An unusual shorter length Japanese tanegashima (gun rifle) with working original matchlock mechanism. Made of hardwood with original dark lacquer finish. Iron barrel has a silver inlaid sasa mon (bamboo leaf crest). Elaborate brass work includes many chrysanthemum florets.

Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display. (In the group picture, this tanagashima is the second from the front.)

Age: Edo Period (c...

Antique Japanese pair of abumi (samurai stirrups for horse riding). Made of iron and lacquered black with red lacquer foot. Each abumi is decorated with designs of kiri blossoms in gold lacquer. The buckle of each stirrup has an intricate pierced design and mon in gold lacquer. (Mounted on matching stands made of metal with wooden bases.)

Edo Period (early 1800's)

Dimensions: 16 3/4" high (10 3/4" high without stand) x 12" long x 5 1/2" wide.

Pair of Japanese antique abumi (horse riding stirrups), made of iron with silver inlay all over in beautiful designs of vines and leaves, the bottom of each stirrup is decorated with a bamboo motif, the foot areas are lacquered black, each abumi is inlaid with writing: Kaga Ishikawa Prefecture, Mori Hei Saku (artist's name and "signed by") lived in Komaki. Edo Period (18th century). Size of each: 9 1/2" high x 11 1/2" long x 5" wide.

Antique pair of Japanese menuki. These small but detailed elements of a traditional samurai sword were originally made to hide the pins (mekugi) that hold the back end of the blade (tang) to the hilt (tsuka). Made in pairs, they were positioned on either side of the handle. These menuki are especially fine and depict two men, likely sages by their long hair. Probably they are the friends, Kanzan (the Zen poet) and Jittoku (a servant at a monastery)...

Antique Japanese meadate in the form of a hornet, hand forged iron with gilt brass plate. Mounted on a stand.

Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: Total including stand 7" high (meadate only 4 1/2" high)

Antique Japanese tanegashima short rifle (gun) with working original matchlock mechanism. Not original barrel, this one has been replaced with a shorter forged barrel onto the rifle wood stock.
Made of hardwood with lacquer finish. Silver inlay on the iron barrel includes an rare arrow motif. Elaborate brass work includes little florets and frolicking fu-dogs. Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display...

Antique Japanese tsuba (hand guard for samurai katana) decorated with a monkey peeking though the bamboo rails of a cage or gate. Often occurring in Japanese folk tales, the monkey generally symbolizes a trickster. Since tsuba were often a warrior's source of personal expression, it is likely this monkey held specific significance to the blade's owner.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 3" high x 2 7/8" wide x 1/8" thick (1/4" thick including monkey).

Antique Japanese Tanegashima long matchlock rifle. The entirety length of cast iron barrel is decorated with mixed metal inlay of birds and flowers, an unusual motif for a rifle. The gold mon is of the Kobayakawa clan, a powerful samurai clan with close ties to the Mōri family.

Guns were first introduced to Japan during the Sengoku era through the Portuguese in 1543...

Antique Japanese long tanegashima matchlock rifle with silver inlay of a water dragon in the clouds. Bronze hardware decorations including a fu-dog and chrysanthemum blossoms. A silver moku-ka mon in two places is that of the Oda clan, a daimyo family which was a strong political force in unifying Japan during the mid 16th century.

Guns were first introduced to Japan during the Sengoku era through the Portuguese in 1543...

Antique Japanese iron tsuba (samurai sword hand guard) decorated on both sides with cresting waves. Unusual octagonal form and detail to each wave.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 2 3/4" wide

Antique Japanese iron tsuba (sword hand guard) decorated with mixed metal gold and silver inlay. One side show a scene of a small dog playing with a grass hopper amidst grasses and flowers. In the distance are mountains topped with gold. The reverse side is signed by the maker and shows a scene of a small sleeping dog curled up in the bamboo by a stream.

Age: Late Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 3" long x 2 7/8" wide

Antique Japanese uma-jirushi, flag standard for battle. This uma-jirushi is in the shape of a large war sensu (folding war fan). Made of gold and black lacquered paper and lacquered wood. The front and back with round circle motif in alternating gold on black on one side and black on gold on the other. Mounted on a metal stand.

Age: Edo Period (18th century)

Dimensions: 51" high x 25" wide

Japanese conical ichimonji gasa (military jingasa) with a gradually pointing top and unusual, wavy brim mimicking cloth material. Lacquered a deep brownish black with areas of red lacquer showing through in a negoro lacquer effect. The raised red lacquer mon is that of either the Katakura or the Matsukura Clan. The underside is lacquered in the same manner as the top except for a round red lacquer circle in the center...

Antique Japanese yari saya, carved wooden cover for a yari spear. Favored by many samurai and ashigaru (foot soldiers) for the reached allowed by the long pole arm, the yari was a popular weapon for greater military use. At times of peace during the Edo Period, the yari also acted as a ceremonial weapon. The job of the yari saya was to protect the blade when not in use. Often the yari saya was decorated, in this case with inlaid shell...

Japanese copper 10-pronged antler shaped meadate from a kabuto (samurai helmet). On custom stand.

Heisei Period

Dimensions: 9" total height (6 1/4" high meadate only)

The warrior’s armor and helmet, samurai sword, spears, banners and paper carps (later cloth) in the sky are all tools used to showcase boy’s day in Japan. This tradition started early Edo period (1603-1868) by samurai families wishing their son’s good health and studies to be honorable samurai.

This set is made in Kyoto, Japan and is called “Kyo-armor”. Kyoto had been the capital of Japan for over 1000 years...

Japanese gusoku bitsu (carrying box for samurai armor). Made of kiri (paulownia) wood and lacquered red and black. Iron hardware and side handles for carrying. Top lifts off. Decorated with the mon (family crest) of the Asano Clan.

Dimensions: 15 1/2" w x 21" h

Japanese russet lacquered leather zunari jingasa with riveted plating. Finely disguised as metal which is completely constructed of lightweight materials strengthened by lacquer. The interior helmet is lacquered in red. The front features a large gilt mon of the Ashikaga crest. The finial form takes shape of a chrysanthemum flower. Mounted on custom display stand.

19th Century Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 13: x 12" x 6" H