Antique Japanese ikebana basket made of woven bamboo, with large strips of bamboo interwoven with a network of thinner strips, and a tightly twisted handle. The inner vase is a large section of bamboo lined with metal.

Taisho period (1912-1925)

Size: 11" W x 16" H

This is a fine antique Japanese cloisonne vase and probably a cabinet piece. It stands just under 5 inches tall. The glowing beauty and quality are more impressive when seeing it in person. The vase is in excellent condition.

This is a rare example of an early pigeon blood cloisonne vase. It's also quite an attractive old piece. There is no embossed red translucent background like the common pieces but there is substantial amounts of silver wire and enamel work. The vase is also a unique wide shape being 7 1/4 tall and 4 1/2 inches wide. The rims are silver and unmarked. Condition is excellent with a small bit of discoloration in the translucent red enamel. This is shown in the images.

An important work in the oeuvre of 20th century avant-garde oil painter Nakamura Yoshitane, his first exhibited work at the 1938 Dokuritsu Tenrankai (Independent Painters Exhibition) titled Canna and Cypress retaining the original gilt frame and published in Nakamura Yoshitane Gendai no Ningen Fukei (page 81). Thick application of pigment and very heavy texturing are key features to the work giving it a three dimensional quality. A copy of the book is included with the sale...

Japanese Pottery heavy Bar Rest used inside the Kiln, 11" long, 2 1/2" square each ends, this bar stick used in the kiln to rest items, with rough glaze surface, the condition is good, no damages.

5 Japanese Bizen Pottery shoe shape Chopstick and Spoon Rest, marked impressed Bizen mark, 2 1/2" high x 1" wide, with low relief Crab design on top of the shoes, top glazed with slight touch of gold. The condition is good, no damages.

Special offer: Heavily distorted shoe shaped (kutsugata) tea bowl with a strongly flaring mouth made of light, coarse, unrefined Mino clay. The expertly thrown body was trimmed with a potters knife in its lower part and covered with a very deep black iron oxide glaze inside and outside.

A 'window' on the side has been left unglazed and is decorated with a square divided into two white and two black section accompanied on each side by two circles with the same patterns...

Camellia blossom on this flattened form by Ito Motohiko enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Nunome Tsubaki Mon Kabin (Cloth Texture Vase with Camellia Design). It is 10 inches (26 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
The artist is a famous Kasama potter, best known for his nunome pattern and exceptional designs. Motohiko was born in Fukuoka prefecture, 1939, and graduated the Tokyo University of Art in 1964, then moved on to advanced courses there, finishing in 1966...

Antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship safe chest) made all of quarter sawn cut Keyaki (elm) wood with revealing natural woodgrain and finish. Cut out appliqué hardware with incised floral motifs adorns the body of the tansu. There are six drawers altogether.

Late Edo period (1603-1868)

Size: 21" L x 16.5" W x 18" H

Antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship safe box) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood in original dark finish, on a black wood stand. Six small drawers are sealed away within, with kan (ring) pulls. The front is decorated by black, incised iron hardware with a cherry blossom handles. Edo period (1603-1868)

Dates from the mid 19th century Size: 13" W x 17.5" D x 15" H (20.75" H)

The natural ash glaze gradates from a light-glossy grey on one side to a blueish grey on the other. The foot of the bowl is unglazed at the base and shows traces of ferrous-rich clay in the form of an orangish hue. The mouth of the piece is somewhat oblong giving it an attractive shape and the rough texture and ash deposits in places give this bowl a weighty presence...

A very large container of this artist's signature textured gray clay by Koinuma Michio enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chomon Tsubo (Sculpted Tsubo). Impressive, it is 28 cm (11 inches)diameter, roughly the same height and in excellent condition. For a simiolar piece see the second illustration in "To" volume ten.
Koinuma Michio is a compelling figure unique among contemporary artists...

This Madara-garatsu tea bowl (Madara Karatsu-ware) uses a technique known as yobitsugi—using pottery shards from other works to complete the gold repair—thereby adding a special character to the piece...

Japanese Bizen Pottery Cup Stand in signed original wooden box, 1 7/8" high, 2 1/2" diameter-top rim, 1"-bottom rim, written numbers inside the cup on the side, with signed original box, the condition is good, no damage.

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant chest) made all of kiri (paulownia) wood. Classic design of six drawers with round iron locks on all drawers and warabite handles, corner lock box, and middle sliding doors with locking pin and handles embossed with fu dogs. Meiji period (1868-1912)

Size: 30.5" L x 15.75" W x 31" H

A fine Arita blue and white four lobed bowl. Decoration of Sennin Chokaro with his gourd attribute in landscape, centered by extraordinary shironuki (drawn in white) decoration in the cavetto - each of four panels with a different auspicious figure and attributes. The outside of the shaped rim and sides also with simple shironuki decoration of a water border and a lotus blossom floating at each, dimpled corner...

A fine little octagonal blue and white porcelain kakiemon style deep dish. Chocolate brown glazed rim, white body and clear glaze over cobalt blue decoration of a primitive, raised teahouse with loose thatch roof and slung entrance screen all under a large willow tree and, conspicuously, a spiderweb (perhaps to emphasize closeness to nature) in the foreground. The interior wall and rim decorated with repeating pattern and karakusa (scrolling vine and leaf)...

A beautiful Annan tea bowl with silver repair (gintsugi) and fine sense of "aji" bestowed by age. Ornately decorated with flowering chrysanthemum, the skillfully applied silver repair to the bowl implies that it was treasured by its previous owner.

Annan-Yaki, is a tradition of pottery brought to Japan from the Annan province of ancient Imperial China (now part of Vietnam) from the late Muromachi period (1392 - 1573)...