There are only few opportunities to find antique Chosen Karatsu chawans - collectors know of what I'm talking about. Here is the second one of our collection:

Chosen Karatsu chawan from the Edo Period. The grandiose embellishment of color creates a sublime sense of tension between the dark glazed and color infusion...

Antique Japanese gusoku bitsu (carrying box for samurai armor). Constructed of Kiri (paulownia) wood with original red lacquer finish and black lacquer frame, its edges reinforced with hand-forged iron plates and locks. The back has shoulder straps, made of leather and braided reeds, on iron rings for carrying. A kanji inscription between the leather straps gives the previous owner's name.

Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 31" H x 17" x 14 1/2"

A charming pair of Japanese porcelain satsuma vases. The panels on each vase tell a story of ghosts and demons escaping from a woven basket. One vase shows a scene of court performers in a traditional lion dance, used to repel evil spirits. In another panel is a scene of kneeling courtesans with worrisome expression and a shrine maiden attempting to purify the area. The final panel shows a golden box, with a large clawed oni forcing the lid shut to trap the evil spirits within...

Unusual Japanese okimono of an ant with lifelike rendering made out of leather hide. Mounted on custom metal base for display.

Dimensions: 16.25" H x 4.5" W x 6" D (on base)

Ohara Koson
Cawing Crow
Size: Dai-oban. Approximately 16.5 x 10.5 inches.
Date: Early 20th century.
Reference: K5.15 and page 140 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: the Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Publisher: Believed to be the earlier Daikokuya version alluded to in the catalog...

The great artist Choraku III made a lot of fantastic chawans - for me this is SURELY HIS BEST: a mysterious Aka Raku Chawan with Buddhist symbols in white slip, which are drawn on the outside of the bowl, slightly deformed and perfectly balanced, definitely one of a kind!

With every turn of the bowl, a new face is shown, offering many opportunities for contemplative experiences...

Japanese temple carving depicting a dragon (Ryu) and a tiger (Tora), with background of bamboo forest and blossoming plum branches. The dragon is a sacred creature representing great power, strength, and good luck for people that are worthy. The imagery of the dragon fighting the tiger is symbolic of the opposing forces of yin and yang.

19th Century Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 26" H x 16" x 2 1/2"

Cyrus leRoy Baldridge (1889-1977)
Peking, 1925
Edition: Numbered 83
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. 6mm seal.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.5 inches.
Signed in pencil: "C. LeRoy Baldridge".
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

A very interesting chawan (tea bowl) dating from the Korean Joseon period (Richo in Japanese; 1392-1897). This particular piece appears to date from the 17th or 18th century and comes with a box that looks to have been furnished within the last 100 years. Over the long history of tea practice in Japan, at varying times, Korean-ware came into high fashion and ships full of the finest ceramics were brought over to Japan...

A Fine Large Japanese Imari Bowl, Meiji, 19th Century.

A fine and substantial Arita Imari rinka bowl. Six panels, inside and out, are alternatively decorated with ho-o birds and flowers.

The centre of the bowl depicts the shochikubai, the three friends of winter. A suggestion of breaking waves can also be observed to the left of the screens.

Approximately 24.5 cm diameter...

Antique Japanese two section Kiri (paulownia) wood clothing tansu. The piece holds 4 drawers, with heavy, square iron pulls, and large round lock plates incised with 3 circle mon. Original, natural finish wood.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 35.5" L x 16.5" D x 47.5" H

Japanese single section clothing tansu, with Kuri burl hardwood front drawers, iron lock plates with foliate edges, warabite pulls, fan-shaped iron corner hardware. The bottom corner has a safe door with round lock plate and ring pull. Inside are the two smallest drawers in the chest.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 34 1/4" x 15" x 18 3/4" H

Kawase Hasui
Mount Fuji in Moonlight, Kawaibashi
Date: 1947.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15 x 10.5 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Bears the black 6 mm Watanabe seal in the lower right corner, indicating a first state printed between 1946-1957.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: Hotei #241.
Condition: Paper is lightly toned on front. More heavily on back.

Rare Japanese gyosho kannon bako. Constructed of Kiri wood with original red lacquer finish. The piece is fitted with hand-forged iron plates and mounts. The front of the chest holds 3 small drawers in its lower section, with a pair of large doors above. The interior of the chest has a large open compartment with a long drawer long the top. The sides are fitted with iron rings and handles with a long cord so the piece may be carried on a merchant's back.

Edo Period (1603-1868) circa...

Japanese bronze vase with a wide, flattened body shape, the tall cylindrical neck rendered with bamboo stalk texture. The handles of the vase are a pair of leaping rabbits over low relief waves. The foot of the vase is imprinted with the artist cartouche.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 7 1/2" x 7" x 6"

Kawase Hasui
Kiso River, Inuyama
Date: 1931.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15 x 10.5 inches.
Publisher: Bijutsusha. One of only eight Hasui designs by this publisher.
Artist's signature and seal lower left.
Reference: Hotei #176.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Lovely woodgrain in sky.
Condition: Right and bottom margins reinforced by conservator...

Elegantly shaped Ki-Seto Chawan from the Edo Period, early 19th century with a rarely seen gold rim. Precious metal rings were added when the chawan was made for the aristocracy and for the high nobility.

The beautiful and glossy glaze (guinomi-de) has a fantastic crazing. The bowl has also a decoration with vivid tanpan marks ( copper green marks ).

This Ki-Seto tea bowl is in very good condition, very unusual for a chawan of this age...

Small food dish for vegetables, relish etc. of round shape with small indentations in the rim. Thin, light colored stoneware, covered in cream-colored glaze with very fine crackle and pinkish brown swirls. In the bottom a highly stylized kotobuki character (longevity) in iron brown and three green glaze splashes on the rim. Glazes have left a few spots uncovered. Oribe ware, Japan, early Taisho era, 1920s.
H 2 x diam. 4-1/2 in.

Minimal traces of usage, fine condition.