A square porcelain plaque painted with different greens, overglaze blue, yellow, aubergine and iron red, mounted in a later European wooden frame. Depicting Hua Mulan, a legendary female warrior, who took her aged father's place in the army. Some orange peel, reverse without glaze. Condition: enamel colors with some wear. Dimension: plaque: 22.7 cm x 22.6 cm x 1 cm, with frame: c. 30 cm x 30 cm.

A beautifully crafted image of a cormorant seeking fish by Ishida Rainosuke enclosed in the original signed wooden box dating from the early 20th century. The bird is 38 cm (15 inches) long and both bird and fish are in excellent condition. A very interesting treatment of the position of the back foot shows the bird kicking, as if speeding up, eye on the prize.
Ishida Rainosuke was born in Kyoto in the 36th year of Meiji (1903) and graduated from the Department of Sculpture at the (mod)...

DESCRIPTION: A colorfully painted Tibetan chest with four side drawers having leather strap pulls (two drawers on each side). The chest is painted with green floral panels having red floral borders and is supported by short legs. A carved key fret pattern decorates the neck just below the top. Dating from the 19th C, this chest is in good condition with very minor scuffs to paint. DIMENSIONS: 33” high x 28.5” wide x 18”deep.

Woodblock print by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Utagawe Hiroshige (1797-1858). The streets are bustling with activity as we see a gentleman who wears a top hat being pulled along in a handcart, a woman in a kimono shading herself with a parasol, and other characters. There are sakura trees blossoming around a flagpole, a communal well, and a beautiful view of the sun rising beyond Mt. Fuji in the distance. Size: (print only) 6" height, 8.5" length (with frame) 9.25" height, 11.75" length

A framed pair of Southeast Asian palm leaf manuscripts, each side covered in gold leaf, with ornate filigree in red, and scenes of dancing people and beasts. With lines of text written in black lacquer pigment. These manuscripts have two holes each to be strung and bound together as a book. Professionally displayed suspended in glass and framed.

19th Century

Dimensions: 21.25" L x 23" H (entire frame) 22.5" L x 5" H (each manuscript)

Antique Japanese fukusa (gift cover), Yuzen-zome (paste regist dye) on silk kabe-ori (coarse crepe silk), early 1900s.

For a man to be a well balanced nobleman, there were requirements to be filled. 'Kin Ki Sho Ga', the four accomplishments of gentlemen, were chosen at an early time in China, practicing Kin (koto, music instrument), ki (go, Chinese chess), sho (calligraphy) and ga (painting). Here on this fukusa, with some variation (tea - sencha? was added), are the Six Immortals of the...

The theme on this fukusa (Japanese gift cover) is “Kin ki Sho ga”, four accomplishments of noblemen. For a man to be well balanced and eventually become a good leader, practicing (and become good at) of “Kin ki Sho ga” was encouraged during their leisure time; ‘Kin’ (Jp. Koto, string music instrument), ‘ki’ (jp. ‘Go’, Chinese chess), ‘sho’ (calligraphy) and ‘ga’ (painting). This started in China and was brought back to Japan by traveling monks studying Buddhism...

Old Japanese gift cover, fukusa with a black mask and a mask box, bells, hat and fan used in the Noh(No) play, Okina (the sacred old man). The Dance of Okina start with a comtemporary prayer for 'a peaceful reign over the land' Okina wearing a white mask. The black mask is worn by the Kyogen actor in the third dance, "Sanbaso". Embroidered on satin, lined with red crepe silk. Dimensions: 28" X 29"

Fukusa, Japanese Gift Cover, Pine, Bamboo and Plums on Fans: This type of fukusa is a covering placed over a gift at the time of a gift-giving ceremony such as "Yui-noh" which is held prior to a wedding. This is an elegant old satin silk Fukusa in excellent condition. It is not as shiny as it looks in photos. The lining is an old, red (light red color, not orange as it appears in some photos) crepe silk with padding on the rims. Exceptionally beautiful work of embroidery and silver couc...

The idea of a Fukusa gift cover comes from the old Japanese tradition of gift presentation. Fukusa began to be decorative as well as practical in the Edo period (1600 to 1868). The appropriate design was chosen for the occasion; for seasonal, ceremonial and later, time of grief when Japan started to face battles again, with the foreign countries this time. This delicate, indirect way of conveying feelings has been in Japanese culture, poems replacing words for occasions, reminiscent of the ...

Japanese fukusa, a silk satin gift cover depicting the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove. The development of the Japanese fukusa is closely associated with their custom of gift giving. Japan has been a farming country until recently and crops were directly affected by nature (draft, floods, etc). The rituals were held within their own communities and fresh crops were offered to god. To irrigate and lay the roads, they needed the better their work relationship. The custom of eating and drink...

An antique Japanese Funa Tansu (Captain's Chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original finish and hand made iron fittings. It was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails. The base has an original cross beam support that adds strength and durability to this chest. A hidden secret lidded box hides behind the bottom right drawer with retrieval by way of the back of the bottom left drawer.

Originally used in the captain's quarters of a merch...

Large antique furoshiki (Japanese wrapping cloth), aizome Japanese indigo dye decorated in sashiko stitches on four corners. 57 1/4" x 61 1/4"

A rare Original Sino-Siamese Polychrome ENAMEL BENCHARONG-BENJARONG VESSEL WITH COVER, 18/19th Century. Colors: ULTRAMARINE BLUE, PINK, WHITE, GREEN, RED and a Bronze-GOLD Color top Finial. Good overall condition, some inconsequential signs of considerable age and use. Size: 8 x 5.2 cm

Original Sino-Siamese Polychrome Porcelain BENCHARONG-BENJARONG VESSEL WITH COVER 18/19th Century. Colors: Maroon, Blue, Gold, Green, Yellow and White. Size: 9 x 7.5 cm. Top condition, no flaws nor restorations whatsoever!

Beautiful Ghandaran modeled stucco head. This artifact is from the McCloud collection. Ghandara refers to the Peshawar valley and some parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This region was heavily influenced by greco-roman style as a result of Alexander the Great's campaign in the far east. The facial features are more european with almond shaped eyes and a bow shaped mouth. The hair falls in loose curls and is drawn into a bun atop the head called the ushnisha, the flame of supreme enlightenm...

An antique Japanese Gifu Choba Tansu made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite style handles. Drawers of varying sizes or organizing and storage. Sliding doors hide a compartment where merchant books and records were stored. Constructed using through mortise and tenon joinery and hardened wood nails. Side horizontal ribs add strength, support and visual permanence to the chest.

Age: Meiji period: (1880-1890)