Japanese Edo Period Lead and Silver Tobacco Pipe with Incised Darumas, both the man Daruma Taishi and the god Daruma. Acquired in Tokyo in 1986 by a renowned author on and collector of Asian art. 5 1/8 inches, 13.5 cm long.

A fascinating Japanese shrine bell known as, Waniguchi, or directly translated as Crocodile's mouth, which resembles the wide mouth of a crocodile. The bell is usually found in shinto shrines that enshrine deities that were imported to Japan or Shingon temples. The bell contains an inscription stating that the bell was originally donated by the ancestors of the donor in 1686 and a new bell was rededicated in 1839. The bell appears to be dedicated to Sometani Shinbei. Age: Late Edo Period, 1839...

A good quality mirror of comparatively small proportions decorated with a fine line drawn pattern of a double and single Chrysanthemum supported by a fence and a banded hedge set against a fine sand textured ground to the reverse of the mirror. Fine line drawing in this style first appears in the eighteenth century. The mirror is signed on the left hand side Fujiwara Mitsumasa...

Finely cast bronze censer on three cloud-shaped feet with a décor on the body of an elephant on one side, a baku or tapir on the other on a background of very fine repetitive fretwork, patinated in a rich brown. Stick-like handles parallel to the body. Bottom left undecorated, with a seal: Seimin sei (Cast by Seimin). Japan, Edo period, early 19th century.
Original cover lost and replaced by a wooden Chinese cover.

H w/o cover 3-1/8 in.; H w. cover 4-1/2 in; W 4-1/4; diam...

Dragon candlestick in bronze forming crucifix. Japan edo. This cruciform shape is unknown in Japanese art. I think it is a household crucifix for a Japanese Christian family who would have liked to have a discreet crucufix in their house. A non-Christian visitor would never have suspected that this three-candle dragon was a representation of Christ on the cross...

Hishaku-gata style yatate in bronze with brown patina. The hishaku-gata style was developed at the beginning of the Edo era, in the 17th century. It is characterized by an ink compartment (sumi tsubo) in the shape of a ladle. Here it is decorated with a frog.
The frog (kaeru) is associated with luck and wealth. Kaeru means both "frog" and "coming home" in Japanese. This extension of meaning is due to the ability of the frog to return each year to the pond of its birth...

Hitotsusage tabacco pouch with a netsuke. Unlike the tabako-ire, there is no kiseru case.

Netsuke of kagamibuta type, made of two parts: a silver plate with peonies decoration and an ivory bowl.
Leather snuffbox (pouch) with menuki (metallic decoration) of a silver dragon. On the pouch, painted decoration of a Hôô phoenix surrounded by flowers...

This is a large and spectacular 18th Century Bronze Cloisonne, Twin-Handle Urn with great Archaic form and color. It has two Dragon Head Handles. It is enameled with Penny Flowers and Leaves motif. It has a large mouth (five-inches wide), and it is decorated with a one-inch belt that separates its bulbous body from its neck. It has a raised foot rim...

Three-legged toad in bronze.

The three-legged toad, originating from Chinese mythology, is a Feng Shui symbol of prosperity and wealth.
Chan Chu, the three-legged toad, is mentioned by the poet Qu Yuan in The Songs of Chu...

Japanese bronze statute of a peasant maiden. Signed Hidemitsu. Meiji Period. Height 30-1/2"; diameter of base 9-1/4".

Beautiful antique Japanese bronze vases with raised design of dragons on one side and phoenixes on the other, each vase inscribed, label states that these vases were presented by Members of Congress of Fukuoka Prefecture, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 11 1/2" high x 6" wide.

Very large antique Japanese bronze temple water dispenser with handles and spout in the form of peach tree branches, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 29" high x 21" wide.

Japanese pair of heavy pure silver vases decorated with incised chrysanthemums, copper overlay on leaves, raised chrysanthemum mon on neck of each vase with gold overlay, Meiji Period (1868-1912), signed: Migen Yoshihiku Koku. Size: 12" high each.

Unlike in the west, the rat has long been a symbol of fortune in Asia (it is after all one of the animals of the Zodiac). Here we see an interesting play on the animal. He stands on his back legs pulling a sack of treasure and magic mallet, perhaps having relieved these two articles from Hotei and Daikoku, two gods of fortune always pictured with them...

As the enlightened man is a product of this world so too the Lotus grows in the mire, a symbol of the attainable state of Nirvana. Here is a breathtaking hand-made bronze Koro in the shape of a blossoming lotus in deep red patination dating from the late Edo to Meiji period (mid to late 19th century). Consisting of 30 individual pieces, each petal is uniquely incised with veins by the hammer and chisel of some long lost craftsman...

Beautifully whimsical antique Japanese bronze vase with the heads of three dogs cast in high relief, wonderful detail, large raised signature on bottom, Meiji Period (c.1900). Size: 11 1/2" high x 13" wide

Japanese writing brush in ornate case, case is made of copper with black lacquer and inlaid all over in an ornate pattern with tiny pieces of gold and shell, design of chrysanthemum on hinged ink well cover, 2 sided brush hidden in stem, large shell inlaid cartouch on bottom, beautiful and delicate.

Size: 6 3/4" high x 1 1/4" wide

This pair of Japanese handmade long square cut nails are 5" long and appear to have never been used. The nail heads are solid and shaped into a hemisphere. The silver colored decorative metal escutcheons have scalloped edges and markings to represent a flower. The escutcheons are just under 1" in diameter and have a squared center hole which exactly fits the nail shank.