A very rare Nana-sun plate with swirling hake-me design from the kilns of Utsutsukawa dating from the early to mid Edo period wrapped in a ragged bit of sarasa dyed cotton cloth and enclosed in an age darkened wooden box titled Utsutsukawa-Yaki Kashibachi - Ikko (Sweets dish-1) It is 7-1/2 inches (19 cm) diameter. Thinly potted, there is a tiny chip in the rim, otherwise is in perfect condition; exceedingly rare for this type of pottery...

Japanese iron teapot, or tetsubin, all hand-cast iron in the shape of a Japanese house. The teapot is adorned with leaves and gourds on a thatched roof.

Dates Taisho Period c1920

Dimensions: 8" X 7.5" X 10" (with handle)

Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Lakeside Shower, Matsue
Date: 1932
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.5 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Round, black 6mm seal in lower right corner, indicating a lifetime printing (1946-1957).
Reference: Hotei #269.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Pencil notation on back.

An evocative image of a bear hunkered down and looking a bit befuddled, perhaps awaking from winter slumber, in un-glazed white porcelain from the Tatsuno kilns of Banko in Mie Prefecture. It is sealed on the base with two stamps, one reading Banko, the other Tatsuno. The image is 23 x 20 x 16.5 cm (9 x 8 x 6-1/2 inches) and in excellent condition, enclosed in a period collectors kiri-wood box. Imagery of animals such as this were very popular in the Taisho (1911-1925) to early Showa era...

Keyaki (zelkova) wooden pulley, used to scoop water out of a well. Wooden wheel with forged iron block. The inside of the wheel groove (where the rope would run through), lined with a thin sheet of copper...

Intricate, subtle, delicate, elegant; all words which could be applied to this set of ten dishes decorated with flowers in raised reliefby Takahashi Seizan enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Gyokude Kusabana Kameko-gata Sara (Tortoise Shell Shaped Dishes decorated with Flowers and Grass in Pearl-slip) Pale white slip has been applied in thick, sculpted patterns to a cream surface, sweeping sides peaked with gold rims. Each plate is 22 cm (9 inches) wide, 5 cm (2 inches) tall...

lacquer sake cup, silver kinji lacquer background decorated with a procession in hira and taka maki-e. Red lacquered back. Signature. Edo or meiji period. D: 112mm H: 27mm. Good condition, a tiny chip on the foot visible on an enlarged photo.

Japanese shin hanga woodblock print by Hasui Kawase (1883-1957) titled “Kegon Falls, Nikko” from the series "Collection of Ukiyo-e Designs" first published by Bijutsusha in 1927. Dated on the image above the signature. No publisher's seal. Paper: 15 1/8" x 10 1/4" (14 1/4" x 9 3/8"). Very good color and overall condition with only minor discoloration on the back and margin edges. Pencil notation on the back at the bottom...

This Toba-e E-maki appears to be a 19th century Gi-ga follower of the later 18th to early 19th century Osaka "Manga-ka" Nichosai (Matsudaira Heisaburo). His humorous images of Hell were quite popular, known as Kakuyu painting.　Overall the genre has many names, Gi-ga being all encompassing, Toba-e being descriptive of this particular style, and Kakuyu-fu being the style of Nichosai. It ends with a simple stamp which reads Fish (Gyo/Sakana). It is 11 by 174 inches (28 x 442 cm)...

Impressive press moulded Kaki glaze bottle with Nukie decoration made by Hamada Shinsaku around 1990-1991.

Born in 1929 as second son of Hamada Shoji, Hamada Shinsaku continued the family tradition of the world recognized Mashiko pottery.
He worked and traveled closely with his father and took over the famous kiln in Mashiko in 1978. Shinsaku Hamada pottery is exhibited in numerous museums around the world...

An antique Japanese Ko Bo Tansu (personal storage chest with locking bar) made of Suginoki (Cryptomeria) wood. Original Urushi lacquer finish. Bronze hardware features auspicious bamboo symbols and pine tree motif.

Small antique tansu such as this is very popular worldwide due to its functionality and ease of placement due to its small size...

Untitled woodblock print of a mountain village and two figures by Jun-ichirô Sekino (1914-1988). A monochromatic rural scene depicting a row of buildings against a backdrop of trees. In the foreground is a man with net and a boy carrying two buckets on a pole across his shoulders. A lovely example of Sekino's interest in patterns (especially rooftops) combined with his appreciation for people in their familiar surroundings...

A Mizusashi Water Jar for use in the Japanese Tea Ceremony by Otani Shiro enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The artist has chosen to rely solely on the flavor of the clay, truly barren earth colored only with shadow and light resulting from the flame and kiln position. This beautifully showcases the nature of the distinct Shiseki filled Shigaraki clay. Top an austere black lacquered wooden lid like a pool of dark shadow...

Edo Period (1603-1868) Kiyomizu Ware Bowl with Gold Repair Kintsugi

Kyo/Kiyomizu Ware has several centuries of history with over 300 kilns located around Kyoto, Japan.
The history of Kiyomizu pottery goes back to the Momoyama period (1568-1600).

Size
2in. (5.2cm.) high;
4.8in...

Sambaso dancer with the typical high hat (striped eboshi) with a sun disc (round circle) on each side. In his left hand he holds suzu jingle bells; his right hand, on his back, holds a fan. Single block carving (ichiboku); keyaki (zelkova) wood, carved in a faceted way, resembling ittobori, and stained dark brown.

Japan, Taisho era, 1910s-1920s.
H ca. 18 inches.
One repaired crack from the bottom going up into his left shoulder, some scuffs and chips at edges, several tension ...

Wow I need that! is all I could say the first time I saw this piece by Furutani Taketoshi while visiting the Churokuen Kiln early this year. The tendrils of natural ash glaze wrap around the simplified form like the roots of some ancient Shinboku (God Tree). It is unpretentious, but stands out clearly as a masterpiece by this very talented young potter. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shigaraki Shizen Yu Yohen Hanaire (Shigaraki Natural Ash Glazed Kiln Altered Vase)...

Antique Japanese bush holder made of ceramic with highly raised scenes of fu-dogs, one glazed a buff color, the other blue. They stand with characteristic whimsical expressions on mossy rocks out of which bloom large peony flowers in white and pale pink. There are 5 holes in the top for brushes.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 4 3/4" high x 5 1/2" long x 2 5/8" wide

An antique Japanese Chonin Kobako (merchant storage box) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Original hand forged iron hardware with construction using straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. The drawer handles are of the Kakute style comprising six drawers to organize and secure its contents. Traditionally sitting next to the side of the merchant, it was an indispensable chest housing coins and money, important documents, and valuables as well as brushes, an ink...