Japanese Maki Lacquer double Cherry Blossom shape Box, Ca. Meiji 1868 - 1910, 1 5/8" high, 5 5/8" x 3 1/8" wide, low relief of double Gold and tarnished Silver design of Cherry flower pedals with multiple seeds lined up perfectly on the top, and one side shaded with silver leaf tarnished and the other side is in gold, low relief Pine trees with some shaded darker, some pure gold hidden here and there on the shaped sides, sparkled gold design inside the box and on the bottom...

The full moon glowing in shimmering gold illuminates the silver blossoms adorning the ragged plum tree growing along the river bank, a superb lacquer box dating from the 19th century enclosed in a period wooden box titled Plum & Moon Maki-e Suzuri Bako. Inside the lid the stream continues, running past golden rocks and young flora reaching for the moon...

A vermilion Negoro lacquered tray with fluted corners on an elongated stem with heavy round foot in black lacquer dating from the Muromachi period with the temple name Zentoku-in written in red on the base. It is 27 x 27.5 x 25 cm tall (10-1/2 x 10-3/4 x 10 inches). Originally undoubtedly square, the discrepancy in width is due to shrinkage against the grain over the centuries. It comes in a late custom made wooden storage box...

Sunrise colors layer like a brilliant orange sedimentary horizon on this exquisite Kanshitsu Dry Lacquer vase by Okada Yuji enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 33 cm (13 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Okada Yuji was born in Kyoto in 1948 and graduated with honors from the Kyoto Hiyoshi-ga-oka High School Lacquer Course, Receiving top prize for his graduation project...

A blue tailed lizard, symbol of summer, crawls up the gnarled root, tiny ants, a tempting snack just above. This is a piece from the Shiun studio designed by Okada Yuji, the decoration performed in built up Iro-urushi colored lacquer. It is 45 cm (18 inches) long and in excellent condition, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seasonal Visitors...

A Japanese lacquer inro depicting two fish swimming in their natural habitat. The outer surface of the ring is covered in lacquer with brown nuances, which offers an elegant contrast with the mother-of-pearl. This inro depicts a mother-of-pearl sole on one side. On the opposite side there is a black catfish, made of lacquer. The fish swim among the underwater plants, embellished with golden leaves and mother-of-pearl in relief. The wooden netsuke depicts a sole...

Antique Japanese gold lacquer inro with a scene of a waterfall on one side and a sage on the other. The water crashes around rocks where chrysanthemums blossom. On the reverse, a sage sits among the flowers at the base of the falls. The inro case has 4 compartments with interiors covered in a dense nashiji lacquer. The ojime is made of red lacquer and is carved with a dragon. The netsuke is made of boxwood and carved in the shape of a seed pod...

Pair of cylindrical, footed, ribbed boxes with circular lids. The food container or game box is lacquered in black with 9 "mitsudome" mon pattern on four sides. The four feet are decorated with incised brass hard mounts and its lid and box are held together with original pale green silk cord tassels.

Meiji Age (1868 - 1912)

Dimensions: 13" height x 13.5" width

Antique Japanese inro with three compartments, made of wood with gold lacquer and inlaid with gold flecks. One side is decorated with a pair of cranes and sprouting pines. The other side of the inro depicts an ancient turtle who carries, on his back, a large rock formation. Out of the rock sprouts a plum tree, a pine tree and bamboo - together called Sho chiku bai or "The Three Friends of Winter". The inside of each compartment is cover with dense nishji lacquer (fine gold flecks)...

Japanese kogo, or incense container for tea ceremonies, in the form of a small bird with very fine maki-e or sprinkled gold lacquer exterior. Each feather of the bird is highly detailed in low relief maki-e lacquer. The pupils of the bird are done with very fine red lacquer for contrast. The interior of the box is finished in gold nashiji, sometimes called pear skin due to the resemblance to the Asian pear...

Japanese lacquer suzuribako or calligraphy writing box. The box is wood with lacquer, gold gilt sprinkled lacquer, and inlaid shell on the lid, adorned with scrolling leaves, floral medallions and motifs of sparrows. The box interior is red lacquer with gold lacquer patterns. The inside box contains an attached inkstone, a brush, and a small brass water dropper. Underneath is a shallow compartment for the storage of calligraphy papers...

Antique Japanese large lacquer document box decorated with a design of climbing clematis vines in full bloom...

Japanese Negoro lacquer ritual server, dates from the 18th century with a spout from a bowl over a conical base, overall wear shows classic negoro red over black.

Berkeley Hills Estate
Dates from 18th century
Size H 6.75" x W 13" x D 9.625"

Antique Japanese rare gyosho bako (peddler's box) for a barber. A set of 3 separated boxes that fit together and can be easily carried. The largest box has 5 drawers with bronze hardware including hirute shaped drawer pulls and decorative peony back plates. The top of the box has 2 open compartments, a small covered compartment, and a handle for carrying. On the right side, a smaller box attaches onto the large box with 2 hooks. This box is narrow and has one compartment divided on the insi...

Antique Japanese lacquer tebako (accessories box), made of lacquered wood with dense gold nishiji and a gold maki-e lacquer design of flowers, possibly clematis, on a vine. The rim is made of pewter and the interior is lacquered with a spars nishiji on a black lacquer ground. Comes with kiri wood tomobako.

Age: Tokogawa Era, early 18th century

Dimensions: 2" high x 2 7/8" wide x 2 7/8" wide

Antique Japanese fubako, box for holding letters. Made of lacquered wood with a design of young pine and blossoming plum branches. Both box and lid are decorated in maki-e gold and silver lacquer over a delicate nashiji on a black lacquer ground. The interior has clouds of dense gold nashiji and two mon on the underside of the lid.

Age: Edo Period (18th/19th century)

Dimensions: 10 1/4" long x 3 1/2" wide x 2 3/4" deep

Rectangular and flat lacquer Kobako (small box) representing a furoshiki knot seen from above. Fundame background, furoshiki in takamaki-e with floral pattern, inside the folds of the fabric with black and gold sayagata pattern with togidashi maki-e technique. The saya (or sayagata) pattern is composed of Chinese swastikas. This symbol, linked to Buddhism, represents qualities of intelligence, strength and peace. It is a sign of good o...

Antique Japanese small, round, lidded box. Made with metal body covered with lacquer and decorated with a gold lacquer scene of a bridge and a weeping willow tree. Intricate raised machi-e details of waves and willow leaves. Delicate nashiji on the ground around the tree.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 3 1/4" wide x 7/8" high