Antique Japanese uma-jirushi, flag standard for battle. This uma-jirushi is a large inverted gourd surrounded by smaller gourds. The great daimyo, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (famous for being the second unifier of Japan) made the upside down gourd his uma-jirushi symbol. A large upside down gourd was placed on top of his flag pole and smaller gourds were added around it with each victory. Called "Sen nari hisago" or "thousand gourds"...

Cotton kimono with shibori (tie-dye) pattern which is paulownia flower motif. All hand-tied and dyed with vegetable indigo. In excellent condition. Mid 20th century. 126cm x 140cm

Netsuke - chestnut and a plump mushroom. Japan Edo 19th.

Antique Japanese large moon handle basket for ikebana flower arranging. Split bamboo is twisted and woven into an openwork star pattern. Dramatic looping handle made of wide, layered split bamboo.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 16 1/2" high x 18" long x 11" wide

An antique Japanese Yosegi Kobako (marquetry personal drawer box) from the Hakone region made of various natural colored woods with a Hinoki (Cypress) structure and drawer backs. The expert craftsmanship is quite evident by how the front marquetry design flows seamlessly across all of the drawers. Made with various woods including Keyaki (Zelkova), Kakinoki (Persimmon) and Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut). The box has 5 drawers with Mokko shaped drawer pulls...

Antique Japanese rare gyosho bako (peddler's box) for a barber. A set of 3 separated boxes that fit together and can be easily carried. The largest box has 5 drawers with bronze hardware including hirute shaped drawer pulls and decorative peony back plates. The top of the box has 2 open compartments, a small covered compartment, and a handle for carrying. On the right side, a smaller box attaches onto the large box with 2 hooks...

Antique Japanese Tobako-bon (tobacco box) with two small drawers. The top portion has an open square compartment lined with copper, a small rectangular-shaped space and another square compartment closed with a wooden lid. Just above the drawers is a long diagonal space to hold pipes. The box has a bamboo handle for carrying. Made with hardwood burl with dramatic swirling figure...

Stunning Antique Japanese moon handle basket for ikebana flower arranging. Made of split bamboo that has been twisted into rope and woven tightly together along with criss-crossing whole bamboo stalks. The deep reddish color of the split bamboo contrasts dramatically with the light color bamboo stalks. The wildness of the weaving highlights the tidiness of the overall form of the basket...

Ohara Shoson (Koson)
Two sparrows next to a snow-covered nandin bush
Size: Approximately 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Date: 1930s.
Shoson seal lower left.
Reference: AS.21 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

An antique Japanese Kansai Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Beautiful original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron fittings including the Warabite handles. Sliding doors hide a spacious area that was used to store business books and records while the 11 drawers held all things suitable for a merchant e.g. writing brushes, inkstone, receipts, valuables and money.

Each side has handles for carrying about the chest...

Stunning original 92 drawer Japanese Kusuri Tansu (apothecary chest). Originally used to store herbs and spices for healing the body. Made of 100% hinoki wood (Japanese Cypress wood). Has a warm natural finish. Hand forged pulls located on each drawer.

Edo Period C. early 19th Century

36 1/2" high X 38" wide X 9" deep

Pair of early Edo period carved Baku mythological elephants. These would have been built into the design of a temple, displayed high up by the beam construction. Hand carved with great care from a single piece of Keyaki hardwood (zelkova wood).

Baku are Japanese supernatural beings that dispel evil spirits and devour nightmares when the mouth is open and retain good spirits when the mouth is closed...

Antique Japanese round hibachi made of kiri (paulownia) wood and lacquered with highly raised maki-e design of irises and hydrangeas. Exuberant blossoms in gold and black lacquer with shell inlay. With a copper insert. This hibachi was originally used as a household brazier.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 9" high x 15" wide

Antique Japanese wedding kimono Tansu made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made heavy gauge iron fittings and thick wood construction for strength and durability including straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. Specially commissioned chest for use as part of a bride's dowry to store her formal wedding kimono, her formal after wedding kimono and her informal wedding celebration kimono...

Antique Japanese ikebana basket for flower arranging. Made of light color split bamboo woven into a rounded form. Contrasting dark and twisting wisteria vines make up the handle and pierce the undulating form of the basket.

Age: Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 15" high x 12" wide x 11" deep

Japanese Oribe Ceramic Pottery Deep Dish for Tea Ceremony Serving dish with Wave pattern, 6 1/2" square, 1 3/4" high, incised marking with Japanese Kanji on the bottom. The condition is good.

4 Japanese Oribe Ceramic Tea Dishes, Plates, 6 1/2" diameter, 1 1/4" high, maples leaves and other plants over the running stream. The condition is good.

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)...