Antique Japanese lacquer manju (netsuke toggle to be worn on obi), made in a round form of lacquered wood and intricately inlaid with tiny flakes of gold and shell. The inside is lacquered with a dense nishiji lacquer (made of tiny flecks of gold suspended in lacquer). Somada School.

Edo Period (19th century)

Dimensions: 1 5/8' wide x 3/4" high

An antique Japanese three-case Inro. The Inro is reddish brown cherry bark lacquered with a dragonfly hovering over a lotus leave and pond. The other side is a continuation of the lotus leaf motif with small gold leaf flowers. The interior has a continuation of the cherry bark surface. The Inro is signed by 'Zeshin" (Shibata Zeshin 1807-1891) with a cursive monogram. Fitted with an orange oval ojime bead.

Date: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 2.25" tall X 1.5"

An antique Japanese 3 case inro with wisteria in makie lacquer. Designed with a reddish brown ground and lacquered with gold leaf. The wisteria blossoms drape from it's stem which wraps around the top of the case to end in a scroll pattern on the back side. Interior cases interiors are lacquered black.

Date: Edo /Meiji period (1603-1912)

Dimensions: 3"h x 2.5"w

An exquisite Japanese gold lacquer Inro of boat scene with five compartments. The inside compartments are covered with dense nashiji lacquer (fine gold flecks). Underneath the bottom compartment is the artist's signature, KAJIKAWA, with red chop. Inro (seal basket) are small decorative containers that hang from the waist. They originate at the end of the 16th century and were worn by men to hold seals and herbal or other medicines...

An elegant antique Hangai Tansu made of solid quartered sawn keyaki wood with hand forged square iron handles and elaborate key. Hangai is a clothing chest used on ships. It has a single drop-fit door. Keyaki wood has a beautiful wavy natural grain, a bright and calm color and strength. This Tansu comes with a key that unlocks the chest with 2 side locks to uncover two large drawers.

Date: Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

Dimensions: 32.5" long X 18.5" tall X 16.25" wide

An antique Japanese Kunimatsu cash register made of hinoki wood with hand painted details in red and gold, tin knobs and scrolling trim. The center has an embossed manufacturer's trademark. The exterior has a white marble ledge. Under the ledge are the numbers in red ink, 50, 10, 5 & 1's. It is a working cash register with a bell when the drawer springs open. There is a key that opens the backside to change the paper roll...

Rare item. Yazutsu (quiver) made of "koyori" which is twisted washi (Japanese handmade paper) strings. The crafts made of koyori and coated with urushi were called "Kami-Nagato" and they were popular handicrafts in Edo period, such as tabacco cases, bowls and sake containers in hyotan shape and so on. It has 15 arrows made of bamboo but feathers are worn out. The quiver is in excellent condition. The 19th century. L:94cm Diameter:7.5cm

An antique, Japanese boxwood lacquer comb with two kanzashi hair pins decorated with niello silver & mokoume-gane etched cat on gilt. The fine toothed comb is hand carved with floral motifs and a man walking over a bridge. The reverse side shows a house surrounded by mountains. Wooden combs in Japan were once believed to have shamanic qualities. Women would brush their black hair thinking that the combs would gather each strand’s spiritual energy...

A Japanese gold lacquer Inro with five compartments. A relief of a pair of silver horses dominates the landscape scene of a seaside village with drying racks of fish and pines and clouds in the background. The horses are galloping over a creek with foliage. The reverse side shows a lone horse under a fruit tree and thatched cottage. The inside compartments are covered with dense nashiji lacquer (fine gold flecks). The cord has an agate ojime...

Japanese gold lacquer Inro with five compartments, decorated in low relief landscape scene of temple in the mountain surrounded by pines and connected by a small bridge over a river in gold lacquer. The reverse side shows mountains in the distance and a small seaside village. The inside compartments are covered with dense nashiji lacquer (fine gold flecks). The cord has a metal ojime. Inro (seal basket) are small decorative containers that hang from the waist...

Nagoro banana leaf tray lacquer over wood. The black lacquer shines through the red to reveal the ribs and veins of the leaf. In the literati tradition, banana leaves were used by scholar recluses as paper to write calligraphy. Later, this motif was incorporated into other forms of art making the image one of the symbols of the literati aesthetics.

Date: Tiasho circa 1920

Dimensions: 16" x 6" X 3/4"

A Japanese Contemporary Large Bamboo Sculpture made of thin strips of madake bamboo and lacquer. The artist is using an irregular, open work plaiting technique creating a kind of large cocoon shape. It can be seen from different angles and it can also be use for flower arrangements as there are openings through which a receptacle can be placed inside. But it can be admired simply as a sculpture. Made by Homura Reiryu ( b. 1970 ) from Oita prefecture, Kyushu, Japan...

Unusual Japanese Buddhist Zushi with dark, lacquered wood exterior and gilt interior. Enshrined in this portable altar is the statue of Buddha seated on a lotus. His two attendants are sitting on a dragon and fox. The double doors and roof top are decorated with scrolling gilt metal work.

Buddhist traveling altars and shrines create a sacred space of spiritual magnetism and are the product of dedicated craftsmanship...

Rare Antique Japanese Negoro red lacquer tiered stand. Five arched cabriole legs below the hand carved apron, the feet ending at a floral step base. Overall condition is very good and consistent with age.

Edo Period (circa mid 1800's)

Dimensions: 12" w x 14 3/4" h

An unusual Japanese circular wooden stand with black and red lacquer finish, the edges of the stand are inlaid with shell, standing on slight cabriole tripod feet.

Early 19th century Edo Period

Dimensions: 19" W x 5" H

Japanese lacquer suzuribako or calligraphy writing box. The box is wood with lacquer, gold gilt sprinkled lacquer, and inlaid shell on the lid, adorned with scrolling leaves, floral medallions and motifs of sparrows. The box interior is red lacquer with gold lacquer patterns. The inside box contains an attached inkstone, a brush, and a small brass water dropper. Underneath is a shallow compartment for the storage of calligraphy papers...

Japanese carved wood Natsume tea caddy, with high relief lacquer imagery of ripened peaches growing on a branch, and a flying hornet on the top of the lid in lacquer. The side of the box is signed with red lacquer cartouche.

Meiji period (1868-1912) c. 1900

Dimensions: 2 1/2" W x 2 3/4" H

A lacquer box decorated with a Rimpa style thatched house under blossoming tree by Kamisaka Sekka dating from the late Taisho period. It is 12.5 x 12.5 x 6 cm (5 x 5 x 2 inches) and is in excellent condition. An identical box which was part of the permanent collection of the Ruth and Sherman Lee Institute along with the original design sketch is visible on page 154 of the book Kamisaka Sekka: Rimpa Master - Pioneer of Modern Design published by the Kyoto National Museum of Modern Art in 2003. ...