An antique Japanese 3 case inro with wisteria in makie lacquer. Designed with a reddish brown ground and lacquered with gold leaf. The wisteria blossoms drape from it's stem which wraps around the top of the case to end in a scroll pattern on the back side. Interior cases interiors are lacquered black.

Date: Edo /Meiji period (1603-1912)

Dimensions: 3"h x 2.5"w

An open-mouthed ("ah") tobikomi shi-shi (lit. diving Chinese lion) sculpted from a gray-blue igneous stone. Late-Edo Period/early-Meiji Era ca. 1875. With the exception of old loss to the shi-shi's right eyebrow, excellent condition.

Height, including base: 46 cm
Width of base: 25 cm
Depth of base: 42 cm
Packaged weight: 49 kg.

Sculpted in the rarely seen "diving" pose with understated stylistic flair, this playful guardian beast was originally paired with a similarly styled close-m...

An antique Chinese tiered table with mother of pearl inlay inset. The table is square with a marble top with bead edge with mother of pearl inlaid floral motifs. The supports are lion headed that extend to the lower tier and end as lion paw's on a ball as the feet of the table.

Date: 1920's

Dimensions: 31.5"high X 19" wide

An antique Chinese hardwood side table with tier. the circular marble plaque inset has a lotus petal edge carved with prunus, openwork floral apron joined to zoomorphic supports with paw-and-ball supports.

Date: 1900's

Dimensions: 22.25"h X 17" diameter

An antique Chinese hardwood low table (Kangzhuo) has an inset with floating top panel and is framed by a bamboo image on the edges. The edge scrolls down the legs. The side panels have prune wood images in low relief.

Date: 1920's

Dimnensions: 39" wide X 13" tall X 17" deep

Old Ayigalu of white metal in round pot form containing original cone shaped lingam with indentations indicating the correct direction, wrapped in old red cotton cloth. Strung on silver chain. Excellent tight fitting. Size of metal 6.5x5cm. Can be viewed in central London and shipped worldwide.

This ancient "Boat Money", also called Lat money, is similar to Tiger Tongues and from the same area: Lan Chang Kingdom of Southeast Asia (Thailand & Laos today, back then Siam). Instead of the bumps seen on Tiger Tongues, boat money has a depression in the top and looks more like a boat, hence the name. Boat money was first issued in the 16th century. In 1707, Lan Chang divided into the two kingdoms of Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Both adopted the lat currency and continued to issue such in...

A unusual Chinese Song Dynasty bronze mirror with three mythical animals. Could be Lions or rats. The lion represents the "Guardian" and the rat represents "Prosperity". Size: Diameter 10.4cm. Condition: No repairs.

A nice rare scalloped Liao plate, boldly incised with blossoms and leaves, under a cream and bright leaf green and amber glaze. Comes with a certificate from the Chinese Government Auction House. Size: Diameter. 13.5cm. Condition: A broken piece at the rim that was glued back on probably at the site. It is almost invisible on the front of the plate. See photos.

This jade carving depicts two dragons, seated back to back and is, as best I can tell, the real deal. Not only are there no signs whatsoever of modern tooling, but each of the holes at the snout has been drilled from both sides, using a conical bit. The jade itself does not lie 100% flat, which would be another "telltale" of modern production. Instead, it is slightly curved. Dating archaic jade is, of course, extremely difficult, so please have a close look at the photos and feel free to ask any...

This pair of black silk lotus shoes date to the late Qing Dynasty. Back then, a woman's job was to make shoes for the members of her family. This woman was from a financially comfortable family with servants to do other household chores. Making this pair for herself, she choose a black silk satin fabric for the vamp and made an elegantly sloping sole which would accommodate separate inter changeable heels to be attached. She did very fine needlework on the floral embroidery on each side o...

From our family collection of Japanese art from Living National Treasures: perfectly shaped Bizen Chawan from legendary Kaneshige Toyo (1896 - 1967). It was made 55 years ago and is in absolutely great condition.

Born into the Kaneshige family, one of the six kilns of Bizen, as the son of wakigama-style potter Kaneshige Baiyo, Toyo was trained by his father from early childhood and became adept at pottery techniques, with handicrafts and engraved ornaments being his particular speci...

Here is magnificent 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.

Sublime half cylinder shaped (Hanzutsu) tea bowl with a rounded brim, in the typical hand built style of the Raku family. The body is fully covered with a white engobe before the red...

Old wooden Phurba...nicely aged patina from handling and use... Faces topped with diadems, 3 side "blade"section has carved scroll design almost 11 inches long high. Alternative spelling...phurpa,phurbha, Pronunciation: Fur-bah The Phurba is a special triple sided Tibetan ritual dagger or stake, patterned after an ancient Vedic tool. Originated as a stake that tethered sacrificial animals. It is used ritually to create stability and areas of protected space, often staked into the gro...

Japanese large Cast Iron Tetsubin, Tea Kettle, Iron Tea Pot with Brass Cover, Ca. 1910, 11 1/2" high include handle, 6 3/4" high and 6 1/2" wide include spout for tea pot only, even textured body with very high relief design wide edge rim, and Brass cover rest into fitted lower rim. The loose Brass knob is repaired, shaped handle is metal, rust inside the pot.

This Tibetan gau (aka prayer box) is actually a small shrine. When not being worn as an ornament during festivals, it would be kept in the prayer niche of the family home. The back of the box slides open. Frequently, a special prayer i.e. sutra pages would be placed inside. The small glass window at the front displays a Tsa tsa, which is a clay statue of a Buddhist Deity. These statues were made only by the monks and considered to be a holy relic. This antique gau has a front piece of silv...

A very unusual work by the challenging artist Nakata Atsushi covered in red lacquer with modern designs enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled URUSHI TEA BOWL. It is 11.5 x 13.5 x 9.5 cm (4-1/2 x 5-1/4 x 3-3/4 inches) and is in New condition.
Nakata Atsushi was born in Toyama in 1968, and studied in the blossoming field of videography at Osaka University of Art however chose the path of potter after working at a friends kiln while at school. He graduated in 1992, then apprent...

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892)
In the Moonlight Under the Trees a Beautiful Woman Comes (Getsumei Rinka Bijin Majiru)
No. 59 from the series "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon"
Date: 1888
Size: Oban. Approximately 14.5 x 10 inches.
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Publisher: Akiyama Buemon.
Carver: Yamamoto.
Condition: Some spots and creasing.
"The elegantly dressed Chinese woman represents the spirit of the plum ...