Chinese hard porcelain dish. Decorated with a palace scene in the center and a rich variegated decoration on the margin, interspersed with a cartouche containing birds. A dominant blue enamel happily illuminates the whole. Although this style of decor is relatively common, it is exceptional to come across some of such good quality, in fact here the firing was perfect, the enamels are superb which is very important. China, probably Jingdezhen kilns mid-19th century. Excellent state of conservat...

A square Chinese cloisonne enamel gau box with four arched apertures and gold gilt strap loops for personal carrying. Richly decorated on a yellow ground with designs of formal lotus and foliage, the top side panel has a dark blue fylfot. The back panel, with the large red Shou-type character, slides up to open. Made for the Tibetan market, this dates early to mid 19th century, but could possibly be late 18th. Measures 3.35 inches high, 3" across, 1" deep.

Hotei, one of the seven lucky gods. Painted with ink on paper. Signed and sealed. It is accompanied by an inscripton authenticating the painting that it is painted by Okamoto Hansuke. It is attributed to Okamoto Hansuke(1575-1657).

Okamoto Hansuke(1575-1657) was a military tactician and calligrapher of the early Edo period. His original surname was Ishigami, and he later inherited the Okamoto clan. He is well known by his given name, Nobunari, and his common name, Hansuke. He originally se...

Fine Tall Chinese Western Han Dynasty Painted Pottery Soldier (with stand)

This impressive pottery model of a warrior was made over 2,000 years ago during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). It is made from a dense grey pottery and quite highly-fired. He stands alert with his right hand raised. The pack on his back, a container for arrows, shows that he is an archer. In the hands would originally have been placed a miniature wooden shield and weapon, now long since rotted away and lost....

Fine Tall Chinese Western Han Dynasty Painted Pottery Soldier (with impressed seal)

This impressive pottery model of a warrior was made over 2,000 years ago during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 8). It is made from a dense grey pottery and quite highly-fired. He stands alert with his right hand raised. The pack on his back, a container for arrows, shows that he is an archer. In the hands would originally have been placed a miniature wooden shield and weapon, now long since rotted away ...

Rare Chinese Neolithic Xindian Culture Pottery Jar

This rare pottery jar was made around 3,000 years ago by peoples of the Neolithic Xindian culture (c. 1200 - 500 BC). The Xindian culture is a relatively late Neolithic culture and overlaps with the Chinese Bronze Age. Xindian pottery is rarer and generally less refined, more coarse and brittle than pottery from some earlier Chinese Neolithic cultures. This jar, however, is well-made and of an attractive form. It is made from quite a gritt...

Bronze okimono depicting the study of a powerful tiger in a furtive position. The animal is represented with its legs bent, its tail curled upwards and its body in a lowered position just before launching the attack. The streaks of the fur, typical of the animal, are depicted in a masterful way and highlighted with a marked engraving. This okimono is signed Hideyoshi 秀義 under the belly. Origin: Japan Period: Meiji second half of the 19th century. Dimensions: 10 x 36 x 9 cm....

Amazing boro made of hand-spun and vegetable indigo dye cotton fragments. It used to be the lining of yogi, which is one kind of futon, in the shape of kimono. It is from the Japan Sea side district in Kansai, such as Fukui or Kyoto. It is partly sewn with hemp yarn. Late 19th to early 20th century. W:95cm, L:165cm

Late Edo (1603-1868) Period Shino Chawan with all highlights of the Japanese aesthetics of wabi sabi. It is in perfect antique condition and comes with its original wooden box, a cloth bag (shifuku) and the attestation of a tea master inside.

Shino-ware dates to the Momoyama period when potters were attempting to recreate white porcelain-wares that were being imported from China at the time. Originally they were made in single-chamber anagama style kilns set into the hillsides. La...

Late 19th early 20th century blue satin silk woman’s wide sleeved upper garment (ao/shan). Excellent condition (appears to have never been worn) with glass buttons and greenish patterned lining. All hand sewn upper width: 118cm46in (sleeve end and to sleeve end), mid width 72cm/28in height 108cm/42in (top of collar to bottom)

Kano School painting depicted Inkwash landscape/Suiboku Sansui. Painted with ink on paper. Signed Naonobu and sealed. It is attributed to Kano Naonobu.

Kanō Naonobu (1607–1650) was a Japanese painter of the Kanō school of painting during the early Edo period. He was the younger brother of Kanō Tan'yū, who was to continue the line and become one of the foremost painters of the school. Together with Tan'yu, Naonobu completed a number of prominent commissions for the Tokugawa shogunate...

A radical Bizen Mizusashi with two lacquered wooden lids enclosed in a black lacquered wooden box with gold lacquer writing titled Samidare which is in turn enclosed in a kiri-wood storage box by the same title compartmentalized to allow the lids to be stored safely. Samidare is a poetic reading for Rain of the Fifth Month (June in the traditional calendar). It has a seal of overlapping rings impressed into the earth of the base, and dates from the Edo period. The lids are for differing event...

A crumpled news print from the New York Times dated 82-5 by pioneering Ceramic Sculpture Icon Mishima Kimiyo enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 25 x 14 x 13.5 cm (10 x 5-1/2 x 5-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Mishima Kimiyo was born in Osaka in 1932, and began her artistic career as a painter in the early 1960s. She started making collages with newspapers, discarded waste papers from printing companies, and old movie posters. As the materials she used for her co...

Shoda Koho
Moonlit Sea
From the Hasegawa Night Scenes series.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 9.75 x 7 inches.
Date: 1910-1938.
Publisher: Hasegawa/Nishinomiya Yosaku.
An early marginless edition as originally issued.
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Two thin surface scratches - lower left and top. Top back corners have paper residue. Two small surface marks in water near right horizon.

Urushi sakazuki (sake cup) made of wood and painted with black urushi. It has hand-painted sculp with red urushi which is for a charm against evil spirits and used in a temple or a shrine. It is from Akita prefecture in Tohoku. Late Edo period (The first half of the 19th century). In good condition. H:3.5cm, Diameter:10.3cm

A polished gypsum sculpture reminiscent of the matte works of Nigoshide ceramics from her home prefecture by Sugano Chi enclosed in a swooden box titled Akerakan and featured in the book Sugano Chii (published 1997). It is 16 x 14.5 x 16 cm (6-1/4 x 4-3/4 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Sugano Chii was born in Saga Prefecture in 1909, on the Southern Island of Kyushu, and graduated the prefectural Saga Prefectural Ogi Girls School in 1927 before being accepted in the Tokyo Wom...

A Fine Pair of Tall Chinese Tang Dynasty Male & Female Painted Pottery Figures with Oxford TL Tests

This fine and impressive matching pair of male and female figures was made during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618 - 906). They are made from a buff-coloured pottery that has been "cold painted" in coloured pigments. They are similarly dressed in long-sleeved robes. Note also the upturned footwear and the distinctive headdresses and hairstyles. 

As with many of our finer items, we have had both o...

Jizhou Tortoise Tenmoku tea bowl of Southern Song (around 13th century) with paper-cut Phoenix design. It was once part of the Taiwan National Palace Museum.

This fine Jizhou tea bowl comes with the original storage box of the Museum. The official seal of the Supervisory Committee of the National Palace Museum of Taiwan is on the box.

The Jizhou region located in central Jiangsi province produced its best known wares during Southern Song (1127-1279). This was a technical...