Antique Japanese jizai-kagi in the form of a whale. In a Japanese home, water in a kettle or pot is heated over an irori (sunken hearth). The jizai hook hangs from a strong ceiling beam. From this, a long device is suspended with a hook on the end that can be adjusted up or down by moving the jizai-kagi. Often these are carved in the form of a fish. This unusual jizai-kagi is carved of kayaki (zelkova elm) wood with traces of black lacquer and patina from hearth smoke...

Antique Japanese stoneware kame (wide mouthed bowl) from Shigaraki kiln. Made using the local sandy clay from the bed of Lake Biwa, Shigaraki ware is identified by the embedded granules of feldspar. Mineral and ash glaze is dribbled and spattered over the surface leaving long, uneven drips...

Ota Masamitsu (Ota Gako) (1892-1975)
Nakamura Tokizo III as Shizuka Gozen
No. 7 from the shin hanga series: Leading Figures of the Modern Stage in Their Most Famous Roles (Gendai Butai Geika).
Date: 1955.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.75 x 10.75 inches.
Publisher: Banchoro. Seal at bottom margin.
Printer: Miyake Koshodo. Seal at bottom margin.
Condition: Excellent.

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. Original wiped lacquer technique finish and hand made iron hardware. The lock knobs feature a Plum Blossom design and the design of the handles is a straight Gumbai. Sliding side by side doors open to a spacious area where once merchant books and records were stored.

A rare feature of this chest are the hidden compartments under the four bottom side by side drawers...

Perhaps you have already tried to find one of the rare pieces of Ando Minoru. I guess you did not find it on the free market. Today you will find it here. A quite spectacular vase made in the form of a dark iron glazed Tokoname pot inside a shattered crucible by multi-talented Ando Minoru enclosed in the original signed wooden box.

Intentional or not Ando is not talking. The vase certainly exudes the Japanese aesthetic of lack of intention...

An incredible monumental Japanese solid cast bronze Peace Bell custom iron stand with clapper. Inscription with dated, location and donor of bell. Bell is in excellent original condition with no repairs or damage...

Antique Japanese Bronze Temple Bell (Bonsho). Inscribed on body with name of location, temple and date...

Antique Japanese Shinto mask in the likeness of a fox (kitsune). Carved of wood and lacquered dark brown, this mask is made with a movable lower jaw operated by a wooden mouthpiece. Most likely used during ceremonial dance associated with Shinto religion.

Japanese folk lore tell of many variations of the role of the fox including those closely related to guardians of Shinto Shrines...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant Chest) made of Hinoki (Cypress), Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Shunkei Nuri (lacquer) on the front with a wiped lacquer technique on the top and sides which accentuates the beautiful grain pattern of the woods. The backs of all the drawers were made using very thick wood. The hand made iron hardware is also original including the stylized Gumbai handles and the bronze sliding door handles...

An antique Japanese 3 section Kimono Biraki Isho Tansu (stacking chest on chest with hinged doors) constructed entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Hinged doors open to 3 removable kimono trays. Spacious storage behind the sliding doors in the top section with 3 additional side by side storage drawers. Bottom section has 2 large drawers for additional storage space. Each section can be separated for use in different rooms of the home...

Antique Japanese carved boxwood jizai-okimono of a dragon. Literally meaning "decorative object, moves at will", this jizai-okimono is made up of many separately carved moving pieces. There are differing theories about why these articulated creatures came to be made, the most accepted being that the armorers who normally created suits started crafting jizai-okimono as a way to show off their skills to daimyos in hopes of being chosen next time their armor needed to be replaced...

Rare Japanese limited edition sosaku hanga woodblock print by Shizuma Uchida (1906-2001) titled "Chichibu Mountainous Region." The title and signature of the artist are in black ink at the lower right with the artist's red seal below...

Antique Japanese small bronze door latch in the form of a rabbit. The rabbit sits on a section of hollowed out log. The log is patinated green and the rabbit, a deep orange. With signed tomobako.

Age: Taisho/Showa Period (circa early 1900's)

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

Antique Japanese figure of seated Quan yin, made of carved cinnabar lacquer. She is seated on a lotus throne and holds a scroll in her hands. Her robes are carved all over with floral and Buddhist motifs. Her facial expression is serene, befitting her role as goddess of compassion.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 6 1/4" high x 3 1/2" wide x 3 1/4" deep

A long woman’s summer obi made of thin silk, woven in jacquard and openwork techniques with chrysanthemums or asters interlaced with fences of plaited bamboo leaves. On this, in Yuzen dye technique, imitating an ink drawing, several areas painted with cart wheels floating in waves.
The obi has been opened; a practice quite common in order to have the material cleaned. There is a paper (dry) cleaner’s tag on the obi.
Japan, ca. 1950s.
L ca. 13 ft, H ca. 13 inches

Fe...

The size of Box: 4 1/4" Square x 2 3/8", Medallion size: 2 5/8" Dia x 1/4" High dome shape. The si"e of Presentation Box: 9 7/8" Long x 7" Wide x 3 1/4" High. The title of work: Dream Mist. The design depicted from Nadeshiko (Dianthus, Pink) flowers with such a delicately made by very thin/fine silver wires. This Japanese Cloisonne, Shippo Medallion was created by Fine Japanese Cloisonne Artist, Shinya Okamoto from Chiba Prefecture, Japan. I am proudly present first time his work for selling in...

Antique Japanese wooden bowl carved in the form of a wide lotus leaves. On the inside of the bowl, a frog with turquoise eye climbs the stalk of a lotus blossom. Two more frogs cling to curling leafy edges. The underside of the bowl is carved like the underside of a lotus leaf including it's spiraling stalk.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 12 1/4" wide diameter x 3 1/4" high

The size of Box: 4 1/4" Square x 2 3/8", Medallion size: 2 5/8" Dia x 1/4" High dome shape. The size of Presentation Box: 9 7/8" Long x 7" Wide x 3 1/4" High. The title of work: "Glory of Heaven". The design depicted from Crape Myrtle flowers in various colors, blue green, pink, lavender, yellow with such a delicately made by very thin silver wires. This Japanese Cloisonne, Shippo Medallion was created by Fine Japanese Cloisonne Artist, Shinya Okamoto from Chiba Prefecture, Japan. I am proudly ...