Antique Japanese tansu with original deep-red lacquer finish. The top portion of the chest has three full-width drawers and locking bar. The lower portion of the chest has two medium sized drawers with a locking bar on the left hand side, a safe box on the right. The safe box door has heavy iron work and opens to reveal 3 small interior drawers. Other iron hardware includes warabite drawer pulls, extensive corner bracing and handles for carrying. The sides and back of the tansu are reinforc...

A beautiful contemporary ceramic vase by Katsushi MORI. High, oblong, squarish vase with geometric, abstract patterns in grey, beige and silver transfer technique. It comes with original Tomobako, wooden storage box, the lid inscribed with “coloured and silver porcelain, square vase” signed and sealed. H: 33 L 14 at foot, W 11. Perfect condition. **** Katsushi Mori, born 1954 in Nakano, Tokyo. 1978 - Graduated from Kanazawa College of Art 1982 - Selected for the Exhibition of New ...

Two Chinese Qing dynasty hardwood carved panels with tabs at the top and bottom indicating they likely were originally inset into a larger piece of furniture. Each panel features a bat above a central double-happiness symbol flanked on both sides by ruyi forms. Gourds hang from vines. The slightly smaller panel includes a deer at the center bottom. The backs are flat. The smaller panel is mounted for hanging. They measure about 15 1/4" high (including tabs) x 10 3/4” wide and 14 1/2” h...

Beautiful Chinese antique vase, 18th century (Kangxi Period, 1662-1722). It is sculpted in double gourd shape and painted with various scholar scenes and glazed in white and blue. Continuous scenes depicting figures in a landscape are a common motif in Transitional porcelain, they often referenced popular plays, histories or poems.

Very fine Kangxi mark on the bottom.

PROVENANCE

A Private German Collection, acquired in the 1930's in Japan.

Dimension...

Enamelled copper dish. Decor, in the center, of a palace scene painted in enamels of the "Famille Rose", surrounded by a deep Sèvres blue on which Chinese emblems stand out in gold and in silver armfuls of flowers which have lost their shine, silver having oxidized over the centuries. On the margin are represented in gold on a blue background dormouses feasting on grapes, this theme was very popular around 1800.  The white reverse clearly shows the stains of the old restorations which have yel...

Kawase Hasui
Dawn Over Lake Shoji
Size: Approximately 8.75 x 7 inches.
Date: 1935. First and only edition.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo for a calendar commissioned by Japan Government Railways. Please see the included original Japanese Government Railways tag.
Reference: Hotei #370.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Margins trimmed. Back has areas of paper residue and slight thinning.
Note: Not many examples of this woodblock print have survive...

Ohara Koson (Shoson)
Redstarts on Flowering Cherry Branch
Size: O-tanzaku. 13.5 x 7.25 inches.
Date: 1910s
Koson signature and seal at lower right.
Publisher: Daikokuya.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: K26.5 in Koson catalog.
Condition: Top back corners have paper residue.
- This print features lovely woodgrain.

A Japanese Porcelain Figure of Guan Yin/ Kannon. Signed Aoki, Mokubei (木米), Circa, 19th Century. Aoki Mokubei 青木木米 (1767-1833). Aoki Mokubei was born in the Gion district of Kyoto as Aoki Sahei. From childhood, he was a disciple of the well known artist and Confucianist Kou Fuyou, who had a strong influence on his upbringing. When he visited Kimura Kenkadou of Osaka, he found among his book collection a book written by the Chinese Shuryuutei called “Guide to Ceramics”, whi...

Traditional Japanese art tends to be timeless and inspiring in form, however, occasionally lacking in diversity and innovation. That is why artists who can incorporate centuries of experiential knowledge and technique into producing new and interesting forms are oh so valued. Though this Bizen jar fits into the category of mizusashi, a vessel central to tea ceremony that holds fresh water, it seems to transcend this narrow category and stands as an independent art object all its own....

Japanese inlay ceramics (zōgan) are created by making incisions on the surface of a clay body which are then filled with various colored clays, creating a pattern. After the pattern is finalized, an overglaze is applied and the piece is sent to the kiln to be fired. As can be seen here, the results are quite striking and produce unique patterns that cannot be replicated through painting alone. Inlaying as a technique is thought to have originally derived from practices in metal and ...

Written on the box in Japanese script are the words “Awai Sakura Yu” translating to English as “Pale Cherry Blossom Glaze”—amply describing the appearance of this unique and frankly stunning work of Kutani pottery by artist Nakata Kazuo. Reminiscent of pieces by well-known artist Ōno Hakuko, there are striated lines of silver leaf running vertical below the surface of the glaze, interrupted in places, allowing the eye to wander across the entire surface. Soft and inviting,...

Bashofu kimono hand-woven of ito-basho, which is a family of banana tree, for both wefts and warps. The blue stripe yarn is dyed with Ryukyu-ai, vegetable indigo in Okinawa. Bashofu has been woven in many Islands in Okinawa from old days, for everyday kimono or work wear. The first half of the 20th century. In good condition except for a few brownish stains. W:120cm, L:117cm

Bashofu kimono hand-woven of ito-basho, which is a family of banana tree, for both wefts and warps. The brown weft kasur and stripe yarns are dyed with extract liquid from tree or root of "sharinbai", which is a family of rose. Bashofu has been woven in many Islands in Okinawa for everyday kimono or work wear. The first half of the 20th century. In good condition except for a bit of wear in front. W:110cm, L:98cm

Beautiful small Qing Dynasty Ding censer with glaze emulating bronze, ideal for the scholar’s desk Perfect original condition, there are couple of small areas on a side handle where the glaze did not take- just minor firing imperfection. H: 5cm/2in and D: 5.7cm.

Chinese ceramic Buddha, circa 1900-1930 (Qing – Early Republic). The iconography is quite unusual there is a seated Buddha image on the chest, standing Buddha image on the back, and another image of the Buddha in Parinirvana reclining pose. Overall a very intriguing piece, possibly meant for export to another Asian nation. Excellent original condition- no cracks, chips or frits. H: 15cm/6in and W: 9cm/3.5in.

Chinese Tang dynasty (618-907) Lushan kiln tripod stoneware coupe with two thin upright handles covered entirely in a dark brown speckled glaze apart from the lower part of the unglazed feet. A large phosphatic splash is on both the front and back. Small bosses are spread around the circumference of the widest part of the body to imitate bronze examples. 6 1/4” diameter by 4 1/4" high. Very good overall condition except for one foot which has an old repair where it was re-secured to the bo...

Contemporary netsuke of a bee sitting on a honeycomb with grubs and honey cells. Walrus tusk, honey cells are inlaid with Baltic amber. Excellent carving, great realistic depiction of the insect, wonderful patina. Signed on the bottom by the artist Sergey Chernyavskiy. Length 1.87 inches.

A pair of rare 19th C Chinese hand carved hardwood, possibly Hong Mu wood, Scholars desk trays in a large lily pad leaf design with flower heads. Each being slightly different, one has a bird’s head and the other a nice protruding stem between the flower heads, they were made to be displayed together. These were finished with a mix of beeswax and a few other natural concoctions the Chinese used to seal the finish and give it a great mellow sheen. The beauty of the surfaces is that wheneve...