Splashes of Jackson Pollock in iron and ash festoon the flaring form of this sake-cup by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Sake-nomi. The base is thick, allowing the cup to be quite stable, while the narrow foot leads to a wide, flaring rim, which makes it both easy to hold, and perhaps far too easy to drink from. It I 9 x 8 x 5.5 cm (roughly 3-1/2 inches diameter, 2-1/4 inches tall) and in perfect condition, directly from the artist...

Not just for alcohol, this is perfect for winter tea, a beautifully formed deep cup covered in tri-colored glaze occasionally revealing the rough clay beneath by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shunju Shochu-nomi. Literally translated Shunju is Spring and Fall, a phrase denoting all the colors of the seasons, and it is the term he has chosen to poetically describe the various colorations of his work...

A really old Japanese lacquer wooden mizusashi for the tea ceremony, made of cherry wood with its original lacquered lid. It dates from the later Edo Period. Such wooden mizusashis are really rare. It is elegantly proportioned and has a black lacquered interior.

Mizusashi is a fresh water jar with a lid used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremony to fill the boiling kettle and rinse the tea bowls...

1900's Japanese Makuzu Kozan Studio Vase Jar with Iris Flowers in Grounds of Relief Waves

It is 9 inches (22.85 cm) tall by 8.3 inches (21 cm) wide. It is 2.6 Lb.

It is missing a lid and has glaze crazing, skip and excess glazes, and surface wears and scratches (as seen in the photos).

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Maiwai is a kimono having been given to fishermen from a fish boat owner on the occasion of the large catch. It is seen along the Pacific Ocean, from Aomori to Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka prefecture. The motifs of the picture are auspicious ones such as crane, turtle, large sake cup and sea birds, and also the name of boat in the banner with katazome (stencil-resist-dye). It is vegetable indigo dye and colored with pigments...

Hemp furoshiki with tsutsugaki tai (sea bream) and bamboo design, whose wefts and warps are hand plied. The family crest is Maruni-Katabami-Mon. Katabami is perennial plant, named oxalis. Hand-sewn but both hems are machine sewn. The sewing machine was already imported in late Edo period and probably it was used widely in Meiji period (1868∼1912). In good condition except for a few spots. Meiji period. Made in Kyushu. W:95cm, L:110cm

A large Flower vase made by the Ando Cloisonne Company at the turn of the 19th Century. The vase has a beautiful enameled scene of mountains and flying geese. Regrettably this marvelous work of art has been damaged. The vase is done in wired, wireless, and other cloisonne techniques for which the Ando Company is known for. This vase is of the highest quality for the art of cloisonne and is signed with the special mark of Jubei Ando...

Round in shape in the spirit of a kobako, this rare box in 2 parts in fundame lacquer represents a butsudan (small portable temple) inside which there are, very finely carved, a Buddha on the lotus and 2 apsaras. On the lids lotus leaves seem to fly.

"Sorihiki-happi"from Yusa in Yamagata prefecture which was worn for sleigh pulling. It has cloth with sashiko for reinforcement diagonally, from shoulder to one side of the body, and also both sides. It was worn when sorihiki pull down a sleigh with firewood from the mountain to the foot of the mountain. Yusa sashiko is one of Shonai sashiko in Yamagata prefecture. This happi has fine horizontal as well as vertical sashiko on whole ground cloth...

An antique Japanese Sendai Tansu in a rare 2 section design made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware with Urushi lacquer finish. Rounded Mokko style handles with Chrysanthemum lock plates surrounded by an arabesque leaf pattern. Four large drawers with a hinged security door that hides two small drawers.

Age: Meiji Era (1870-1880)

Dimensions: 46" Wide by 43 1/8" High by 17 3/8" Deep

An antique Japanese Kotansu (personal storage chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware and aged patina finish. Warabite style handles. Straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wood nails were incorporated into its design. Five drawers with a hinged security door that behind hides two small drawers.

Age: Meiji Period (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 29 1/4" Wide by 26 3/8" High by 15" Deep

Running out of words to praise the master of the sake cup. Here is another fantastic deep cup by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shunju Shochu-nomi. Ostensibly for the bold Japanese spirit, it would also be perfect for mugi-cha, bancha or other hot tea. It is 11 x 10 x 10 cm (4-1/4 x 4 x 4-1/4 inches) and is in perfect condition, directly from the artist.
Murakoshi Takuma is one of those enigmas who simply lives to work with clay...

Murakoshi Takuma is a cherubic fellow who loves to share a cup. Therefore, he is quite good at making a guinomi you would not like to put down. This is a perfect example of that, a wide, shallow guinomi on a tall foot, undulating inside and out and covered in his tell-tale combination of Ash, Feldspar and Iron with occasional visions of untouched raw Shigaraki clay which he has poetically named Shunju or colors of the seasons...

What a pleasure to hold this deep precipitous vessel! Here the artist indicates it is for drinking shochu, a strong Japanese spirit, and one that he is quite familiar with as I can attest from our occasional outings together. It is as merry as the Takuma himself...

Ohara Shoson (Koson)
Goldfish
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Date: 1926. This edition post-1957.
Publisher: Watanabe. Round 7mm publisher's seal at lower right.
Reference: S39.6 and cat. 171 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Condition: Removed from original window matte. Slightly toned.

Deep grooves scored by the artists fingers allow this cup to fit snugly into ones hand, a perfect fit by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Sake-nomi...

Wood tray with urushi painted whose technique is free and irregular. It might be made not for sale, however, it is unique and interesting. The first half of the 20th century. In good condition except for a few minor chips on the rim. Diameter:30cm, H:4cm

Crafted from locally sourced Bizen clay, this mid-Edo period vase embodies simplicity, beauty, and understated elegance. Its unassuming form showcases the natural beauty of the clay, enhanced by a delicate ash glaze. The texture and shape evoke a sense of rustic charm, reflecting the profound harmony between human creativity and the organic world. Now several centuries old, this piece continues to serves not only as a functional display piece, but also as a symbol of the enduring leg...