This is a fine Japanese Imari bowl purchased a few years ago from a collection belonging to a San Francisco Museum. The inventory numbers on this de-accessioned piece can be seen on the underside of the bowl. The bowl is beautiful and has a wonderful fluted design. It measures 10 across and is just under 4 1/2 inches tall. Condition is excellent.

Nishimura Hodo
Bridge in Rain at Night
Date: 1930s.
Size: Mitsugiriban. Approximately 15.5 x 7.25 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Shokai (stamp in left margin). Takemura Hideo label on back.
Signed by the artist. Takemura seal below signature.
Edition: First and only.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Light, horizontal crease in sky. Toning in margin

A well made 19th century Japanese porcelain haisen (sake up rinser on stem foot). Rare Shunga decoration depicting a bondage scene within the bowl. The manner of the painted decoration in comic fashion similar to that found on some shunga makimono. Shunga paintings and prints are rare enough but encountered. Edo period porcelains with shunga decoration are exceedingly rare. Good condition. Height, 4 1/2 inches. Diameter, 6 3/4 inches.

Japanese late Meiji to Taisho period Kutani okimono of a seated bijin reading a horizontal scroll finely executed in overglaze polychrome enamels with gilt highlights set against a finely crackled white porcelain ground. The beauty is dressed in an elaborate kimono and her hair is adorned with gilt hairpins. 8 3/4" high. Late Meiji to Taisho period (early 20th century). Very good overall condition with some wear to the overglaze pigments...

Japanese Two(2) pieces U shape heavy Black Wrought Iron Side Locks, 9" high, 3 1/2" wide(maximum outer measurement, 8 3/4" high, 3" wide, (inner measurement), 1/2" thick, Pin(2 1/2" deep), this set looks like two(2) divided area to put through heavy wood Rod for both sides and carry on two(2) men's shoulder, one in front and one in the back, with original attached heavy duty Iron nails or pins.

Three(3) pieces Japanese heavy weight Black Wrought Iron U Shape side Locks and Handles, side handles for 2 pieces Tansu(chest on chest), Tansu side handles for top piece, and use as a lock to the top piece from lower piece together as one(1) Tansu, 6" high, 3 5/8" wide=maximum outer measurement), 5 3/8" high, 2 5/8" wide=inner measurement).

Twelve(12) Japanese Brass and white brass Furniture or Box hardware, total 12 pieces, hinges, corners, handles, back plates, etc. hinges(1 3/4" high, handle(1 5/8" wide maximum), other side decorations(1 5/8" wide), total 12 pieces of antiques hardware.

Seven(7) pieces heavy weight Black Wrought Iron and Brass Japanese Tansu or Furniture Hardware, 2 handles with original nail(larger=3 3/8" wide inner measurement, 3 3/4" wide=outer, 1 3/4" high), (smaller=2 5/8" wide=outer measurement, 2 3/8" inner),1 1/4" high), corner(2" x 2" wide), round ring(1 3/4" diameter), small roung ring with flower shape back plate(ring=1 1/8" diameter, nail=1 1/2" deep), roung small nail(nail head=1/2" diameter, 1 1/2" deep), long brass piece(5 3/4" long, 1/2" wide).

Two(2) Japanese Black Wrought Iron heavy weight solid Tansu Chest Hardware or Drawer Handles, 2 different sizes, Larger handle with carved pierced Back plate(7" wide, 1 1/8" high=outer measurement, and original nail and hole(4 1/4" wide). Smaller handle only without back plate(5" wide outer maximum measurement, 3" wide(inner top measurement), 1 5/8" high maximum height.

Japanese limited-edition copperplate etching and aquatint by Tanaka Ryohei (1933-2019) titled “The Great Ginkgo Tree." Pencil-signed, dated ’04, and numbered 18/100 in the lower margin. Paper size: 19 1/2” x 13” (image: 15 1/2” x 9 1/4”). Never framed. Excellent original condition.

A bottle decorated with biblical passages by Araki Takako fired at the kiln of Uchida Koichi enclosed in the original wooden box signed by KOichi. It is the introduction of Mary from the book of Luke. The slender bottle itself is very much in the style and color of Koichi, and one might venture to say he had a hand in its making. The biblical passage is the obvious work of Takako, and on bottom is engraved her signature. The vase is 23 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition...

A very unusual pair of moulded dishes in the form of three bamboo leaves, take, cobalt blue glazed with gilt and iron red Sparrows , Suzume, set against a woven ground in gold. A variant on the popular Sparrow and Bamboo pattern, “Takesuzume”...

Sublime ceramic Kannon statue of old Kutani-yaki made by one of the greatest potters, Aoki Mokubei. The statue is 200 years old and in great antique condition with only a small repair on the right hand with transparent lacquer and only one! tiny spot with peeling of glaze. The all over glaze is spectacular.

Aoki Mokubei (1767-1833 ) was born in the Gion district of Kyoto as Aoki Sahei...

Japanese Meiji period "aka-e" (red) Kutani deep bowl finely decorated on the interior in overglaze rust-red and gilt highlights with three cartouches featuring two scholars in a bamboo grove, a bird in flight over foliage, and a spray of flowers, all set against a dense geometric patterned background. The exterior is decorated in three vignettes featuring foliage on rockery, a landscape scene, and a scholar reading a book. The base holds a red three-character "Kutani made" mark...

Jun (Jun'ichiro) Sekino
Postscript Thoughts on "The Book of the Ghost". This very rare booklet with woodblock-printed covers is Sekino's reflections on having produced and self-published the 1950 woodblock-printed work, "The Book of the Ghost". The cover page reads, "Please Read this Little Booklet as a Personal Letter from Me."
Publisher: The artist's Sosaku Shuppan company.
The book is a single sheet folded into eight pages and has a wonderful T...

Japanese Porcelain Umbrella Jar or Stand, 24" high, 9 1/2" diameter, beautifully decorated over glaze enamel of flowering branches and Phoenix Bird in the colorful floral background. The condition is good no damages. The dark line inside the stand is glaze ran down from the top rim, not crack.

A rare Edo era Gyosho Tansu (peddler's chest) made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made iron hardware and original dark wiped lacquer technique finish. Unusual features include the front to back swivel carrying handles and three secret compartment boxes. One box hides to the back of either shelf tricking a thief to think that he/she found the precious treasure...

A sumptuous wood grain bowl by Tanaka Eiko covered outside in thin black lacquer, the inside clear to best present the exquisite grains of the wood. Her tree of choice is the Horse Chestnut (Jap. Tocchi), which has unparalleled grain patterns, here visible through the black outside as a soft glow about the center of the bowl. Inside black lines like an abstract ink painting decorating the straight grains. She brings the rim up to an extremely thin edge, abrupt, both delicate and challenging...