Japanese antique burl hand warmer, typically used in the tea ceremony where each participant would have their own charcoal heater. Nowadays, this container (hibachi) can be used to store all manner of small items and makes a delightful table top accessory.

Dates Edo Period 19th century
Size H 6 1/2" x W 13" x D 10"

Antique Japanese burl root wood formation. Collected for it's unusual, gnarled beauty. Mounted on a square stand of iron and cherry wood. Exhibited at the San Francisco Fall Art and Antiques Show.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 16 1/2" high x 16 3/4" wide x 12 1/4" deep

Antique Japanese 6-panel byobu (folding screen painting) depicting 6 hawks. Each hunting bird is tethered to pole with a silk cord. Every feather is painted in detail. Mineral colors on paper with gold leaf and silk borders. Each panel is signed by the artist: 常建筆 Painted by Tsunetatsu.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 67" high x 145 1/2" long

Antique Japanese calligraphy scroll painting by the Confucian scholar, poet, koto musician, calligrapher and artist, Ryū Kōbi (also called Ryû Sôro) (1714-1792). Sumi ink on paper. With three seals, one being his trademark Dragon seal.

This work is Waka poetry done in traditional 5-7-5-7-7 syllables or a 5-line wake poem. Which traditionally calls up an image of nature that then alludes to an emotion. This poem is one written long ago by the famous Chinese poet Zhang Ji (A...

Antique Japanese Carpenter Reel, Sumi Tsubo, Ink Line. 8.25 x 3.5 inches, 21 x 9 cm. It is rare to see sumi tsubo (Japanese carpenter's reel or inkline used for layout) fully intact with all its parts, including line and original stick pin, like this one. The Japanese word for tools is Dogu, which was originally the word for an itinerant monk's belongings. It alludes to the spiritual value which craftsmen put on their tools. Japanese antique carpenter tools are now artifacts with history and bea...

Antique Japanese bamboo container for flowers. Beautifully carved in high relief with a scene of a tiger in a bamboo grove. The tiger is carved with great detail and expression standing on an outcropping of rock, mouth open in a roar. The bamboo stocks and leaves around him are enormous in comparison and are carved so deeply that the branches are not attached to the body of the container in some places. Lined with a copper insert. Signed on the back: Koseki. Size: 14 1/2: high x 6" wi...

Antique Japanese bamboo walking stick. Carved with scenes of snakes chasing frogs. The frogs and snakes appear on the surface of the cane as if through holes in a tunnel. With details painted in ink and light colors. Signed by 吉明刀 Yoshiaki.

Taisho Period (1912-1926)

Dimensions: 36" long x 3/4" wide

Antique Japanese tray carved in the form of a leaf out of burl wood, beautifully modeled with twisting branches, a smaller leaf and seed pods, the beauty of the burl is highlighted in this naturalistic carving, Meiji Period. Size: 19 1/4" wide x 19" wide

Beautiful Japanese antique highly carved butsudan panel, carved with scene of two dragons in swirling clouds and crashing waves, black and gilt lacquer with details in red, the eyes of the dragons are made of reverse painted glass, framed in black lacquer frame with copper hardware. This piece was once a ranma or transom over the interior doors of a large Buddhist butsudan shrine. Meiji Period. Size: 9" high x 44" long. Carving is up to 3" deep.

Antique Japanese figure of seated Quan yin, made of carved cinnabar lacquer. She is seated on a lotus throne and holds a scroll in her hands. Her robes are carved all over with floral and Buddhist motifs. Her facial expression is serene, befitting her role as goddess of compassion.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 6 1/4" high x 3 1/2" wide x 3 1/4" deep

Antique Japanese bench elaborately carved with dragons, fitted with custom cushion of red silk with dragon pattern, flip top seat (with matching throw cushions inside), back carved with two large dragons and three reserves with dragons and a phoenix in the center, arms in the shape of dragons, beautifully carved, Meiji Period. Size: 53 1/2" high x 69" long x 26" deep.

Japanese antique couch, elaborately carved with coiling dragons, curving arms are carved in the form of two dragons, the seat is fitted with a cushion covered in silk brocade with a Chinese design, Meiji Period. Size: 41 1/4" high x 49" wide x 22" deep. (the seat is 42" wide x 16/17" deep.)

Antique Japanese round table, carved all over with irises, curving legs are in especially high relief with large iris blossoms, dark finish, table top has reddish brown finish, beautifully carved and very dramatic, made for export, circa 1910. Size: 29 1/2" high x 39" wide (at widest point) Table top is 28 1/2" wide diameter.

Antique Japanese carved wood figure of the esoteric Guardian of Buddhism, Fudō Myō-ō. The figure is simultaneously finely detailed and charmingly primitive adding to the authentic spirit of this Shingon temple guardian.

Also called Acala Vidyarāja (Sanskrit meaning unmovable king of esoteric knowledge), Fudō (sometimes simply called Fudō san in Japan) is usually the central figure in depictions of the five Wisdom Kings (Vidyarāja, Myōō). The purpose of his frightening ap...

Antique Japanese carved wood kyōgen theatre mask of the moon faced Otafuku. Her name was once Uzume and evolved into Okame which means "tortoise", a symbol of longevity. Otafuku or Okame is considered the goddess of mirth, a cheerful woman who's name means "abundant good fortune". A bringer of victory and success, she is good-natured, good-humored, good-hearted, generous, kind, serene, and patient. She is smart, strong-willed and competent as well as powerful enough to easily frighten away evil...

Antique Japanese carved wooden Kyōgen theatre mask of Zo-onna (middle-aged woman). Still beautiful, she is more serious than her younger counterparts. Her face is longer and narrower and she does not smile but her mouth is open, showing both rows of perfect teeth. Beautifully carved of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood, signed on the inside.

The characters of the signature read 工藤則朝作 (作, saku, here means "work of _" / "made by _", and the name is 工藤則朝). 工藤 i...

Antique Japanese large carved wooden tray, natural form and curled edges reminiscent of a lotus leaf, beautifully sculptured, late Meiji/early Taisho Period. Size: 24 1/2" wide x 15 1/2" wide x 1" deep.

Antique Japanese carved wooden figure of a fu-dog (fu-lion) guardian. Traces of paint and gold guilt remain. The underside has writing in ink and a translation which reads: "This pair of Foo-lions was donated to the gate of Myoken Nichiren Shrine in Noma village of the province of Sesshu (near Osaka) on the date of 9th May, 7th year of Genroku ra. (1694 AD) by Gendo Ujihiro Inoue for his memory of accomplishment of repeating "Nichiren" prayer 300 times."

Dimensions: 10" high x 9" ...