Tsuchiya Koitsu
Onomichi Saikokuji, December 1935
Size: Mitsugiriban. Approximately 16.0 x 7.25 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo
Koitsu catalogue no.: TK-TM-10
Condition: Tipped at top to original cardstock. Wavy crease and and light foxing.

Koizumi Kishio
Lingering Snow at Five-storied Pagoda
No. 7 from the series, Views of Nikko National Park
Date: 1936.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10 x 7.75 inches (25.6 x 19.6 cm).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Possibly faintly signed at lower right.
Condition: Excellent.

Copper greens splash this bold chawan by Kojima Kenji enclosed in the original signe wooden box. It is 5 inches (12.5 cm) diameter, 3-3/4 inches (9 cm) tall and in fine condition. Kojima Kenji was born in Aichi prefecture in 1953, and graduated the Tokoname Ceramics High School in 1971. He moved to Iga where he studied and was immediately accepted into the Asahi Togeiten Ceramics Exhibition...

Japanese Meiji period woodblock print triptych by Utagawa Kokunimasa (1874-1944), aka Ryua, titled “The battle between Japan and Russia at Seoul” depicting troops landing on the Korean peninsula at the start of the Russo-Japanese War. The print was published by Fukuda Hatsujiro and is dated in the cartouche at the lower left 2/1904. Signed at the lower right "Ryua" and with the artist's red "Edokko" seal below. Each of the three panels measures 14 1/2" - 14 5/8" x 9 3/4" (paper size)...

Japanese dish or bowl, Ko-Kutani revival from the Meiji period, late 19th century. Enameled in purple, yellow and green with a wave-line border surrounding a motif of poets (?) and a weeping willow in a mountainous seascape. Dark brown rim, the back with Kutani mark in green. Diameter "8 ½ / 21.5 cm. Condition: the back with some rubbing marks and a glaze bubble (cf. pics).

A large Ko-Kutani style porcelain, charger sized, deep dish or shallow bowl. In the Ao-Kutani palette but with addition of red enamel to the array of blue, green, aubergine, yellow, black and chocolate brown enamel. The interior with bird perched on a peony stem, the cavetto with band of repeating diamond pattern. The back glazed green over black karakusa. The bottom yellow with black mark under a square green glazed reserve...

A crusty black clay vase by Sakata Jinnai enclosed in the original signed wood box. Sculpted out into a crescent, it roughly forms a 24 cm (9-1/2 inch) diameter circle. Excellent condition.
Sakata Jinnai was born in Tokyo in 1943, and began as an apprentice under the legendary Kamoda Shoji in 1964, establishing his first kiln in 1966...

Pure elegance and simplicity of form by Komazawa Risai enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Mage-Kensui (Round Spent Water Container). It is lacquered outside is tame-nuri opaque wine-red, inside is polished ro-iro black decorated with gold reeds overlapping from all directions. It is 16 cm (6-1/2 inches) diameter, 7 cm (2-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition...

19th C. Japanese Boxwood Netsuke: TANUKI NO HARA TSUZUMI,

Signed Juzan (ishikawa Komei) This is a finely carved boxwood netsuke depicting Tanuki, seated, wearing a kimono, with a striker on his right hand, getting ready to beat his hairy distended scrotum that is resting on a cushion as if it were a mokugyo. Very skillfully done miniature sculpture that is signed Juzan within an oval reserve on the bottom of the netsuke. The cord holes (himotoshi) are lined up with natural material...

A Japanese large bronze sculpture depicting a perched falcon with light and pleasant patina. Eyes, beak and legs in black enamel and gilted. Kōmin 高民 signature under the tail within an oval silver reserve. Provenienza: Giappone Periodo: Meiji 1880 c.a Dimensioni: 51 x 30 x 20 cm. Stato di conservazione: Ottimo

A lidded vessel of diamond form decorated with a circle and square viewed through vertical blinds of changing colors beaded with silver dew by Kondo Takahiro. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box enclosed inside a red lacquered outer wooden box (Niju Tomobako) dating circa 2002. The piece measures 7-1/2 x 4 x 10 inches (19 x 11 x 25 cm) and is in perfect condition.
Takahiro (b. 1958) was born the grandson of Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo...

A striking ceramic box scrawled with abstract lines covered in silver on top with silver droplets of mist covering the blue sides by Kondo Takahiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Jigen Jikiro. It is 14.5 x 8.5 x 7 cm (5-3/4 x 3-1/4 x 3 inches) and is in perfect condition.
Kondo Takahiro (b. 1958) was born the grandson of Living National Treasure Kondo Yuzo. However, he graduated Hosei University not with a degree in sculpture or crafts, but in Literature...

White blossoms decorate a scattering of branches on the surface of this footed sweets dish by Kondo Yutaka enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled FunKa Daizara. It is 8 inches (21 cm) diameter, 3 inches (8 cm) tall and is in excellent condition. The deeply impressed white patterns are striking against black.
Kondo Yutaka (1932-1983) was born into a traditional pottery family in Kyoto...

A quintessential example of this artists most sought-after style, a ‘Scattered Blossoms’ vessel by Kondo Yutaka enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Funka Bin (Scattered Flowers Bottle). The pattern of petals is impressed deeply into the surface, and filled with white slip, contrasting starkly against the textured black background...

Viscious ash and charring cling to the side of this spectacular Mizusashi by Konishi Heinai enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 7 inches (18 cm) tall, the same diameter and in fine condition.
Konishi Heinai (1899-1991) was born into a family of farmers in Ehime on the Island of Shikoku. In 1925 he fell head over heels in love with Raku-yaki and it was in the world of pottery he chose to leave his mark. Returning to Shikoku in 1928, he studied various techniques and went on ...

Sparrow on Hortensia (Blue Hydrangea) (aka. A Songbird Among Hydrangea)
Size: Kotanzaku. Approximately 19.4 x 9.6 cm. 7.75 x 3.75 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto (no. 106).
Kono Bairei seal at lower left. Bairei died in 1895, which, curiously, was before Matsumoto was in business. Matsumoto has also issued this print with a proper Koson seal. Please see an example in our last photo.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Pucker in paper...

A very interesting chawan (tea bowl) from the Korean Joseon period (Richo in Japanese; 1392-1897). This particular piece appears to date from the 15th/ 16th century and comes with what may be the original box and a quite old silk pouch. The light creamy crackled glaze is smooth in the hand and fine hairline fractures radiating along the walls of the bowl show remnants of gold repairs from previous centuries. Such pieces have long been favored by learned cha-jin (tea people) and are quite prized ...

Light brown clay underlying rich earthy tones, this Irabo chawan has an attractive shape and slender textured pedestal. Rough yet elegant, it feels comfortable in the hand.

Introduced to Japan in the 16th and 17th centuries from the Korean Joseon dynasty (1392-1897), Irabo bowls are admired largely for their use in tea ceremony. Made of coarse, unrefined clay with a high content of iron oxide, such bowls display remarkable contrast and depth. The clay which forms the bowls will someti...