An antique Japanese Cha Tansu (tea chest) made entirely of Rosewood (Shitan). Beautiful configuration of sliding doors, shelves and drawers. Each display shelf has an arabesque border and the center and top shelf have a horizontal scrolling design. The top, back and sides all have floating panels and the chest has an open air design with areas for storage.

Age: Late Meiji-Taisho (1900-1920)

Dimensions: 42" Wide by 42 1/2" High by 13" Deep

An antique Japanese Cha Tansu (tea chest) made of Sakuranoki (Cherry) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. The body was constructed using Japanese Unique stylized four leaf clover cut-out design window allows natural light to showcase the interior shelf display. Upper four sliding doors opens to a spacious storage area. Below this to the upper left is a lift-out door behind which is more storage. Four multi-level shelves allowed for prominent viewing of seasonal and cultural decorations...

Japanese antique large 3 piece cha display tansu, ornately carved all over with birds and flowers and with deep blue lacquer panels decorated with bone inlaid scenes of a maiden with two children as well as more birds and flowers on other panels. The upper portion of the tansu has two cabinet doors on either side of a compartment with two sliding panels. In the middle section of the chest are six shelves of different sizes which are staggered at different intervals for display...

An unusual chato (tea room sword) in the shape of an octopus, its 8 legs stretched out in uniform with one curled back exposing the suckers. Eyes are intimated on one side, with an old chip where the breathing hole is opposite. About the neck is wrapped a faded silk chord. It is 22 inches (56 cm) long. It is said that these wooden swords were produced from the mid to late Edo period, in lieu of swords for those not allowed to carry weapons (all but samurai)...

Gohon crackled pale glaze covers this Tenmoku shaped Chawan decorated with a blossoming plum harbinger of Spring, signed Sozan followed by a long verse in dramatic calligraphy. It is 12 cm (5 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, enclosed in the original signed wooden box.
Suwa Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875...

A Gasaku joint effort by Kyoto porcelain master Takahashi Dohachi V and Scholar artist Tomioka Tessai (1837-1924) dating from the late Meiji to Taisho period. Enigmatic Characters in cobalt strike firmly from the smooth alabaster surface. The bowl is 4-3/4 inches (12 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Written on the side is Sho-Do Ki? Sue, Nyu Chyu? Ho-nari followed by the signature Tessai Gai-shi...

white lines defining this tea bowl defy the superlative rendition of a bird snapping up an insect from a hibiscus by Ogata Gekko within. The bowl is 4-1/2 inches (11.5 cm) diameter, 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall and in fine condition. It comes wrapped in a silk bag and enclosed in a superb kiri-wood box.
Ogata Gekko (1859-1920) of Edo (now Tokyo) was born the son of merchant Nakagami Seijiro and was heir to a small fortune...

An incredible Mishima Chawan dating from the Edo period with a wide repair to the rim in dark lacquer decorated with golden grasses in gold maki-e lacquer designs. It comes in an ancient dilapidated silk pouch with cotton buffer enclosed in an age darkened kiri-wood box titled Mishima Chawan. The bowl is 5.5 cm (2 inches) tall, 12.5 -13.5 cm (5-1/2 -6 inches) diameter and in fine condition. Mishima ware refers to different types of imported and adopted Japanese pottery...

A Japanese cherry bark kiseru with a carved wood ojime. The set includes 2 pipes. There is some age related wear to the pipe case, otherwise in very good condition. Circa 1900.
Measurements;
Pouch: 2.75" high
Small pipe: about 2.75"
Pipe case: 9.75" inches long
Long Pipe: 7.5" Long

A small antique Japanese iron tsuba decorated with motifs of cherry blossoms blown in the wind. The tsuba is decorated in a way where on one side is a branch of the cherry blossoms and the other side is the flowers scattered on the ground. The flowers are done in a shakudo style technique. Size: Diameter 2.75" Height 0.2"

A finely brushed image of a pheasant in the blossoming boughs of a cherry tree bearing a circular Rimpa School seal in the lower right. Pigment on paper with bokashi daubing of water on the tree trunk. Shadows dragged through the back appear to intimate bamboo. It is bordered in beige silk with a black lacquered wooden frame. The screen measures 71.5 x 68.5 inches (181 x 174 cm) and is in fine condition, dating from the early 20th century.

A rare antique Japanese Niigata Kiri Children's Kasane Tansu (stacking chest on chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. It features a stylized Chrysanthemum design on each plate which represents the Mon or family crest of the original owner and Gumbai handles. The iron fittings were all hand made and the chest was constructed using straight dovetail joinery and hardened wooden nails.

These children's chests are not often seen in Japan...

We usually don't buy kimonos but this is a spectacular example of the highest level of yuzen kimono art. Late Meiji Period C.1900 yuzen hand painted chirimen silk girl's kimono. Chirimen silk being the top class of silk used for kimonos. All natural dyes bringing the chysanthemum and peony flowers to life, the wisteria and butterflies woven into a museum masterpiece of textile art. Excellent condition. Height: 45" x Width:41". Shipping included.

An antique Japanese Choba (merchant's chest) from the Mikuni area with a keyaki wood front. The top section is two sliding panels of natural urushe lacquer finish. The bottom section consists of two medium sized drawers with a small door adjacent and a hinged door. The hinged door has two interior drawers behind it. The hardware is an ornate lock plate and square handles (kakute)...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute handles. It has a configuration of 9 drawers, a pair of Biraki-Do (hinged doors) hiding a center shelf and a thief's door behind which lies two more small drawers. Two side lift-up handles through which a bamboo pole would go allowing two persons to carry this tansu from place to place...

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant box) made of thick Hinoki (Cypress) and thick Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Straight dovetail joinery with hardened wooden nail construction. Original bronze and iron hardware. Two different sized coin slots at the top of the box. Includes a working key.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912) Dimensions: 10 7/8" Side x 12" High x 11 7/8" Deep

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant safe-keep box) made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood with original hand forged iron hardware. Acquired a beautiful 200+ year old age patina. Hinged door secures 3 drawers behind which lies a secret box located behind the side by side drawers above.

Unusual side footing purposely made to provide air flow under the box. This suggests that the contents of the box was quite heavy (like gold coins) so that it was not moved often allowing the Tatami ma...

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant storage box) made of Kurinoki (Chestnut) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. All original hand made iron fittings including the Hirute drawer handles and the Warabite carrying handle. It features unique Cherry blossom escutcheons behind the drawer handles and a coin slot at the top that drops into the top left drawer. The other 5 drawers were used to safely keep small store valuables.

Signed at the base that translates to read: "Made Meiji 40 (1907)...