This lovely Bizen ware is called Kogo / incense container used for Japanese tea ceremony. The shape is a seed of wisteria suitable for tea ceremony in autumn / winter. This is the work of a potter Yoshimoto Shuho. Shuho was born in 1938 in Okayama prefecture and studied pottery under Fujita Yoshiro. After Shuho became independent, he first produced Bizen ware for 10 years...

An antique oke-bound wooden bucket has been lacquered mirror smooth black inside with a natural bark handle added to create a superb sumi-tori charcoal basket for use in the Japanese tea ceremony. The original cask-like body is worn at the rim to an incredible degree, and yet remains structurally sound. It may have indeed been a lacquer-workers bucket, or perhaps used by a paper-hanger, decades of being bumped by the brush naturally wearing down the edges...

Admirable Japanese antique tetsubin (tea pot), made of cast iron. On the body, Kanji symbols are raised with the following message: Pine Tree, Longevity, 1000 years in the mud, really low, always a master. The idea is "Out of the mud comes the master". On the opposite side, designs of a crab, water lily, full leaf and half leaf. The handle is uniquely shaped. The lid is of bronze with a flower bud as the lid handle. The lid is is also signed, Kijudo. Age: Meiji Period...

Delightful Japanese antique tetsubin (tea pot), made of cast iron. The handle is beautifully shaped. The lid is of bronze with a flower bud as the lid handle. The lid is is also signed by the noted tetsubin studio of Kinjudo. Age: Meiji Period. Size: 7.5" high (including handle) x 7.125" wide (including spout).

Wonderful Japanese antique tetsubin (tea pot), made of cast iron with concentric ripples across the body. The handle is beautifully shaped. It has the bronze lid which is also signed, and a flower bud serves as the lid's handle. The signature reads: Ryubundo zo, translation: Created by Ryubundo. Age: Meiji Period. Size: 8" high (including handle) x 6.125" wide (including spout).

A Mashiko ware tea bowl (chawan) by Hamada Shoji. The bowl is glazed in a style known as kaki yu or persimmon color glaze which is often seen in Mashiko wares. Hamada Shoji along with Yanagi Muneyoshi and Barnard Leech were part of the mingei movement in the late 20th century. The movement emphasized the simple minimalist beauty found in daily objects made by unknown artists. Thus, Shoji never signed his works, where he too wanted people to simply appreciate his ceramics, not his notoriety...

An antique Japanese Karatsu ware tea container or chaire with motif of donkeys painted on the side of the piece. One side is painted in a indigo blue color with a fine tip and on the other side is brown done in thicker lines. The motif of donkeys in Japanese art may infer to the literati taste of a rustic and simple lifestyle. The motif is not often seen in ceramics, but mostly in paintings influenced by Chinese works...

Japanese Copper Tetsubin, Copper Tea Kettle, tea pot with Bamboo wrapped handle, 10 1/4" high with handle, 8 3/4" wide with spout, 6" wide-tea pot only, design of overlapping piece of cloth on the top of the tea pot, and Pewter coated inside and under the cover. Wrapped Bamboo handle is in good condition, bottom is dented and blackened over the years, and shows three(3) needle point size of holes on the bottom.

A finely crafted Japanese tobacco tray (known in Japanese as Tabako Bon) which is often seen being used in tea ceremony. Karaki is a term used to describe the foreign hardwoods that were imported from China and used to make furniture and accessories for the home. Age: 19th-20th century. Size: Height: 3.25" Width: 6.75" Length: 6.75"

A Japanese, Ryukyuan type, lacquer charger. Inlaid mother of pearl decoration of figures in landscape on black lacquer in the center surrounded by red lacquer. A band of black lacquer also exposed just inside the rim - also with mother of pearl inlay. The egde of the charger rubbed for that prized negoro affect of exposing the black lacquer background through an invariably worn coat of red lacquer...

Japanese bamboo hanging flower container with inscription and signature on the back. The title of the piece is, TATEDORI or "rain gutter" and is signed by a person named, Souyo. The title invokes the Japanese aesthetic of wabi sabi along with the natural patterns seen on the bamboo surface. Age: 20th century. Size: Height: 16.5" Width: 2.75" Length: 3"

Japanese Burl Hibachi, possibly used for japanese tea ceremonies. The natural burl wood has the appearance of 13 turtles climbing and resting on the sides. Measures 13" wide 10" tall. Meiji period circa 1900

Antique Japanese cast iron tetsubin (tea kettle), cast with wonderful design of shells on each side, beautiful shape with tall handle and iron lid, Meiji Period. Size: 11" high

A Japanese 19th century Banko ware teapot. Modelled as a leather pouch with a plissé edge and ties forming a handle (where the potter’s finger prints are visible). Enamelled flowers and relief moulded decoration of geese in white clay. Traces of gilt around edge and spout. Banko mark. No lid. Height “3½/ 9 cm, width including handle “6/ 15 cm. Condition: fine

Two Japanese pottery yunomi. One cylindrical with a warm terra cotta colored glaze with white dripping on a coarse, light buff body burnt to an earthy orange where the bottom meets the glaze - the ring foot notched beside an impressed, three character artist's mark. Height 3 3/16 inches (8.1 cm), Diameter 2 3/8 inches (6.03 cm)...

A Nezumi Shino covered box or jar. Probably a mukozuke (but for which we are not familiar with examples accompanied by a cover.) White slip inlaid into incised decoration under the warm, gray glaze - conspicuous on the cover but not so much in decoration on the sides of the box where contrast does not succeed as well. A pleasant "swipe" of white slip under the cover provides a bit of a "surprise"...

An antique okinawan incense container decorated with a lacquer and inlayed mother of pearl depicting a dragon appearing from clouds. Circa 19th Century. Mother-of-pearl inlay, which is known Raden in Japan was first introduced to Japan during Nara period (710-784). The technique was popularly used with lacquer for artworks such as instruments. It is in good condition with tiny loss of inlayed mother of pearl...

Japanese cast iron sake kettle (choshi) with the characteristic flattened spout decorated in low relief on one side with prunus blossoms and on the other side with bamboo. The wooden lid is covered with stippled lacquer. These iron kettles were used to heat sake during the cold winter months. Flower form finial. Meiji period (19th century). Measures about 7 3/4" to the top of the handle and about 9 1/2" across to the tip of the spout. The kettle is in very good overall condition. There ar...