A sitting lady in Heian era court dress and hair, clutching a giant golden matsudake mushroom. She wears a bright red hakama and light blue kimono. The shape of the mushroom has a close resemblance to a penis and the sculpture definitely has an erotic meaning.

Hand modeled, soft hollow earthenware, painted in cold-applied colors and gold.

Japan, 1960s or earlier.

H 5 in.

Colors somewhat smudged and chafed; frittings at the bottom edge. Because of the cold application, t...

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...

A rare large Chinese carved wooden figure of a Goldfish. The fish is covered with gold lacquer over a brown lacquer base. It has bulging black and white glass eyes, fins, scales, and a large fan shaped tail. The underside shows the brown lacquer base coat. The fish measures about 15" long x 6" wide at the broadest point of the tail, and it dates to the early 20th Century. The condition is very good, commensurate with its age, and one should expect some chips, cracks, small repairs and surfa...

Fine Rare Chinese Yuan Dynasty Burnished Black Pottery Round Box

We have recently been lucky enough to have acquired a collection of very rare examples of burnished black pottery items made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Such items are relatively unknown and very little has been published about them. They are found in the northern provinces, particularly Gansu province in the north-west.

This fine-quality black pottery black has a highly polished/burnished surface making it pa...

Fine Rare Chinese Yuan Dynasty Burnished Black Pottery Dragon Cup & Saucer

We have recently been lucky enough to have acquired a collection of very rare examples of burnished black pottery items made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Such items are relatively unknown and very little has been published about them. They are found in the northern provinces, particularly Gansu province in the north-west.

This exquisite cup and saucer set has smooth burnished surfaces, very smooth to ...

Rare Chinese Yuan Dynasty Burnished Black Pottery Meiping

We have recently been lucky enough to have acquired a collection of very rare examples of burnished black pottery items made during the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368). Such items are relatively unknown and very little has been published about them. They are found in the northern provinces, particularly Gansu province in the north-west.

This vase, or bottle is of meiping form. It is particularly "heavily-potted" and stands on an int...

Rare Tall Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty Decorated Glazed Jar

This attractively-shaped pottery jar was made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220) and comes from Shaanxi province in the northwest of China. It is made from a red pottery, quite heavily potted, has a wide body, narrow neck and trumpet-shaped mouth. Simple decorative incised lines surround the neck and shoulder. The outer surface and inner mouth have been coated in an amber-coloured glaze with green glaze added in places to f...

A Fine Chinese Tang Dynasty Sancai Glazed Pottery Groom with Oxford TL Test

This very fine pottery model of a foreign groom was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a highly-fired white pottery that has been coated in different coloured glazes, as well as the facial features being finished in cold-painted coloured pigments. The figure has a beard and moustache and wears a flowing cloak with distinctive head gear. His right arm is raised as though holding the reigns of...

Rare Large Chinese Han Dynasty Bronze Xian (Published)

This exceptionally large and rare bronze xian (steamer) was made during the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220) and actually comprises three separate vessels that combine to form the xian. The middle section sits within the lower section, and on top sits the upper section, the part that has the grill in its base to allow steam to enter the vessel. Each section is decorated with raised bands and a pair of taotie ring handles. The surfaces are c...

Chinese Eastern Han Dynasty Amber Glazed Pottery Stove

This pottery model of a stove was made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220). It is made from a reddish pottery and coated in a thick and attractive amber glaze. It has been made from moulded sections that have been luted together. There are three integral cooking pots with moulded decoration including fish, geometric patterns and a kneeling female figure with a pot. To the underside unglazed surface is a network of ancient root/p...

Fine Chinese Tang Dynasty Saddled Horse with Oxford TL Test

This fine-quality pottery model of a horse was made during the early part of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a relatively highly-fired pale-coloured pottery, varying from a pale grey to a pinkish-brown in colour (this colour variation is often seen with earthenware that is more highly-fired than other pieces). It has been "cold-painted" in various coloured pigments. The two pigments that have survived the most are t...

Fine Chinese Tang Dynasty Painted Pottery Horse & Rider

This attractive pottery model of a horse & rider was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). It is made from a relatively highly-fired pottery that has been "cold painted" in various different coloured pigments. The horse stands alert with its head turned a little to its left. The riders sits erect with his hands held out as though holding the reins. Note the clothing of the rider, especially the head covering.

Height 35 cm (13...

Fine & Rare Chinese Northern Wei Dynasty Painted Pottery Horse & Rider

This rare and attractive pottery model of a horse & rider was made during the Northern Wei Dynasty (AD 386 - 534). It is made from a buff-coloured pottery that has been "cold painted" in a base coat of a creamy-white pigment on top of which are yellow and black pigments. The horse stands upright with its head turned to its left. Note the detail of the rider's clothing. Judging by the position of the rider and the two purp...

Korean 19th Century / Choson Blue & White Porcelain Jar in Box

This porcelain jar of globular form was made during the 19th century toward the latter part of the Choson (Joseon) Dynasty. The underglaze blue decoration comprises floral patterns and two bands surrounding the neck. It is quite "heavily-potted" and there are couple of firing bubbles, no doubt due to the thickness of the clay. There is kiln grit embedded within the glaze to the base.

Diameter 13 cm, height 11 cm. There is m...

Tall Chinese Warring States / Qin Dynasty Grey Pottery Jar

This large and attractively-shaped pottery jar was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC) or possibly during the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC). It is "heavily-potted" and made from a relatively high-fired dense grey pottery. It is decorated with two wide bands of repeated impressions that surround the upper and lower shoulder. There are also fainter decorative impressions that partially surround the body at the waist.

...

Large Chinese Warring States Impressed Pottery Jar (475 - 221 BC)

This large and attractive pottery jar was made during the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC). It is made from a relatively high-fired dense grey pottery. The whole of the surface of the upper body has been decorated by impressing cord into the soft clay and then incising horizontal bands as the jar was turned; a simple yet very effective method of decoration.

Height 30 cm, diameter 28 cm. Condition is very good. There a...

Vietnamese 16th Century Green Glazed Bowl

This rare bowl was made during the 16th century. Apart from the unglazed stacking ring and base it is coated in an apple-green glaze, the depth of colour of which varies according to its thickness. There are small areas around the inner wall where the glaze has not covered but this appears to be unintentional.

Diameter 16 cm. Although not immediately obvious, a section of the wall has been broken out and re-stuck.

*** TO ORDER THIS ITEM PLEA...

Fine Vietnamese 14th / 15th Century Moulded Bowl

This rare bowl was made during the 14th - 15th century and is coated in a finely-crackled yellowish-brown glaze, the depth of colour varying according to its thickness. Around the centre is a wide unglazed stacking ring, and around the inner wall are various moulded leaf and floral patterns. Apart from unintentional glaze splashes, the foot remains unglazed.

Diameter 17 cm. There is minor glaze loss where the glaze is at its thinnest, but...