A Takatsuki stand of wood covered in black lacquer decorated with scrolling vines among which are randomly placed crests in the design of the Daruma Wheel on the stem, and the heraldic Mitsuba-aoi hollyhock crest within the tray. Slightly warped and worn with the centuries, finding a piece from this era in such good, original condition, is exceedingly rare. Early Muromachi, 14-15th century, it is 30 x 30 x 28.5 cm (12 x 12 x 11-1/2 inches)...

A miracle bowl in thick white glaze by Murakoshi Takuma enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Shizuku Chawan. Shizuku is a natural, unplanned and unpredictable kiln event when built up ash, usually on the ceiling of the kiln or on a kil shelf, melts and falls onto a piece, creating a droplet or drip. Highly sought, this white bowl was struck perfectly on the rim by a flow of liquid green ash which has pooled in the center, and runs perfectly down both inside and out...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858) depicting the 12th century woman warrior Tomoe Gozen galloping on horseback in the snow. A poem by the Emperor Koko Tenno reads: "It is for your sake that I walk the fields in spring, gathering green herbs, while my garments' hanging sleeves are speckled with falling snow." This image is number 15 from the series "Ogura Imitations of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets" published by Ibaya Senzaburo between 1845-1848...

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Kunisada, also known as Toyokuni III (1786-1864), depicting the actor Ichikawa Danzo VI in a kabuki performance, published by Kagiya Shobei in 1861. This is one of an untitled series of half-length portraits of actors with poems and still life scenes at the top. Signed at the left "Toyokuni ga" in a red cartouche with yellow snow. Paper: 14 1/8" x 9 5/8" (image: nearly 13 1/2" x over 9 1/8"). Very good color and overall condition with margins evident...

Japanese Meiji period woodblock print by Kono Bairei (1844-1895) titled "Sasanqua (camellias) and Grey Herons" from "Bairei's Album of Birds and Flowers" (Bairei kacho gafu) dated in the left margin Meiji 16 (1883). The series title is along the top edge and the publisher's information is along the bottom edge. Bairei's red seal is in the sky at the upper right side. 14 3/8" x nearly 9 1/2." Very good color and overall condition with only minor soiling evident...

Japanese Meiji period woodblock print by Kono Bairei (1844-1895) titled "Lily and Keu Birds" from "Bairei's Album of Birds and Flowers" (Bairei kacho gafu) dated in the left margin Meiji 16 (1883). The series title is along the top edge and the publisher's information is along the bottom edge. Bairei's red seal is in the sky at the upper left side. 14 3/8" x nearly 9 1/2." Very good color and overall condition with only minor soiling evident...

1885's Japanese Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print by Tsukioka Yoshitosh 月岡芳年 "Moon at Mount Inaba" Tsuki Hyakushi 月百姿 稲葉山の月

The overall measurement is 18.5 inches (47 cm) long by 14.37 inches (36.5 cm) wide. The print is 13.9 inches (35.4 cm) long by 9.5 inches (24.2 cm) wide...

Cotton kimono with Kikai Suji-Shibori (Machine-Pleated Stripes) which is vegetable indigo dye. The lining has cotton katazome (stencil-resist dye) carp and fall motif which is also vegetable indigo dye. It has mending stitches, many light stains in the shibori side. Early 20th century. W:126cm, L:124cm

Antique Japanese silver over nickel gunbai 軍配 war fan. A type of signal baton and Japanese war fan. Once held by military leaders (such as daimyō) and priests in the past, it is used in the modern day by umpires in sumo wrestling.
Gunbai, from the Sino-Japanese roots meaning "military-apportioned [fan]", were a specialized form of fan used by samurai officers in Japan to communicate commands to their troops...

Large Japanese Meiji period Imari porcelain charger decorated in underglaze blue and overglaze polychrome enamels and gilt highlights with a central kirin surrounded by three ho-o birds in flight. The back is decorated entirely in blue and white with three expansive floral sprays emerging from a central figure that resembles Daruma. The center of the base holds a single spur. Circa 1900. 18 1/4" diameter x 2 5/8" high. Very good overall condition...

Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858)
A Pair of Poppies and Quails
Size: Approximately 8 x 3.75 inches.
Date: This posthumous edition is ca 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. No. 364 publisher's tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.
Note: We find these Matsumoto-published Hiroshige scenes to be particularly good, but we don't list all of them. Please contact us if you are interested in seeing others.

Hiroshige Ando
Rural View by Moonlight
Size: Approximately 6.625 x 5 inches.
Date: ca 1910.
Seal is read "Hiroshige".
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. No. 428 publisher's tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.
Note: We find these Matsumoto-published Hiroshige scenes to be particularly good, but we don't list all of them. Please contact us if you are interested in seeing others.

Hiroshige Ando (1797-1858)
Sudden Shower Over Shin Ohashi Bridge
Size: Approximately 5.625 x 3.5 inches.
Date: This posthumous edition is ca 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. No. 417 publisher's tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Meiji (1868-1912) Japanese Bronze Okimono with Bamboo Forest Creatures Toad, Snake, and Slug

The okimono is 4.25 inches (11 cm) tall, and 11 inches (28 cm) long by 5.9 inches (15 cm) wide. It is 5.8 lb.

It is tarnished and has oxidation, rust, firing crack at the snake, firing hole at the toad, and surface wears and scratches (as seen in the photos)...

Japanese antique broach in the form of an old man, Okina performance mask. The pin is made of bronze and silver mixed metal with details in red lacquer. Backed in silver with a silver mark and pin. The mask that this broach is modeled after would have been worn by kyōgen dancers in between Noh theatre acts. Signed: Akimitsu.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 2 1/2" long

Tsuchiya Koitsu (1870 - 1949)
Tago Bay (Tagonoura)
Date: 1936. 1970s-90s edition
Size: Chuban. 11.75 x 7.75 inches.
Publisher: Doi.
Koitsu catalog no. TK-DH-2
Condition: Two small spots in top margin. Faint mark near center tree.

Japanese shin hanga woodblock print titled “Egrets in Rain” by Ohara Koson (1878-1945), also known as Shoson, published by Watanabe in 1926. This is a post-war edition with the Watanabe 6mm circular seal (used 1946-1957) at the lower right corner beneath the artist's signature and seal. Paper: 15 3/8" x 10 3/8" (image: 14 3/8" x 9 1/2"). Very good overall condition with embossed highlights in the egrets' wings...

Tsuchiya Koitsu (1870 - 1949)
Nikko Futarasan
Date: 1936. 1970s-90s edition
Size: Chuban. 11.75 x 8 inches.
Publisher: Doi.
Koitsu catalog no. TK-DH-35
Condition: Two small spots in top margin and one on back.