15th Century Japanese and carved wooded with gold gilt Japanese mounted flame. Once used as a flaming back drop to an important Japanese religious statue. Original gold pigment in great condition with undertones of black lacquer.
Custom forged iron stand mounted for home display.

Muromachi period 1336 to 1573 C. 15th Century

Dimensions: Base 9" long X 4" wide 34 1/2" high

This tranquil winter scene showing a group of birds taking shelter in the snowy boughs of a tree was done by well-known Edo painter, poet, and tea ceremony devotee—Baiitsu Yamamoto.

A native of Nagoya, a bustling Japanese center for shipping and trade in Late Edo, Baiitsu was heavily influenced by works of Chinese art, especially the naturalistic landscapes that made their way into Japan through this port city. Over time he came to paint almost exclusively birds in various landsc...

The mastery of expression accomplished by Suwa Sozan I is evident in this pair of porcelain children enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gosai Doshi Okimono (Five Colored Figure of Children). This piece is published in the definitive book “Suwa Sozan Sakuhin Shu” (1971). In the book the photo title is more specific “Gosai Mimiakatori Karako Okimono” (Five Color Figure of Chinese Children Cleaning Ears) and the work is dated to 1913. The fellow doing the cleaning is absor...

This is a large attractive cloisonne vase that we have had on display for many years. It is not signed and we're not sure of the Artist. It stands 24 inches tall and is in excellent condition. The smaller stand is included. The tall hardwood stand it is displayed on, stands 40 inches tall and is available.

A Japanese painted and lacquered polychrome wood Fudo-Myo with horn gilted eyes on glass covered. Fudo Myo-o, god of fire and wisdom, is the most popular of the Myo-o “great kings”. He is the fifth guardian of the heavens and protector of astrologers, he is invoked when difficult undertakings are undertaken. Fudo transforms anger into salvation, has a truly furious attitude, with his terrifying gaze he tries to scare people into accepting the teachings of Buddha Dainichi Nyorai (the Supre...

Small silver vase with flared and hemmed neck. A finely chiseled snake is wrapped around the neck and an enameled chrysanthemum. The lower body is enamelled in polychromy by silver wire partitions. Under a round base there is a signature in a golden cartouche of Mitsu Shige. Period: Meiji. Height: 10cm (4")

Charming Japanese Seated Bronze Maiden on original well-carved wooden base. Young maiden is dressed in peasant clothing and is holding a teacup.

Size: Overall 16" H x 13"W x 17"L Actual 14.5:H bronze figure

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

An incredible carved bamboo vase of warriors making their way through forested crags whipped by roiling mist cut from a single piece of bamboo and signed on the base Omikuni Sakata Shiori Yamaguchi Moritsugu Saku :Made by Yamaguchi Moritsugu of Shiori, Sakata, Omi Province (Modern day Maibara Shiga Prefecture on the North-Eastern shore of Lake Biwa). It is 35.5 cm (14 inches) tall and in overall excellent condition, enclosed in an old wooden box.
Possibly the image of Okuninushi and his...

Here we have a very unique ceremonial tea implement made by one of the most important figures from Japanese tea culture in the past century. While most tea scoops (chashaku) are made of bamboo, this piece is fashioned from the branch of a plum tree and retains part of the bark on the handle. Fashioned by the 14th Tea Master of Urasenke, this is a very rare and interesting implement.

Matcha tea culture in Japan stretches back nearly 1,000 years, when it was first brought to its shore...

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

Antique Japanese bronze candlestick with a whimsical scene of a cat chasing a mouse. The cat slinks around the round base while the mouse clings to the candle pricket high above. The animals are especially well modeled and have highly detailed fur. The base of the candlestick is cast with an archaic motif made popular again during the Meiji era. Provenance: William Lipton Collection, New York City

Age: Meiji Period (circa 1890)

Dimensions: 7 1/2" high x 5 1/4" wide (diamet...

Antique Tibetan Buddhist small reliquary in stupa form. Made of glass and covered with gold leaf, this votive offering would have once been housed in a larger container and placed at the foot of an architectural stupa acting as either a funeral mound or housing relics of an important person. The shape, with it's rounded body and terraced lid, imitate the larger stupa, a three dimensional mandala and symbol of Buddha.

Age:17th/18th century

Dimensions: 3 1/2" high

Lacquered wood sake cup. Hira and Taka Maki-é gold powder decoration on a KinJi (gold powder) background, différents kind of nashiji, détails in red,brown and reddish brown, the reverse in red lacquer. Depicting a curious scene of mother and childs in front of a toys shop. Epoque Edo. Signature. Best quality surely a great artist and very amusing and curious scène as you can see there are some toys, ducks, boats ,evil but what's this water machine? I don't know ,somebody perhaps know? .Go...

A brush, ink stick letter knife and ink stone are set into a compartment inside this flattened bamboo shape carved from Zitan wood with a poem engraved into the lid signed on the back side Hokkyo Sessai and enclosed in a wooden box. Lifting out the lid by means of the strap, one finds the knife tucked into the handle, the brush, stone, and ink laid out and ready to use. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) long. The ink stone, firmly embedded in the wood, has cracked, otherwise all is in excellent co...

Jade pendant (Talisman) representing a tigress and her cub. (Or devouring a prey?) Usual wear for this period. No lack or restoration. Drilled with a hole between the front legs. Ming or earlier. 40x26x18mm Exceptional note: This jade was part of a collection of hundreds of Chinese jades from all eras from Neolithic to Ts'ing (Qing) purchased in the auction room in the 1970s in France, as for other objects on offer on our site, for each one we will specify.

An antique Japanese Ko Tansu (personal storage chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware with auspicious Paulownia leaf lock plates and Warabite handles. The original finish was done in a wiped Urushi lacquer technique for both the drawer fronts and the tansu body.

It was used in a wealthy Japanese home to store personal effects, ephemera, writing tools, and other miscellaneous sundries. In a modern home, it would make the perfe...

A master work by one of the top artisans of the late 20th century—the result of techniques perfected over centuries by dedicated craftsmen residing in districts in and around Kyoto. This black Raku-style tea bowl produced by Sugimoto Sadamitsu beautifully exemplifies the essence of "wabi-cha" or the philosophy of finding beauty and deep philosophic meaning in rustic simplicity.

Sugimoto (b. 1935) is one of the most important Shigaraki potters alive today and continues to create...

Master of a very difficult technique from the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) known in Japanese as Neriage, the potter who created this elegant vase uses extreme precision to combine sheets of differing types of clay, culminating in a unique visual effect. While many of his pieces are ringed with swirls of colors, this one is more modern and subdued. With quite a lot of character, this lovely vase will draw attention without being overpowering.

Born in Nagano, Kosei Matsui (1927-20...