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". The gourd also symbolizes the 7 Lucky Gods, good luck, good...

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. Excellent original condition.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 16 1/2" high ...

A late 16th.century Azushi-Momoyama Period (1573–1600) vase in elegantly-shaped meiping form, with a gradual outward curve on the shoulder, with short-knopped neck, incised beneath the greenish-yellow / olive glaze.

The vase is decorated with kanji letters. It is written, that this vase is a tribute to the art which was made during the great Einin-Era.

A similar vase - but made during the Kamakura Period - was also part of our collection (item number 0083) and is sold al...

Fine statue of Buddha, in monk's robes, standing on a circular base with a tenon beneath, his left hand holding the robe, his right arm alongside his leg. Bronze, with remnants of the original gilding. Nepal, 15th to 16th century, maybe earlier. Height: 8.3 cm. The statue is mounted on a plexi stand. Very good condition. NOTE: collected in situ in 1974.

Silver damask iron box, gold details. Japanese work of the Edo period bearing the coat of arms of the Saka-I clan. I once read that this clan was responsible for security in Edo in the 18th century (to be checked). The essential feature of this box is the finesse of the iron that makes it. The blacksmith managed to hammer a wall as thin as paper. Which is a technical feat requiring a exceptionnal mastery of iron. The inlays are thick, which has ensured excellent preservation during centuries of ...

An antique Chinese chest made of hardwood and featuring 2 side by side drawers with removable 2 doors and separator. Used as a side table, it has spacious storage space behind the doors. Original metal hardware.

Age: 19th Century

Dimensions: 37" Wide by 32 1/2" High by 16 3/4" Deep

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) in a rare two section design made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware with full moon style locking plates and Warabite handles. Two sliding doors open to a storage area where merchant books and business records were kept. Recessed side handles on the tops of each section.

Merchant chests provided two important key elements for the store owner. The first was its functionality as a chest to consolidate the shop...

Antique Japanese netsuke in the form of a fudog. Carved of boxwood, the fudog leans on a ball. With eyes wide and mouth open, his mane flows down his back. He curls his body around the ball, gripping it in three paws while balancing on his back leg. Age and use have added an appealing smooth quality of the netsuke.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1868)

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

Shell mounted on a silver base. Chinese work made for export? From memory I seem to recall that a pair of identical cups were presented at the V&A in the 90s. The shell is held by silver nuts in the shape of a butterfly, it rests on a grove of 3 silver bamboos. The whole rests on a finely worked wooden base. The other nuts are in the shape of clover. The whole is finely worked and chiselled. Beautiful finish. Extremely rare object. Very certainly end of the 18th century. Good condition, 1 of t...

This is an antique two section Korean Nong made of a hardwood with beautiful Maple wood accents. Original Nickel hardware with four drawers along the upper part of each section. There are bat handles representing happiness and medallions behind the lower handles signifying a wedding. The four carved panels on the upper half display two scenes of deer searching for the magic mushroom Lingzhi and two scenes of a Phoenix next to the Paulownia tree.

This chest was part of a bride's troussea...

According to Kei Wakao, the artist who crafted this extraordinary work, it took him years of trial-and-error to perfect the unique rice-porcelain glaze covering this finely shaped vase. Not only was it a challenge to achieve the demure milky translucence of the glaze—similar to the appearance of a grain of rice when held to the light—but also to get the right flowing consistency and pooling effect in desired areas.

Born in 1974 as the eldest son to a well-established kiln in th...

Rare small table hairdressing table in black and gold lacquered wood. Chinese furniture made for export at the end of 18°. Charming model in a moving condition . A copy of identical shape is kept at the Metropolitan Museum. 2 others with same decoration were sold in the 80s. Inside a drawer there is still a whole set of 6 original boxes which are perfectly preserved and have kept their colors. 77x39cm. Very damaged mainly on the top and the pediment is missing but technically restorable pe...

Chinese Yuan dynasty longquan celadon dish decorated with nice single fish at the centre. 20,5 cm diameter. Dish has two chipped at the rim and one chipped at the foot rim (please see on the pictures) Free from any repaired.

Lee Seung O's innovative paper assemblage, 36 x 28.75 inches, 91 x 73 cm. Lee's work is in the permanent collection of many major museums, including the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, and he has an excellent auction record, with not a single work going unsold in the many major auctions that have listed his work over the last several years, including Christie's. It is said of Lee Seung O that he is an old spirit with a young mind. While so many young Korean artists are looking to t...

Antique Korean porcelain oval form vase with long, narrow neck. Glazed with transparent, very lightly tinted glaze with subtlety crackled surface.

Korean white porcelain was prized by members of the royal court during the Joseon Period. Special kilns were established by the court to exclusively produced these beautiful white porcelain vessels.

Age: 19th Century

Dimensions: 15" high x 8" wide

Incense burner in lacquer, hexagonal and curved shaped, decorated with hira and takamaki-e in gold and silver lacquer on a nashi-ji background, peonies along the banks of a river and a mount. The lid has a cruciform opening.
A mon is affixed to one side of the diffuser. It is the mon of the family Ōkubo (大久保氏)a family belonging to the Fudai-Daimyo house (the vassals of the Tokugawa family).
The head of the family was created Daimyo by the Tokugawa family in 1684. From 1725...

Gold and black lacquer painted box. The decor consists of reserves containing pictural scenes of characters in gardens with pavilions. The bottom is decorated with flowers.
The inside of the lid is decorated with tea leaves in gold lacquer on a black lacquer background.
This box rests on four wood polychrome lacquer feet carved in the shape of a bat.

China circa 1880
Height 4.72 in. (12 cm) – Width 11.42 (29 cm) – Depth 8.27 (21 cm)

Fan-shaped kobako in lacquer. The kobako is decorated with autumn plants on sequined silver and gold. The inside and the circumference are in nashi-ji lacquer.

Kobako (“little boxes”) are often adorned with harmonious decors and sceneries inspired by Japanese fauna and flora. Japanese artists play with shapes and materials with accuracy and thoroughness akin to silverware.

Japan, Edo period (1603-1868)

Length 3.75 in (9,5 cm) – Height 1.6 in ...