu from the Nigata area of Japan. Most likely used by a merchant for storage. The 9 drawers are in three rows with the shallowest drawers along the top and gradually getting deeper toward the bottom of the chest. The hardware is all of iron and includes elegant hirute shaped drawer pulls, fan shaped lock plates and corner bracing. The wood is paulownia (kiri) wood.

Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 19 1/2" high x 31" wide x 19" deep.

Antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest of drawers) from the Kyoto region. The chest has an open shelved compartment, with a money slot on the bottom shelf that drops into the drawer below. With black iron Warabite style handles on each drawer, 3 of which also have squared lock plates with Chrysanthemum studs...

A Boro cover textile of sewn together bits of worn out Asa (Hemp) fabrics resist died with various patterns. 146 X 163 cm (57-1/2 x 64 inches).

Antique Japanese Mingei Flat Pounding Board An exquisite patina covers this heavy pounding board from Northern Japan used for working rice into dough. It is 53.5 x 31 x 9 cm (21 x 12 x 3-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.

Considered auspicious symbols of wealth, status, and good fortune; foo dogs—commonly referred to as shishi or koma-inu in Japan—are often seen in pairs guarding shrines, straddling the doorways of shops, and protecting public buildings. This fierce guardian appears to be made from bronze, has very detailed and skillful etching, and a wonderful patina that would place it sometime before the turn of the last century.

Guardian lions are commonly seen in pairs...

A one of a kind huge bronze lotus temple basin with a dragon wrapped around the base and coming over the top as a water fountain. The base has bronze shishi in relief. C.1880. Stands over 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide. We had the fountain installed. Comes in two pieces; the base and the basin. Excellent condition with a minor dent in the tail of the dragon. Video available for serious enquiries.

With a slender balanced foot firmly grounded, the skillful lacquer repairs on this bowl highlight the age and importance of this work which likely dates from the Edo period. Stemming from the philosophy of wabi-sabi or, beauty in the imperfect, cracks and repairs in a work of pottery are often seen as highlighting the history of the object and are thus celebrated as such...

Stemming from the philosophy of wabi-sabi—often described as the beauty found in the imperfection and transience of the world—cracks and repairs in a work of pottery are often seen as highlighting the history and importance of a ceramic object. Practitioners of tea in particular are fond of reminding us that works repaired with lacquer and gold such as the one featured here become more resilient and beautiful for having been damaged...

19th century finely hand-carved Japanese boxwood netsuke of Shogun Yoritomo (General Minamoto no Yoritomo 1147-99) sitting in his court; ready to begin audiences with his advisers and subjects. Netsuke measures 1.35 inches (3.4cm) wide, and 1.35 inches (3.4cm) tall...

19th century finely hand-carved Japanese boxwood netsuke of a blind masseur or Totsuka Beggar crouching and trying to lift a stone, or possibly his hugely distended scrotum. He has the typical bump on his head. He squints as he attempts to lift the large object. He is wearing only a fundoshi. His right eye is inlaid with light colored horn. Excellent detail and patination. Netsuke measures 1.38 inches (3.5cm) wide, and 1.22 inches (3.1cm) tall...

19th Century, Japanese nicely hand-carved boxwood Netsuke depicting a character of a Japanese folk tale 'The story of the old man who made withered trees blossom': Hanasaca Jiisan. Here, Hanasaca is shown in one of the scenes of the folk tale where he is chopping down a tree to make a mortar...