Layer upon layer of lacquer has been carved with scrolling designs revealing the depth of the surface in a style known as Guri by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in a wooden box titled Guri Kobon. It is 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 inches) and in excellent condition, the artist seal inlayed in mother of pearl beneath. The box is annotated by his adopted daughter and heir Torako (Suwa Sozan II)...

An exceedingly rare (in fact the only one I have ever seen) Tenmoku-Dai stand for a Tenmoku Chawan by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kuruwa Tenmoku Dai (Curved Circular Tea Bowl Stand). It is made of layer upon layer of lacquer, carved with scrolling designs revealing the depth of the lacquer in a style known as Guri. The artist has carved his seal into the inside of the base. It is 15 cm (6 inches) diameter7.5 cm (3 inches) tall and in excellent condition...

A large table made of layers of lacquer carved through to reveal the various colors by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Guri Joku and bearing the Teishitsu Gigei-in Seal of the Imperial Art Academy. It is 65 x 40.5 x 20 cm (25-1/2 x 16 x 8 inches) and is in excellent condition. The artists seal is expertly incised into the back of one ball shaped foot...

Wooden suzuribako decorated with two hares with red eyes in gold and silver lacquer surrounded by grass.

The interior is made of negoro-nuri lacquer. This is an ancient technique, developed in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) at the Negoro temple in the ancient province of Kii (now Wakayama prefecture). It is characterized by vermilion color, made from cinnabar and showing natural brush marks...

Dark brown natural wood suzuribako (writing set) with polychrome takamaki-e lacquer decoration of toys, with a rabbit on its cushion and a horse head to ride with its cover.

Interior in negoro-nuri lacquer. This is an ancient technique, developed in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) at the Negoro temple in the ancient province of Kii (now Wakayama prefecture). It is characterized by its vermilion color, made from cinnabar and showing natural brush marks...

Brush box (fudebako) made of wood and lacquer. On the lid, lacquer decoration representing sagittarius, a flower inlaid with ceramic and a leaf inlaid with mother-of-pearl (raden).
Interior and base of the box in nashi-ji lacquer.

Taisho Era (1912-1926)
Height: 1.4 in. (3.5 cm) - width: 2.8 in. (7.2 cm) - depth: 9.4 in. (23.9 cm)

A magnificent set of five wooden bowls lacquered red with a net design enclosed in the original wooden box titled Shu-nuri Amime Hashiaraiwan dating from the first half of the 20th century. Excluding the lid each is 7.5 cm (3 inches) tall, roughly the same diameter at the rim, and all are in excellent condition. Repeated use of lacquer tends to see the black acquire a brown tinge. These remain jet black, and it is likely they have been virtually unused for the better part of a century...

Spectacular Taisho Period Ca.1920 Kamakura-Bori lacquered wood carving with chrysanthemum petals in beautiful relief. Ca. 1920. Good condition ( see Pics.). Ask for shipping quote.

A carved lacquer box which pays homage to Chinese literary taste while presenting itself clearly in a modern, Japanese way (for turn of the century lacquerware at least) by 2nd generation lacquer artist Ishii Yusuke enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The tsuishu lacquer technique requires applying layer upon layer of lacquer which is then carved through and polished, a painstaking process...

A beautifully turned bowl lacquered burnt orange-red over a black foot dating from the late 19th to early 20th century enclosed in an old kiri wood box titled Negoro-nuri Kashiki followed by a signature. The faintest brush strokes in perfect lines swirl around the outside, and cross the bowl inside. The bowl itself is also signed in red on the base. It is 18 cm (7 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.

The title does not lie, this is one against which all others might be measured. A celebratory sake set consisting of three cups and a stand enclosed in their original lacquered wooden boxes. The cups are over the top, decorated with plum pine and bamboo in taka-maki-e gold over red replete with bits of kirigane gold and ke-uchi details. The cups are equally gorgeous on top and bottom, the design extending even inside the foot ring...

A splendid set of five Chataku Tea Cup Saucers of turned wood decorated in ridiculously thick lacquer floral decoration by Ikkokusai enclosed in a fine wooden box signed by the artist and dated Meiji 39 (1906). Accompanying is a note stating the set was received as a gift upon visiting the Naganuma Ryokan during a trip to Hiroshima in the fifth month of Meiji 43, accompanied by the name Kayanomiyasama. Kaya-no-miya were a collateral branch of the Japanese Imperial family...

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...

Wood urushi plate with kin-makie (gold lacquer) of "Yajirobeh"", a balancing toy motif. In good condition except for a mending, however, it is done by a professional and no serious problem. Meiji period (1868~1912) Diameter:16.5cm, Depth:2.7cm

An antique Japanese Buddhist family altar called Butsudan in 2 sections. All lacquer finish with gilt lacquer interior. Exterior doors open to inner sanctum doors. Upper transom was hand carved with religious figures meditating in a wooded forest. The altar features a centerpiece dragon with 3 flying Phoenix birds above each compartment. Hanging ornaments on each side...

An exquisite lacquered box covered in gold powder prominently bearing the imperial crest given as a gift to Baron Nakamura Satoru in Meiji 44 (1911). According to the inside of the lid this box was created for the Meiji emperor and given in gratitude to the Baron for his support in creating the Keanfu memorial for fallen soldiers of the Russo-Japanese war. The box is an exquisite example of Imperial splendor featuring leaves tinged with kiri-gane gold inlay over powdered gold on a surface dust...

A spectacular Meiji to Taisho period Golden box decorated with a spray of flowers under an imperial Chrysanthemum. The interior and bottom are elegant Nashiji, and the border between box and lid is protected by a solid silver rim. Kirigane cut gold flakes decorate the raised leaves. It comes enclosed in a custom made kiri-wood storage box. The gilded receptacle is 30 x 24.5 x 14 cm (12 x 9-3/4 x 5-1/2 inches) and it is in excellent condition.

Small box and cover made of very thinly cut keyaki (Zelkova) wood, in oblong shape with rounded corners. The domed cover is decorated in black polished lacquer, black ishime lacquer, gold lacquer inlaid with small pieces of mother-of-pearl. An open folding fan wraps around the surface of the cover, continuing onto the sides, decorated with parting clouds, showing silhouettes of birds flying over waves.

Inside, the surface is covered in thin brown lacquer, allowing the wood grain to show. ...