An antique Japaese tray in the form of a banana leaf in green natural Urushi lacquer with its original Tomobako. Beautiful artist rendition of a folded top to the leaf that has an edge which naturally cuts up. Fully carved and lacquered both top and bottom. Age: Meiji/Taisho (1900-1920)

Dimensions: 23 1/2" Long by 10 1/2" Wide

Kobako in dark brown lacquer. In imitation of bamboo, the inner part is made of bamboo and the outer part of the box is made of kaki wood. It represents the cross section of a bamboo cane node with its light brown diaphragm slightly bulging in the center of the lid and stand. External layer of the bamboo cane representing the cellulosic fibers.
Bamboo, strong, flexible and fast growing, symbolizes strength, flexibility and prosperity.
Accompanied by its transport box.

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Rare Chinese Cast Iron Feng Shui Disc - Ming Dynasty or earlier

This very rare item dates to the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) or possibly as early as the Song or Yuan dynasty. It is a cast iron feng shui, or geomancy, disc. On the upper surface there are Chinese characters and the eight trigrams of the I Ching within circular bands. In the centre are raised dots, presumably relating to geomancy. We do not know if this item was a tool that was regularly used or if it were perhaps placed in the ...

MUDRA OF ESOTERIC BUDDHISM

10 pieces of the practitioner’s manuscript of various hand-signs called ‘tein’ (also ‘inso’, ‘ketsuin’) as the mudra (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudra) of ‘mikkyo’ (Japanese Esoteric Buddhism), as the symbolic or ritual gesture or pose performed with the hands and fingers for marking each secret of various buddhas, bodhisattvas, deities, etc. Early 20th century. approx. 31 x 26cm (12.20 x 10.23in) each. Some expected...

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Kiri (Paulownia) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. All hand forged iron hardware including the Kakute handles. It has a configuration of 9 drawers, a pair of Biraki-Do (hinged doors) hiding a center shelf and a thief's door behind which lies two more small drawers. Two side lift-up handles through which a bamboo pole would go allowing two persons to carry this tansu from place to place.

Originating in the Tohoku region of Japan, th...

An antique Japanese Yonezawa Kasane Kimono Tansu (stacked chest on chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Beautiful Ume (Plum Blossom) motif on lock plates with a nickel rim. Four large drawers with a hinged door that hides two small drawers. Constructed using straight dovetail Japanese joinery and hardened wooden nails. Hand forged iron hardware with Mokko handles.

Can be separated and used as bedside nightstands or used as a daily dresser drawer or accent piece in any room decor...

Very small portable shrine, zushi. The figure of Amida Nyorai is standing on a lotus base with intricately carved curled lotus petals. His slender body covered in a finely, gold ornamented garment, his left hand pointing down in mudra, his now missing right hand would be held up in mudra, as well.

Soft wood stained dark brown, with gold painted decoration and some red.
The insides of the doors decorated in reddish brown with meandering flowers over gold foil on black lacquer.

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Hanging scroll. Portrait of probably Sugawara no Michizane, sitting in court dress - a black garment with a long white sash - holding a wooden mace. The black garment, with red liner, is delicately decorated with flowers between waving lines. The sash also decorated with stylized flower shapes.

Tosa style. Signature at bottom: Yuho Issho ga. Red seal: Issho no in.

Colors on silk.

Japan, early 19th century.

Painted area: 23 5/16 x 10 13/16 in. (39.7 x 27.9 cm).
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An unusual and charming votive image of carved wood depicting Guanyin seated in her grotto on Putuo Island with the secondary figures, the Dragon Maiden and Sudhana attending her on either side. Above a small grotto with the seated image of a Buddha and flanking it on both sides are the four popular companions from the Journey to the West (Xiyou ji), the monk Xuanzang, Sandy, Pigsy and Monkey. In the water below a pair of nagas and a large fish. On the back of the sculpture is a place for relics...

A bronze figure depicting the City God, (Chinese: Cheng Huang). Cold gilding and rest of coulors. The City God is one of the important Gods of Daoism, he is a kind of guardian deity of the City, a heavenly magistrate responsible for the protection of the territory, the safety and prosperity of the locality. Temples dedicated to Chenghuang were built allover China and annual processions of the God were carried out. Ming Dynasty. H. 29 cm. Condition: Very good, just some wear to gilt.

Kogo, container for storing incense during the tea ceremony, in the shape of the bud of a lotus flower.
The bottom half decorated on the outside with classic lotus sepals, as used to image a Buddhist lotus dais, in relief. The top half also decorated in low relief in a much more stylized manner. The closed lotus bud, crowned by a 16-petal chrysanthemum and topped by a knob, which is probably a stylized rendering of the chrysanthemum heart.

Alternatively the shape could refer to the s...

Midsize storage jar, tsubo. Greyish brown stoneware, with the typical white stone inclusions, partially bursting out through the surface. The ashes in the wood burning kiln settled during the firing onto the surface of the pot and melted, creating the beautiful brownish yellow ash glaze. This is a natural process that cannot be controlled by the potter beyond the decision of placement within the kiln.

Japan, Edo period, 19th century or a bit earlier

H 11.25 inches

Very good ...

Circular kobako in gold lacquer, decorated with cranes and pines on a nashiji background. The interior is in nashiji lacquer. On the lid, we can see the mon of the Tsugaru family (津軽).
This family is a samurai clan from the province of Mutsu, in the north of Japan. It was originally a branch of the Nambu clan, which became free during the Azuchi Momoyama period (1573-1603). It sided with the victorious sides in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and became in the Edo period a family of ...

An exclusive large belt buckle made from a silver alloy bordered by two elephants. The center mounted with a pierced jade medaillon showing a bird by two bolts ending in a flower, surrounded by four lion heads, turquoise and coral or carnelian cabochons. Dating to the 19th/20th century. Condition: traces of usage, one flower bolt with a small loss (please look carefully at the photos, they make part of the condition report). Dimension: c. 12.8 cm long x 9 cm high, weight: 155 g.

Chinese Red Lacquer Bamboo Bridal Food Basket, early 1900's, 15" high with handle, 10" wide & square, contains inner wood tray inside the lower compartment, high lighted with raise carved gold lacquered design on high handle, one metal butterfly is missing on one side.