The Japanese samurai dolls are part of the display used for Boy’s Day on every 5th of May in Japan. The dolls are the figures of historical heroes or legendary people to inspire the boys in the family (probably husbands are also included today) in their manliness and hopefully discipline and bravery to go with them. Samurai’s Yoroi armor, Kabuto helmet with swords, bow with arrows are popular items chosen today for the day.

Very large doll for this kind...

Antique Japanese wedding kimono gown, black silk brocade with flying cranes over pine, plum and bamboo (Sho Chiku Bai). They are celebrative motifs that are almost always seen in the Japanese wedding and New Year. The beautiful color combination of gold threads (wrapped in real gold leaf) and white shiny silk threads are woven into the background of black Shusu, satin silk with the contrasting color of a red silk liner. This is an absolutely gorgeous wedding gown...

Breathtakingly beautiful Japanese silk wedding kimono gown, Meiji/Taisho period, lined with the contrasting color red, very soft silk. It has a beautiful, rich texture woven in a mixture of flat, diagonal and shusu satin ori (weave). Under the sun, you can see the diagonal lines of woven gold threads crossing inside (photo #5). Gowns made in the early Meiji period are not only shorter but the colors are darker with a combination of earth tones (Shibui) comparing to brighter modern gowns...

A giant mingei carved mask of an oni (demon) embodying the indefinable sense of madness particular to Japanese Demon images. The face has a mysterious mixture of sadness and evil not duplicated in any other culture, a truly pitiable character. The mask, carved from a single block of wood, is just over 2 feet (66 cm) tall and in fine condition.

Japanese late 19th or early 20th Century porcelain vase. Made by artist SUWA SOZAN. Stamp of artist on bottom of vase. Comes with TOMOBAKO, original artist's box. The side of the vase has small raised rectangular areas which have design of fish, snail, chrysanthemums, peaches, shellfish, butterfly, phoenix and Japanese shishi lion. The vase is 10" tall and 9 1/2" in diameter.

Japanese Late 19th or Early 20th Century FUKAGAWA large vase. Beautifully done with the design of Mt. Fuji and mist. No storage box. The vase stands 12" tall by 11" wide.

Japanese Meiji Period bronze vase. The vase has a poet on the front and bamboo and plum blossoms on the reverse. The handles are done in the shape of stylized elephant heads. Beautifully done with gold, silver and SHAKUDO inlays. Unsigned. The vase measures 13" tall and 8" wide at the handles.

Japanese early 20th century bronze art deco bamboo and sparrow vase. Signed by artist, KOMIN. The bamboo and sparrow are done in high relief. Beautifully made with a oxidized "blue" bronze finish. The vase measures 11" tall and 3 3/8" in diameter at the widest.

Japanese early 20th century art deco bronze swan. The swan is done in a silver and gold finish. Beautifully designed and executed by artist, JOSHIN. Signed JOSHIN on the bottom. The swan measures 8 3/8" tall, by 9" long and 3 1/2" wide. Comes with box.

Japanese circa 1900 century bronze lantern. The lantern sits on 6 raised feet and has 12 petals on top. The lantern measures 16 1/2" tall, 9" in diameter at top and 5" in diameter in the middle section.

phoenixes, 1 on each opposite side done in beautifully detailed relief. The other sides have decorative holes , 1 larger than the other. The HIBACHI is standing on 3 feet that are attached to a wooden stand. The HIBACHI measures 8" tall (without stand) and 14" in diameter.

Antique Japanese Satsuma ware bowl in the shape of a money pouch, decorated with motif of procession of children pulling flower cart, ceramic with gold and polychrome overglaze, Meiji Period. Size: 5 1/2" high x 6" wide (diameter).

A powerful drawing of Shoki, a demon queller, is hand painted over two nobori banners (each has two panels sewn together) on a thick and loosely woven cotton. The size of two panels together is huge; approx...

Japanese Takeda doll, Benkei. We originaly thought this doll was Benkei but somehow he was changed into to Samurai Kiyomasa (16 to 17th century samurai general). We should be correcting or leave him as is with a tiger. Circa Meiji period (1868-1912). 15 inches tall, 14 1/2 inches across platform.

A superb quality set of court musician dolls for Japanese Girl’s Day, Hina Matsuri.
The Hina festival takes place every March 3rd in Japan and it is a day of celebration for the well-being of every girl in the family. In earlier days, people were more susceptible to natural disasters or diseases, so in order to keep evil spirits away, this day was spent giving offerings to God. This custom was adopted from the 7th century Chinese ceremony that originally took place on the beach...

A very unusual art nouveau style Kutani vase decorated with a jagged forest of pink trees on soft green carpet, butterflies circling the shoulder which breaks into a darkened cloud of moriage beads decorated with spiraling karakusa designs in slightly raised gold. Superb workmanship, it is simply signed Kutani-zo (made in Kutani). The vase is 10 inches (25.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition and dates from the first quarter of the 20th century.

This is a large doll, probably dated from Meiji to Taisho period, modeling a maiden from the Genroku era (1688-1703). Genroku culture which was the beginning of uprising power of the merchants in the Osaka area was glamorous and quite a contrast to the stiff culture of the samurai. Partially green lipstick that is shown on this doll became fashionable at the time. Her hair style is called Taka (high) Shimada or Bunkin Taka-Shimada...

A very unusual hammer textured lotus shaped tray featuring an insect crawling down the side enclosed in a wooden box titled Textured Leaf Shape Fruit Dish and signed Tekisui Zo (made by Tekisui). The brass basin is supported by a withering round stem convoluting beneath. A bright portion of brass hammered out with holes show the leaf slowly deteriorating, returning to earth. The insect is like a red flying-beetle or lady-bug, very detailed...