A Japanese bronze vase decorated with dragons and clouds. Meiji period, mid to late nineteenth century. Unsigned. The work is reminiscent of Murata Seimin.

Approximately 21 cm high...

The second Living National Treasure of Mashiko. The first was his teacher Shōji Hamada.

A ash-glazed stoneware box and cover with an intaglio design of grasses filled with white slip. Shimaoka’s seal within the foot-rim.

Approximately 11.5 cm high, 10.3 diameter...

An otherworldly form from the age of Sputnick by important artist Morino Taimei exhibited at the 1959 Nitten National Art Exhibition and published in the Nittenshi (vol. 22). It is signed in romanized characters H. Morino (His given name is Hiroaki). It is roughly 12 inches (30 cm) tall, 15 inches (38 cm) diameter and in excellent condition...

This is a fine early Japanese cloisonne vase with an unusual reddish brown ground color. This vase has a lot of fine work and detail. It is actually better in person because it is only 4 3/4 tall and the details in the images have been enlarged. It is not signed and is in excellent condition.

Japanese oversized limited edition sosaku hanga woodblock print on gold leaf by Tadashi Nakayama (1927-2014) titled “Armored Horse (A).” This rare early image was created from six blocks, nine colors, and nine stages of printing. The vertical image is pencil-signed “T. Nakayama,” numbered 47/65, and dated 1969 in the bottom margin. The red kanji Nakayama seal is on the back. A color illustration of this image can be found on plate 129 of “T. Nakayama” published in 1989...

Wa-sarasa futonji made of cotton and dyed with pigments. Wa-sarasa is Japanese calico which is first made in Edo period immitating calico from abroad and stencil-resit dye or woodblock print. The product places were Nabeshima (Saga Pref. in Kyushu), Sakai (Osaka), Nagasaki (Kyushu) etc, however it is not clear where this futonji was made. In excellent condition. The latter half of the 19th century. 130cm x 168cm

A Japanese Mokugyo wooden temple bell, carved from kusunoki (camphor) wood in the form of a lifelike human skull. Used to accompany chants (sutras) in Taoist and Buddhist ceremonies. The base of the skull is signed "Bononshi", with matching tomobako.

Dimensions: 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" x 4 1/2" H

This experimental work by young artist Hiramatsu Ryoma demonstrates his creative imagination and challenges the traditional boundaries of what defines a tea bowl. Described on the box as a “Kiretsu-mon” (ki = turtle, retsu = cracked, mon = design/ crest), according to Hiramatsu, his inspiration for this piece, and a number of others came from an ancient form of sea life known as an Ammonite—a large spiraled mollusk who’s shells are often found fossilized today...

Japanese Antique keyaki (em) wood isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Sendai area. Top portion of the chest has two small drawers (a rare configuration). There are 7 exterior drawers of various sizes and a safe box with a hinged door (with key) covering three small interior drawers. Hardware includes large lock plates with chrysanthemum mon and ornate pierced carved leaves.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 35" high x 46 3/4" wide x 17" deep

Antique Japanese two section clothing tansu, constructed of Kiri (paulownia) wood with hand-forged iron hardware and plates. The upper unit holds two drawers with two iron pulls each. The lock plate of each drawer overlaid with brass turtle and kiri leaves. The lower unit holds two staggered larger drawers with small safe door.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 37 1/4" x 16" x 39 3/4" H

Stone Dosojin comprising two figures standing side by side, the female figure on the left holding a flask in the shape of a hyotan (a gourd symbolizing good fortune) and the male figure on the right holding a shallow drinking bowl, sculpted in relief from a gray-brown igneous stone. Clearly dated to the fifth year of the Horeki Era (1755), mid-Edo Period...

Japanese inro with a large standing bull, frontally positioned with head lowered and looking ahead at the viewer. From the ring in his nose is a rope leading off to the side. The reverse image is a scene, entirely in gold lacquer, of rolling hills and pine saplings in the foreground. The inro opens to reveal a compartment lacquered red on the inside with a small removable inset tray.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 2 3/8" high x 3" wide

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) with negoro lacquer finish (distressed red and black lacquer). Made of sugi (cryptomeria) wood. This chest has 10 drawers of various sizes and a compartment opened by sliding panels with one interior shelf. Extensive iron hardware includes round lock plates and warabite shaped drawer pulls. From the Matsumoto area of Japan.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 41 1/2" high x 31 1/2" wide x 14" deep

Six Jizo Bosatsu figures standing in a row, the mudra varying from figure to figure, sculpted in relief against an unusually expansive funagata-style mandorla from a heavy igneous stone. Early-Edo Period ca. 1650, possibly earlier. Virtually no stone loss, with desirable softening of the lines and contours of the Jizo figures...

Seated Ebisu, one of Japan's 7 lucky gods (Jp. shichifukujin), with a sea bream (Jp. tai), Ebisu's characteristic attribute, tucked beneath the left arm. Meiji Era ca. 1900. Very minor old loss, with traces of polychrome. Light lichen accumulation.

Height: 36.5 cm
Width: 22.5 cm
Depth: 15.5 cm
Packaged weight: 15 kg

Of Japan's 7 lucky gods, only Ebisu has purely Japanese roots, the other six gods having either Indian or Chinese origins...

his is a wonderful Japanese Cloisonne lidded bowl, done in the Plique A Jour style. Lidded bowls like this are very difficult to come across. The piece is fairly large in size measuring 4 7/8" across and is 3 1/2" tall. An array of colorful and bright flowers and leaves decorate this exquisite bowl both top and bottom. The enamel is very thick and the decorations appear to have layered over top of the translucent inner layer. . It stands on 3 enameled and silver feet...

The Choraku line of potters began when a student of Kichizaemon XI (Keinyu) and Kichizaemon XII (Konyu) opened an independent kiln in Kyoto in 1904. The line was officially given the name Choraku in 1906 by Choyuken, the head of a very influential tea ceremony association. Red Raku chawan are a favorite of tea enthusiasts and seem to have a face for every mood. In the right light they may appear like an amber sunset on the horizon. In another light, like lanterns moving through a misty field. Ak...

A true Mashiko Chawan by greatest Shoji Hamada with a real beautiful Ameyu glaze, double boxed and originally signed and sealed by the artist.

This treasure was part of the exhibition "The artists who searched for Mingei".

Hamada Shoji (1894-1978) was one of the leading potters of the Japanese Mingei (Folk Craft) movement. He was closely associated both with Yanagi Soetsu (1889-1961), the philosopher-critic on whose theories the movement was founded, and the pioneer English st...