Very unusual and elegant Japanese Kuronbo (of African decent) wooden kokeshi doll. Especially hard to find with a child. Dating mid 20th century, this would fit perfectly in a mid-century home or a make perfect gift for the collector. IMPORTANT NOTE: Glare from lights makes a shape that follows the curve of the chin making making the mother's mouth appear to have lips. She does not. Adult doll measures 11" tall, child is 4.75" high"

A dish of plain everted form measuring seven suns in diameter and decorated in somenishikide style with a traditional kacho-ga pattern of a pair of Butterflies and a Rock Peony. An auspicious pattern symbolising harmony and prosperity. The reverse decorated with scattered Peony leaf sprigs and the base is plain. The dish dating to circa 1780-1800. A single spur mark to the base. The dish measures 20cm in diameter and stands 3.2cm at the rim...

A rare full size Japanese Temple gold gilt ranma. Deep hand-carved relief depicting a floating apsara with an incredible flowing phoenix tail feathers (heavenly being) amongst swirling clouds. A phoenix rising up and through the angel with its head seen leading the way.
An apsara is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist culture...

Rare 17th Century Chinese Kangxi small peach bloom vase scholars object. Incredible speckled glazing revealing natural lighter of purple, off whites with a touch of green under tones. May have been used as a glaze example, kept with similar objects, each an example of glazing techniques. Inscribed with six character Kangxi signature

His reign lasted 61 years, from February 7, 1661 until his death December 20, 1722, making him the longest-reigning Emperor of China in history...

Kawase Hasui
Hwasa Gate, Suwon (Mizuhra Kakomon). From the series Eight Views of Korea (Chosen Hakkei).
Date: August 1939.
Size: Oban. Approximately 16.5 x 11.5 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Watanabe C seal (sausage seal 1929-42)...

An antique Japanese Funa Tansu (ship chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. All original hand made iron hardware including the Kakute front drawer handles and the Warabite side carrying handles. Construction includes straight dovetail joinery with hardened wooden nails. Lock plates include parallel vertical bars that double as decorative as well as strong security connectors preventing easy removal from the drawer fronts...

A rare example of an Karasu (raven) Samurai menpo (facial armour). Although not as celebrated today, the crow is a mark of rebirth and rejuvenation; the animal that has historically cleaned up after great battles symbolized the renaissance after such tragedy...

Japanese antique indigo dye soft Choma Ramie tsutsugaki katabira kimono of echigo-jyofu.There are thin Stain and discoloration and small holes. It is a Kyoho era(1716-1736). Shochiku Umebun's bamboo is reminiscent of flowing water, and there is movement, and a delicate and flowing pattern is expressed throughout. Sprinkling sparrows here and there and adding moving sparrows to bamboo that looks like running water is a good combination of "bamboo sparrow" and "Shochiume" pattern...

The artist who produced this piece, Wataru Motomura, prides himself in living a traditional life in the eastern hills of Kyoto—long known for its rich clay and idyllic pastoral lands. Though the form of this vessel appears innovative and modern, the techniques and materials used to produce it have been around for many hundreds of years...

As mentioned before, what I love about the work of Teramoto Mamoru is it is so vivacious and full of life, full of movement. This vase has all that life and movement on a perfect, elegant form. Here also is another dimension, with the pebble textured surface breaking up the reflection of light granting a tactile quality to the silver. It comes enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Ginasi Hachi (Silver Glazed Bowl) complete with Shiroi and shifuku...

Incense box of irregular circular shape. Over a light gray clay thickly applied opaque, lightly crackled glaze with feldspar that leaves bare a few small areas uncovered, which colored orange red during firing. On the cover a few circular black-brown underglaze "brush strokes".
Although bottom and cover clearly match, they do not make an airtight close line, but leave a couple of gaps. Few very short firing cracks.
Shino ware, Japan...

A Carved and Gilded Buddhist Reliquary containing a polished pink stone exhibited at the Shimane Prefectural Musuem Arakawa Kisai exhibition in 1974 enclosed in a custom-made wooden box and retaining the loan papers from the museum as well as the original pamphlet. The wood body has been carved in tempestuous waves, lacquered black and gilded, with a polished pink orb inside a flame shaped finial. It is 7 inches (18 cm) tall and in excellent condition...

An antique architectural Japanese Buddhist temple carving of opposing flying Ryu (dragons) protecting a Hoju (sacred Buddhist jewel) with the eyes made using the reverse glass painting technique. The detailed relief carving shows their coiled bodies circulating amongst the stylized clouds with one dragon open mouth to expel evil spirits and the other closed mouth to keep good spirits in. Their serpentine body reveals 4 appendages with classic three claw anatomy. The dragon represents the heave...

A bunch of grapes in slight color under shadowy cool leaves decorate the milky white and sand toned surface of this very unusual plate by Kitaoji Rosanjin enclosed in a wooden box annotated by Living National Treasure Arakawa Toyozo dated 1968. It is 19 cm (7-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959) They say adversity is the mother of invention, and Rosanjin can be said to epitomize that expression. Born during the tumultuous first half of the Meiji p...

An exceptional boxed set of sake cups made by Seifu Yohei III lined with silver by Nakagawa Joeki (IX or X) enclosed in the original compartmentalized kiri-wood box signed by both artists. Each cup is unique, silver on blue, gold on red, and green on yellow, each stamped by the artist and displaying the celebratory Plum, Pine and Bamboo (Shochikubai) motif. They are 2-12 inches (6.3 cm) diameter each and in excellent condition.
Seifu Yohei III (1851-1914) was the adopted son of Yohei II...

Katsuhara Shinya (Tatsuhara Inuki) (1951-2015)
A woman with mirror in art deco style
Size: 16.25 x 7.25 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Date ca.: Late 20th century, pre-1995.
Edition: 72/200 numbered in pencil on back.
Signed "Shinya" in the image and sealed.
Enlargement 2 shows the upper part of the print in which the black background features a checkerboard pattern that only becomes visible in side light.
Condition: Excellent.

Pair of Japanese bronze Sheep, one male (ram) an one Female (ewe). Well model with realistic details. Both are solid bronze and have their original natural aged patina.

Both signed: Bikai, comes with original kiri wood tomobako signed Bikai: Reading pair of bronze sheep.

Meiji period (1868 - 1912)

Dimension Box: 9" wide X 7 3/4" deep X 7" high Dimensions Ram: 6 1/2" long X 2 1/2" wide X 5 1/2" high

A fabulous Bizen Tane-Tsubo Seed Jar in the Momoyama style by Living National Treasure Kaneshige Toyo enclosed in a wooden box annotated by Kaneshige Kosuke. Beautiful Hi-iro flame coloring brightens the sides and a smattering of yellow flying ash clings to the shoulder about a line of waves. The tsubo is marked on the base with the fundo weight mark of Toyo. It is 23.5 cm (9 inches) tall, 20.5 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
It comes with a photograph of the artistâ€...