A dish of moulded octagonal form with vertical raised edges decorated with a Peony leaf scrolling arabesque ground inset with shaped reserves containing auspicious Dragons and Chinese lions. The rim decorated with a stylised wave border with alternating pairs of claw waves and, gobenka, five petal flowers placed in the corners both to the interior and the exterior of the rim. Further karakusa style motifs of leaf buds to the underside of the rim and a thunder-fret border pattern to the foot of t...

A Japanese scalloped rimmed bowl with a janome, bulls eye base, decorated wth three lotus form reserves each containing an auspicious somewhat rotund karashishi with a ribboned cash symbol inset against a rather unusual budo karakusa, grape vine arabesque. The base decorated with a stylised lotus pattern and the rim with a pattern of alternating double crested waves and gobenka. The interior decorated with a shochikubai-mon; the Three Friends of Winter. The form and style of the bowl is typical ...

An Arita moulded dish of shuronogata, Hemp Palm, form decorated in underglaze blue with gilt outlined enamels, somenishikide, dating to the late Mid Edo period. The dish decorated with a kachoga design evoking an image of late Winter or early Spring incorporating the Shochikubai, the Three Friends of Winter. The under-glaze blue portion of the design a Bamboo “Tree” with shattered trunk and a pair of enlarged yukiwa, snow flake roundels, to suggest seki, viewing stones. Further details a...

Ko Imari Shochikubai-mon and Tako Karakusa Dish mid 18C A moulded dish of lotus petal form with an upturned rim decorated in underglaze blue with a central Shochikubai mon, representing the auspicious Three Friends of Winter, framed by border of scrolling waves, uzunami, and a stylised lotus arabesque of so-called octopus scroll form. The reverse decorated with a meandering band of stylised Lotus vine, karakusa, and an auspicious four character fukichosun mark. The dish is in good condition, ...

A nagazara decorated with an unusual rectangular form Three Friends of Winter mon framed by border patterns incorporating a stylised landscape, and auspicious motifs, clouds, cash symbols and brocade patterns. The reverse decorated with taka-karakusa and kahana motifs. The foot-rim is decorated with a thunder fret border and the base painted with a four character fuuki chosun mark. This particular variant of shochikubai-mon dates from the 1760’s; a blue and white example of this style of mon...

A long dish of conventional form decorated in senbeki, pencilled, style with a pair of four toed Chinese Dragons in pursuit of flaming pearls all set against a lightening field. The central reserve decorated with stylised tadpole like thunder bolts. The reverse decorated with further lightening motifs and pearls and a small square seal mark containing the character Ho, precious treasure. Shards with this mark have been recovered from the kiln site of the Hokaoyama kiln dating to the late mid...

An Arita Nagazara decorated with a Chinese style estuarine landscape in underglaze blue. The reverse decorated with further island vignettes and the base with a four character Chenghua mark. The dish dates to the late 18th century circa 1770-1800. The dish measures 20.8cm in length, 12.4cm in width with a height of 3.8cm. It weighs 378 grams. It is in good condition with no cracks, chips or restoration.

A pair of hexagonal deep cups, choko, or mukuzuke each decorated with two Tojin figures in gilt set against an underglaze blue ground, with panels of brocade patterns alternating with cylindrical rolls of silk brocade (orimono) bound with auspicious kara kusa. The rim decorated with lappets containing partially obscured brocades, rolls of brocade (orimono), and hat of invisibility (kakuregasa), representing the eight precious objects, takara-mono. The interior of the bowl decorated with a Ta...

Like some ancient Haniwa soldier, this odd form stands guard, wide shoulders and dominating stance catching the eye, a sculptural vase by Koinuma Michio enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The mottled salt glaze covers a dark body standing 11 x 5 x 3 inches (28 x 12.5 x 33 cm). It is in excellent condition.
Koinuma Michio is a compelling figure unique among contemporary artists. He seems to have no limit to his imagination and creativity, still dazzling us with new concepts afte...

A very large container of this artist's signature textured gray clay by Koinuma Michio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chomon Tsubo (Sculpted Tsubo). Impressive, it is 28 cm (11 inches)diameter, roughly the same height and in excellent condition. For a simiolar piece see the second illustration in "To" volume ten.
Koinuma Michio is a compelling figure unique among contemporary artists. He seems to have no limit to his imagination and creativity, still dazzling us with ...

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Amano Kaguyama
Publisher: Takemura Hideo. Round Takemura seal lower right.
Date: 1930s.
Size: 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Title and Koitsu's Shinsei seal at left.
Koitsu catalog no.: TK-TM-134.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print. Print is attached along top edge only to original greeting card.
Condition: Card is discolored which has resulted in toning below the peak of the mountain (see enlargement 3).
Notes: Listed as very rare in Koitsu catalo...

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Fishing Boat Returning at Sunset, Yabase, 1933.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the round 6mm seal. This seal was used between 1946 and 1957.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.5 x 10.5 inches.
Condition: Pristine. Never displayed. Removed from original presentation folder for archival storage.
A rarely seen work.

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Himeji Castle, March 1936
Size: Mitsugiriban. Approximately 16.0 x 7.25 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo
Koitsu catalogue no.: TK-TM-14
Condition: Tipped at top to original cardstock. Toning and light foxing.

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Nara Horyuji, 1930s
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.5 x 7.5 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo
Koitsu catalogue no.: TK-TM-72
Condition: Tipped at top to original cardstock. Toning and light foxing.

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Port Tomo, May 1939
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.0 x 7.5 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo
Koitsu catalogue no.: TK-TM-54
Condition: Tipped at top to original cardstock. Very light foxing.

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. The following year he moved to Okayama, where he would remain 5 years studying Bizen and the complexi...