A wooden sign of three golden characters carved into the surface of a solid slab of burled wood enclosed in a frame expertly carved with the four gentlemen, plum, bamboo, iris and chrysanthemum. It reads Yuraku-sai, A Place of Playful Enjoyment. The sign (with frame) is 11-1/4 x 21 inches (28.5 x 53 cm). It is signed Setsuyo (?) followed by two stamps. There is a chip into a hollow in the wooden plaque, lower left (see photos) otherwise is in excellent condition...

A Gasaku joint effort by Kyoto porcelain master Takahashi Dohachi V and Scholar artist Tomioka Tessai (1837-1924) dating from the late Meiji to Taisho period. Enigmatic Characters in cobalt strike firmly from the smooth alabaster surface. The bowl is 4-3/4 inches (12 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Written on the side is Sho-Do Ki? Sue, Nyu Chyu? Ho-nari followed by the signature Tessai Gai-shi...

Everything about this sencha tea implement storage cabinet is top quality; a most unusual box made up almost entirely of worm wood featuring a removable door with an inner panel of antique Chinese origin, possibly an image of a tea salesman with his baskets of leaves. A bronze handle surmounts the lightweight box, with a set of four jade rings attached through a pair of folding fans serving as a handle for the door...

Set of five handmade copper chataku (coaster for sencha tea cups) with recessed centers, each applied with gold and silver powders. Meiji period (1868-1912).

Old Chago, Japanese tea leaf measuring scoop made out of bamboo. Taisho period. 6 1/4" x 2"

Each plate has the design of a single chrysanthemum (kiku) shifted towards the left side of the plate … but they were carved in a way that each has a life of its own. None of them look the same. The design is sharply cut into thick layers of black urushi lacquer – tsuikoku. It is known to be a difficult job – this later lead to Kamakura bori(carving) which is a technique of lacquering on carved wood. The plates are very light. It indicates a high quality, matured wood inside...

A Nezumi Shino covered box or jar. Probably a mukozuke (but for which we are not familiar with examples accompanied by a cover.) White slip inlaid into incised decoration under the warm, gray glaze - conspicuous on the cover but not so much in decoration on the sides of the box where contrast does not succeed as well. A pleasant "swipe" of white slip under the cover provides a bit of a "surprise"...

A finely crafted Japanese tobacco tray (known in Japanese as Tabako Bon) which is often seen being used in tea ceremony. Karaki is a term used to describe the foreign hardwoods that were imported from China and used to make furniture and accessories for the home. Age: 19th-20th century. Size: Height: 3.25" Width: 6.75" Length: 6.75"

An antique oke-bound wooden bucket has been lacquered mirror smooth black inside with a natural bark handle added to create a superb sumi-tori charcoal basket for use in the Japanese tea ceremony. The original cask-like body is worn at the rim to an incredible degree, and yet remains structurally sound. It may have indeed been a lacquer-workers bucket, or perhaps used by a paper-hanger, decades of being bumped by the brush naturally wearing down the edges...

An unusual hira natsume decorated with motifs of a cicada, dragonfly, spider, snail, cricket, and frog. A few insects are closely associated with the various seasons. For example, the cicada and snail are summer insects, the dragonfly and cricket are autumn. In addition, the insects have allusions to zen and Japanese philosophies. Age: Taisho Period Size: diameter 3.25" height 2.25"

A splendid and unusually large tetsubin decorated with geometric patterns with peonies and butterflies set within a frame. This piece is a collaboration of two major artists. The body has a seal by the kama-shi or tea kettle maker, Okuni Jurou, and the lid is signed by Kinryudo. Okuni Jurou, along with his father Okuni Toubei were famous for their skill and artistry during the Meiji and Taisho Periods. Condition is original and excellent. Size: Diameter 9.5" Height 14"

Lacquer covers the natural curves of this wood tray for use in the service of Sencha leaf Green Tea. It is 10 x 14-1/2 x 1 inches (25.5 x 37 x 2.5 cm). The bottom shows wear typical of use.
The importance of Sencha in the late Edo and Meiji periods cannot be overlooked, and has been studied in depth in the book Tea of the Sages, the Art of Sencha by Patricia Jane Graham.

Up for sale is this special example of the beauty of Raku ware, a pottery tradition born more than 400 years ago in the ancient Japanese capital of Kyoto, from the collaboration between great tea master Sen Rikyu (1522-1591) and a potter named Chojiro ( - 1592), the forebear of the great Raku family of potters.

This particular chawan (tea bowl) was made by the 12th bearer of the Raku name, Raku Kichizaemon Konyu (1857-1932), whose works are not very diversified but who created seren...

This is a wonderful tea bowl of Japanese Hagi Ware, which was made about 100 years ago.

The seal of the potter is stamped on the bottom. Some natural glaze cracks, which were intentionally created in the time of the firing process, are very nice. This bowl has an authentic wabi sabi taste.

Hagi Ware is a type of Japanese pottery most identifiable for its humble forms and use of translucent white glaze...

Japanese antique case iron tetsubin (iron pot for heating water for tea), beautiful subtle round form, bronze handle and lid, copper finial on lid with leaf motif. Size: 9" high (5" high not including handle) x 7" wide including spout.

Antique Japanese choshi (sake ewer) made of cast iron in a lovely round form, handle is made of copper and covered with woven split bamboo. Meiji Period. Size: 3 1/2" high (8 1/4" high including handle) x 6" wide (9 3/4" wide including spout).

Japanese iron tea kettle/brazier in a gourd shape. The bottom brazier has two openings, one in front and one in back, and has two large, round handles on its sides, held in the mouths of beasts or dragons. The upper portion is for boiling tea and has two slim handles on either of its sides. The hardwood lid has a very cute leaf and flower bud decoration. Comes with two iron coal pokers. Size: 13.5" height, 12" width

Antique Japanese rootwood hibachi with a lovely textural look and feel. It has a red and black lacquered cloth rim, and a bronze interior with an interesting patina with a layering effect.

Dimensions: 7.5" height, 10.25" width, 8" depth