A fabulous 17th century Koro (Momoyama to early Edo period) covered in black lacquer inlayed with minute mother of pearl shippo designs around circular windows featuring floral motifs. The lid is solid silver, pierced with overlapping floral designs. The windows feature grape, plum, bamboo and other seasonal imagery important in Asian cultures. It is 11 cm diameter and in overall excellent condition considering the age.

Suzuribako in roiro lacquer decor of a setting sun behind the waves in red and gold lacquer. Inside a couple of gold lacquer cranes on a nashiji background. Edo period 19th century or before. Good condition, no repairs. Normal use wear for this period. Very interesting subject. Dimensions about 21x21 cm

A beautiful tall 3 section Mikuni Kimono Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware with Hikute handles and natural Urushi lacquer finish. Upper section has 2 sliding doors with 3 side by side drawers below. The center section has 3 full width drawers and the bottom section has 1 full width drawer, a partial width drawer and a hinged security door protecting 2 small drawers...

Mini suzuribako (writing set) in black and gold hiramaki-e lacquer with water plantain (Alisma plantago-acquatica) decoration and non-identified kanji. Interior in nashi-ji lacquer, with a rectangular water cup and a retractable brush.

Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)
Height: 1.06 in. (2.7 cm) – width: 2.44 in. (6.2 cm) – depth: 3.94 in. (10 cm)

Sagemono complete with four-compartment lacquer inro decorated in gold and turtle taka-maki-e depicting Raijin and Fujin. Relief decoration with finely engraved turtle depicting Rajin, god of thunder, and Fujin, god of wind. The figure of Raijin is recognized as the god of thunder and lightning, he is represented as a demon, an Oni, with drums. The figure of Raijin is often associated with another deity, also connected to meteorological events, namely Fujin, the God of Wind. The inte...

A Taisho period Lacquer writing box of superb quality decorated with a design of a stone lantern under broad leaves enclosed in an age darkened kiri-wood box. The scene is performed with Thick slices of shell and lead inlay on black Ro-iro ground with Taka-maki-e and Hira-maki-e designs. Inside is finished in Kin-gin (gold and silver) Nashiji...

An intriguing architectural sculpture by lacquer artist Okada Yuji exhibited at the 25th Gendai Kogeiten National Contemporary Crafts Exhibition in 1984. The wooden structure is edged with strips of pewter, the sculpted wings covered in red and black lacquer surrounding a field straight off the deep ocean floor or some alien landscape. The center is made of shitaji, a combination of powders and lacquer, carved and covered in Suzu-fun metalic dust...

Japanese lacquer inro depicting a dragon partially hidden among clouds lacquered in relief. The outer surface is covered in lacquer with dark brown nuances, which offers an elegant contrast with the dragon's shimmering mother-of-pearl. Looking at the inside of the box you can see that there are two compartments. The ojime is made of glass with parallel horizontal blue lines while the netsuke in lacquered wood and metal depicts an archaic design that could depict the Tama (the sacred Bud...

Antique Japanese gold lacquer inro with 4 compartments. Decorated with a scene depicting a cottage high in the mountains. On one side, a small stream meanders by a thatched roof building with doors opening to a garden surrounded by a low fence and opened by a tall gate. A large, blossoming plum tree stretches it's branches dramatically over the roof and a mist floats over the top of the scene. The other side of the inro depicts a churning river with ragged outcroppings of rock...

A Te-bako lacquered box decorated with pigeons in colored lacquer on pale white with mother of pearl inlay by one of the most important 20th century lacquer artists Banura Shogo enclosed in the original signed wooden box dating circa 1935. Sharp corners, the cream-colored box raised on a dark colored foot, the rim edged with two beads of solid silver, all typical of the design aesthetic of the 1930s. It is 30.5 x 21.5 x 12 cm (12 x 8-1/2 x 5 inches) and is in excellent condition...

Kobako – Lovely and interesting little model of rectangular urushi gold lacquer box, opening with a lid. It offers a delightful decoration in gold in mak-ie on a black background, of two pretty rabbits in a landscape of foliage. Interior and underside in nashiji lacquer. The inside of the lid is decorated with butterflies. Beautiful border in gyobu lacquer (gold flakes). Sides in fundame lacquer. Length: 8.1cm x Width: 7.4cm. Japan Edo (1603-1868) 18th century.

A Carved and Gilded Buddhist Reliquary containing a polished pink stone exhibited at the Shimane Prefectural Musuem Arakawa Kisai exhibition in 1974 enclosed in a custom-made wooden box and retaining the loan papers from the museum as well as the original pamphlet. The wood body has been carved in tempestuous waves, lacquered black and gilded, with a polished pink orb inside a flame shaped finial. It is 7 inches (18 cm) tall and in excellent condition...

Japanese lacquer tray with a mountain stream and cranes in a raised landscape scene. This small/medium tray is about the best as they come in displaying many types of lacquer techniques including Maki-e, Hiramaki-e, and Takamaki-e with superb colors and fine gold nashiji work having shaped corners with concave edges. The cranes, pine trees, and mountains are all done in raised relief with the cranes showing incredible details...

Wooden lectern covered with black lacquer, decorated with Japanese seignorial emblems (Mon) with gold powder. The emblems are treated in three different versions, all three of excellent lacquer quality in a very elegant style. The lectern can be dismantled into 4 parts, the box, the drawer, the top and the axis, the elements are assembled using mercury-gilded copper frames, which are finely chiseled with scrolls of stylized plants on a nanako background...

Japanese lacquer inro depicting a Daikokuten with his hammer watching children, next to a Matsu plant. Excellent quality decoration with relief details, shine and original patina. Polychrome wooden netsuke depicting a seated sage with a fan, painted ceramic ojime. Inro signed Kajikawa with the kao under the base. Origin: Japan Period: Edo mid-18th century. Overall dimensions: 9 x 4.5 x 3 cm. Netsuke dimensions: 4 x 3 x 2.5 cm. State of conservation: Very good

Like the layered hills of Kyoto at twilight, this vase is of Kanshitsu dry lacquer body with layers of colored Urushi by Okada Yuji enclosed in the original signed wooden box. in the dark blue about the base glimmers tiny flakes of mother of pearl. The rim is covered in white Chogai shell applique. About the flaring neck, is a slight indentation, a very challenging form to be polished out. It is 34 cm (just more than 13-1/2 inches) tall and in perfect condition...

Round in shape in the spirit of a kobako, this rare box in 2 parts in fundame lacquer represents a butsudan (small portable temple) inside which there are, very finely carved, a Buddha on the lotus and 2 apsaras. On the lids lotus leaves seem to fly.

An elaborately decorated lacquered sword stand. The stand is made into a small chest with three drawers. The chest is decorated with motifs of plums, a phoenix, and a Chinese style landscape with inlaid embellishments. The interior of the drawers is done in nashiji or pear skin makie. Age: 18th/19th century. Size: length: 19.75" width: 9.5" height 20"