A wonderful kabuki Isho Ningyo of the actor Ichikawa Danjuro IX performing as the lion dancer in the performance of Shukyo Kagami Jishi in March 1893 at the Kabukiza Theater in Tokyo. He wears the traditional flowing red wig. Beautiful details abound here with handsome, sumptuous brocade. The pose and high quality of this dramatic masterpiece indicates it was done by an important Ningyo master. Height: 17 inches, 43 cm.

Japanese sosaku hanga woodblock print featuring an embossed image of a female Awaji doll puppet in profile by Kiyoshi Saito (1907-1997). The artist's black ink signature is at the lower left and Saito's red seal is at the lower right portion of the image. Circa 1960's. Unlimited edition. Paper size about 17 1/8" x 11 1/2" (image: 14 1/8" x 8 3/8"). Full margins and very good overall condition. There is some slight waviness of the paper and a few puckers evident in the upper margin...

An exquisitely formed sometsuke porcelain by important Seto porcelain artist Kawamoto Rekitei (1894-1975) with raised patterns of grapes forming on the vine. The delicate shades of the steadily browning grape leaves is easily conveyed by the masters touch, each leaf carefully bordered in a raised border, the dark grapes slowly growing plump in the shadows. The vase is 9 inches (23 cm) tall, over 7 inches (18 cm) diameter...

Japanese sosaku hanga woodblock print depicting a pavilion on Peony Point (Botan-dai), Pyongyang, Korea and is No. 28 from the series "One Hundred Views of New Japan" by Hiratsuka Un'ichi (1895-1997). The artist's red ink Hiratsuka Un'ichi seal is at the lower right. The black ink title and artist's red "Un" seal is at the upper left. Known to date to 1940. Paper size: 9 7/8" x 12 5/8" (image: 8 7/8" x 11 7/8"). This print was never framed and is in very good overall condition...

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest), kiri (paulownia) wood with beautiful iron hardware, large cut out iron lock plates, square drawer pulls, safe box in lower right corner with heavy iron work on door ( 1 key), interior of safe has 3 small kiri drawers, (total of 9 drawers of different sizes on whole piece), Edo Period (c1850). Size: 30 1/2" high x 24" wide x 12 1/2" deep.

Antique Japanese tansu chest with 4 drawers, each drawer is made of kiri (paulownia) wood that has been cut to display an unusual vertical pattern, each drawer is trimmed in persimmon wood and has a large iron lock plate with an oak leaf (kashiwa) mon, unusual shaped iron drawer pulls, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Rare Yonezawa area Isho Tansu. Size: 36" high x 28 3/4" wide x 15 1/2" deep.

Unusual choba tansu made with keyaki (elm) wood with large persimmon wood beams running horizontal with through tennon joinery in the frame, identical top and bottom drawer with beautiful keyaki wood, sliding panels also of keyaki wood open to compartment with shelf, iron hardware, Edo/Meiji Period (early 1800's). Size: 35 1/2" high x 28 3/4" wide x 16" deep.

Relief-sculpted sandstone Nyoirin Kannon Bosatsu depicted in this bodhisattva's characteristic seated pose of royal ease. Dated to the opening year of the Kyoho Era (1716), mid-Edo Period. Very minor old loss, most notably to the tip of the nose, and overall softening of the lines and contours...

Large stoneware jar with multi-color dripping glaze over a creamy white crackled glaze. The green is the traditional green of earlier Shigaraki ware, the blue as well, but a variety of brown, red, pink and black have been added to the palette. Inside and bottom covered in brown glaze with yellow spots. Japan, early Showa, 1920-1930s.
Height 17 inches (43.2 cm), diameter at shoulder ca. 17 inches (43.2 cm).
Mint condition.

Stunning Antique Japanese 2 section choba tansu. Hand crafted from solid Beautiful keyaki wood. Finely detailed forged iron work including round lock plates and hirute shaped drawer pulls. Includes locking safe box with 2 small interior drawers that are also made of keyaki. Piece retains its original translucent red-orange lacquer finish that glows in the light.

late Edo/early Meiji Period C. 1860's

Size: 63 1/2" high x 35 1/2" wide x 16" deep.

Antique Japanese iron tetsubin (cast iron pot for heating water for tea), decorated with wonderful raised scene of houses over water and pine trees; on the other side, a sage sits under a rocky out cropping and reads by the light of the moon, in the distance are more houses nestled in the mountains, Signed on the bronze lid, Meiji Period. Size: 10 1/2" high (including handle) x 7" wide (including spout).

Relief-sculpted granite depiction of a standing Jizo Bosatsu, the hands bearing aloft a hoju (sacred jewel). Late-Edo Period/early-Meiji Era ca. 1880. Excellent condition. Variegated lichen accumulation.

Height: 39.9 cm
Width of base: 19.0 cm
Depth of base: 14.8 cm.

An exceptional Jizo stone, the fluid roundness of the Jizo figure contrasted by the rectilinearity of the pentagonal perimeter and the stylized lotus petals zig-zagging underfoot...

Unusual Japanese antique kuruma tansu, keyaki (elm) wood front and frame, deep red translucent lacquer finish, heavy iron hardware, 2 locking bars each covering 2 drawers, safe box with three small drawers , keyaki horizontal bracing on sides and back, Edo Period (late 18th, early 19th century). Size: 47" high x 47 3/4" wide x 24" deep.

Beautiful Japanese censor, silver filigree with flowers, lid with wonderful little silver quail, stands on 4 silver legs; two gold lacquer shibayama reserves with flowers, butterflies, and a bird inlaid with mother of pearl and inlaid shell, signed on the inside, Meiji Period. 4" high x 4" wide

A sage stands in deep contemplation of the sight of a sheer falls , his paige cautiously approaching behind on the rugged outcropping; a fine trumpeting ZeZe-Yaki sometsuke porcelain vase decorated by important Meiji artist Yamamoto Shunkyo. The decoration is performed with a very delicate hand. It is signed on the side Shunkyo followed by a Ka-O signature, and stamped on the base Zeze. The vase is 10-1/2 inches (27 cm) tall, 7-1/4 inches (18.5 cm) diameter and is in fine condition...

Antique Japanese bronze vase, beautiful shape and subject matter, 3 koi swimming together, slightly raised with gold inlaid eyes, unusual rim of vase looks like surface of swirling water, beautiful and subtle, bottom of vase signed: Kano, comes with original signed tomobako, Meiji Period (c1900). Size: 11" high x 10" wide diameter.

Wonderful and rare Japanese antique small kiri (paulownia) wood choba tansu (merchant's chest), made all of thick kiri wood with unusually heavy iron work, sliding panels have horizontal slats that are reinforced with iron bracing, behind sliding panels is a compartment with an open shelf and two small kiri drawers each with heavy iron lock, every drawer has iron lock and square shaped drawer pull, a dramatic piece!, Edo Period (early 19th century). Size: 24 3/4" high x 25" wide x 16" de...

Dramatic antique Japanese 2-section mizuya tansu (kitchen chest), made of beautifully grained keyaki (elm) wood, top section has sliding panels that open to one large compartment with one shelf, an opening door on the upper right has a very unusual wooden handle and also opens to a compartment with one self, below that are three small drawers of different sizes, along the middle of the piece are 4 larger drawers with iron warabite shaped drawer pulls, the bottom section is one large compar...