Antique Japanese bronze hiten (Sanskrit, apsara), celestial musician. She sits on swirling clouds, her drum in her lap. Stylistically represented in the Indian or Southeast Asian traditional garb of bodhisattvas with high crown, elaborate pectoral jewelry and flowing drapery. The billowing clouds on which she sits have a green patina.

Age: Taisho period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 14 1/4" high x 9 1/2" wide x 6 1/2" deep

Antique Japanese bronze hiten (Sanskrit, apsara), celestial musician. Seated on swirling clouds, she moves her flute to her lips to play. Stylistically represented in the Indian or Southeast Asian traditional garb of bodhisattvas with high crown, elaborate pectoral jewelry and flowing drapery. The billowing clouds on which she sits have a green patina.

Age: Taisho period (early 20th century)

Dimensions: 15" high x 9" wide x 7" deep

Antique Japanese okimono depicting a pair of cranes on a rock. Waves wash around the rock near an ancient turtle. Made of bronze and silver with polychrome details. This sculpture is an elegant representation of the traditional longevity phrase: “cranes live for one thousand years, and turtles for ten thousand.” On the back of the rock is a large, 4-character cartouche the first part of which reads: 般若 Hannya. The next 2 characters are more difficult to read...

Japanese Antique Bronze Horse in a classic galloping pose. A solid, strong image with rich patina, finely rendered detail, naturally executed. A fine addition for horse fanciers. Signed, circa 1920. 12 inches (30.5cm) tall x 15.75 inches (40cm) long. From a widely renowned and published collection that has been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum and Japan Society.

Antique Japanese keyaki (elm) wood plaque inlaid with a mixed metal scene of two monkeys, A large monkey dressed in a happi coat sits on a branch of a blossoming peony plant, in one hand he holds a lotus blossom on a long stem at the top of which another tiny monkey hangs on like a flag...

Okimono in bronze of a frog.
Seal of the founder or of his factory on its belly, not identified.

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. A gong in the shape of a frog can thus sometimes be used as a door hammer or to protect a house.

Japan - Meiji Era (1868-1912)
Height: 0.9 in...

Black-patina bronze hare standing on its hind legs.

In Japanese, the hare and the rabbit are designated by a single word: usagi. The hare occupies an important place in the legends and superstitions of Japan. Like many other animals, it is supposed to reach a fabulous age and become blue at five hundred years.

Japan - Meiji Era (1868-1912)
Height: 5.7 in. (14.5 cm) - width: 2.8 in. (7 cm) - depth: 4.3 in. (11 cm)

Dark brown patina bronze figure of a standing kappa with its right leg leaning on a cucumber. The figure is put on four-legged rattan-like bronze stand.

The kappa (河童) is a aquatic creature taken from Japanese folklore having the appearance of an anthropomorphic turtle.
His skull is either slightly hollowed out to accommodate water, from which it derives its power, or hidden with a water lily leaf hiding this sag...

Polychrome bronze statuette of a group of mice around a pumpkin and a pomegranate. The five mice have a dark brown patina, while the hollowed-out gourd is dark brown and the split pomegranate is dark red.

Written in a cartouche on one of the pumpkin slices, "Shôsai Foundry" (正齊鋳, shôsai-chû).
Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)
Height: 6.4 in. (16.3 cm) – width: 7.8 in. (20 cm) – depth: 7.3 in. (18.5 cm)

A large bronze sculpture of a slender young woman undressing rendered in a quote naturalistic manner. Brown patination. Inscribed and signed storage box and with Japanese Kanji name character on the back side of the base. H 42 cm. Showa around 1950´s to 60´s. Perfect condition. Made by Nakagawa Kiyoshi (1897-1977) born in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture. Graduated from Tokyo Art School (now Tokyo University of the Arts)...

Okimono bronze sculpture of a garlic head with a few cloves visible.

Unidentified mark on the base, most likely from the foundry.

Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)
Width: 2 in (5 cm) – depth: 1.5 in (4 cm) – height: 1.8 in (4.7 cm)

A masterful rendering of an unusually large rooster posturing in full stance. The metals used are copper, silver, and gold. The major body of the cockerel is called shibuichi which is meticulously composed of silver and copper mixture. The feathers are beautifully sculpted and chased in details. The movement of the feathers pronounce the figurative composition. Its tail feather is patinated and infused into the silver.