Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (175)

A beautiful set of ten small shallow dishes, each uniquely decorated with a poem and image from the Edo period Sasashima Kiln of central Nagoya. The box, titled Sasashima Yaki Teshio Jumai (10 Sasashima Salt Dishes) is dated inside to the Tenpo era, (1830-1844). Each dish is 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) diameter and all are in excellent condition. Salt dishes were small plates used to hold salt, pickles or other condiments in a traditional Japanese meal. Finding a complete set like this in good condition is exceedingly rare.
The kiln producing Sasashima ware was opened by Makibokusai in the Bunka era in central Nagoya. Sasashima ware is characterized by its bright colors, and it is said that Makibokusai was also good at carving. The kiln, which continued for three generations after Makibokusai, is said to have disappeared around 1923 (Taisho 12) due to the expansion work of Nagoya Station.

A hawk rests on an elaborate perch, the feathers fluffed up, each uniquely carved on this rare okimono from the Mushiake kilns of Okayama prefecture. It comes in an ancient kiri-wood box. The notation on the side of the box states it was received in late Meiji 27 (1894) from the former Head of the Okayama fief Ikeda Mochimasa. The name of the recipient has been redacted, as is often the case when things change hands in Japan. It is 24 x 7.4 x 29 cm (9 x 3 x 11-1/2 inches). A ringlet on one side and a hook under the bar, both made of wire-thin clay, have been broken off, otherwise it is in excellent condition. A work like this from Mushiake is unprecedented, a true rarity.
Mushiake ware is pottery made in modern day Setouchi City, Okayama Prefecture. Legend states it was begun as the Niwa-yaki (a private samurai residence kiln) by the Igi Family, chief retainer of the Okayama Domain. The kiln origin is unknown, but possible originated with the 6th head of the Igi family, and was certainly active in the Bunka/Bunsei eras at the opening of the 19th century. It is said the third generation Dohachi fired work there. The kiln was shut down in 1842, but five years later revitalized by the 14th-generation head of the Igi family, Igi Tadazumi (Sanensai, 1818–1886,), who was a well-known tea master. He invited Seifu Yohei (1803–1861) who came to the kiln and taught blue and white pottery techniques, Korean and other traditions popular in the capitol at the time. At the end of the Edo period (Bunkyu era) Mori Kakutaro took over operations at the kiln. In the early Meiji era Miyagawa Kozan came to work at the kiln, and it is said Kakutaro’s son Hikoichiro took the character Ko from Kozan for his own pseudonym Mori Koshu. Once again, during the Meiji era, the kiln shut down temporarily, and Hikoichiro (now known as Koshu) went to Yokohama to learn new pottery techniques from Kozan. The kiln enjoyed some success during this era, but was again shut down eventually, and revived in 1932. It is still in existence today.

A quintessential Iga vase dating from the Edo period, the rough clay covered in thick ash glaze. It is viciously charred, testament to the tempest in the kiln, with molten ash flowing freely over the surface. This is a perfect complement to a Japanese chashitsu tea room or traditional flower display. It is 24.5 cm (9-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. In a Japanese tea ceremony room, historically vases were made to match the ambiance of the humble setting. Although I did not write it: Starting in the Momoyama period (16th century), Mimitsuki Iga ware vases with characteristic "ear" lugs appeared. and thus became the popular norm. Since then the ears have become a mark of not only Iga flower vessels but also Mizusashi water jars. They were used as Japanese tea utensils under master Sen no Rikkyu and others. Old Iga ware, which is known as Ko-Iga, generally reflects Wabi-Sabi aesthetics with a rustic appearance and purposefully deformed shapes, given extra character by the addition of "ear" lugs and intentional gouges and dents.

A delicate kiri-wood tray decorated with a fledgling among grass puffed up against the cold by important 20th century artist Domoto Insho enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kosuzume Seifu (Small Sparrow, Pure Wind) and signed inside Insho Saku. It is 19 x 19 x 2.5 cm (7-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 1 inch) and is in excellent condition.

A deliciously horrifying painting of a ghost rising from the empty field dating from the 19th century completely remounted and ready to go for another century of leering from the shadows. Ink on paper with highlights of gofun and red pigment separated from a field of blue by a single narrow strand of red and gold Kinran silk terminating in dark wood rollers. The artist has sealed the panting with two crimson chops in the lower corner. The scroll is 42.7 x 196 cm (16-3/4 x 77 inches) and is in overall excellent condition, completely remounted.
For the Japanese Kaidan-banashi, or ghost stories, are a summer tradition. It is said that the telling of a ghost tale at night will cause the temperature in the room to fall, a great necessity during those boiling summer evenings. The ghosts and their associated skeletons have also long been subject in Buddhist art, with the emphasis on the brief nature of our lives in comparison to the cosmic void.

A hand painted cloth banner decorated with imagery by various artists including the Nanga School literati artists Tanomura Chokunyu (1814-1907) and Nakanishi Koseki (1807-1884) as well as Tanaka Koha of the Kagetsuan School of Sencha and Confucian scholar Goto Shoin (1797-1864) and Hirose Kyokuso (1807-1863) who were two of the most important followers of Rai Sanyo. The date Konoe-saru (year of the monkey in metal) is visible in both the central leaf and the lower left gourd image. Judging then by the 60 year cyclical zodiac calendar it dates from the fifth month of 1860. The title, signed Shochiku-Rojin (the old man Shochiku), reads Betsu-yu-ten-chi-hi-jin-kan, a poetic phrase meaning there are other worlds aside from that of the human plane, specifically alluding to a world without human desire. Perhaps when these learned gentlemen gathered for tea beyond this curtain, they felt that they had experienced one of these other worlds. The cloth is 91 x 160 cm (36 x 63 inches) including a pouch through which a bamboo stave would have been run for hanging. Toned somewhat with age, the fibers are strong.

An exquisite pair of 19th century Sometsuke porcelain bottles decorated with butterflies among seasonal flowers. The winged creatures float effortlessly among the bamboo, Chinese bell flower, wild chrysanthemum and other seasonal flora. Each bottle is peaked by a simple rounded wooden bung, and they come enclosed in an age darkened wooden carrying box with hand forged iron handle. They are roughly 15 cm (6 inches) tall each and in excellent condition. Although untitled, these are likely a very delicate set of tokkuri sake flasks.

Two Jubako stacking porcelain boxes enclosed in their unique wooden boxes which are both enclosed together in an additional outer wooden box for protection. According to the lid, the designs were by Kinoshita Itsuun and Uragami Gyokudo, and the pieces were made by Kawamoto Hansuke. Hansuke is considered the progenitor of porcelain production in Seto, and it was through an act of industrial espionage that he was able to bring the techniques, until then the secrets of the Kyushu potteries, to Seto. It is believed the 3rd generation Hansuke went to Kyushu, purportedly to help with the establishment of the Kameyama Kiln, and stole the secrets of porcelain production. Each set of boxes is roughly 12 cm (4-3/4 inches) square, 16.5 cm (6-1/2 inches) tall and enclosed in respective age-darkened wooden boxes. The landscape dominated pieces are in excellent condition, the boxes with floral designs have several small chips and one gold repair. The box for the landscape piece is titled Ju-bachi Hakurendo and has inside two long verses stating the paintings was performed by Gyokudo. The box for the second piece is signed inside Shintoen Hansuke-zo, the name used by the 4th generation Hansuke.
During the Horeki era (1751-1764), the first generation Kawamoto Hansuke worked with Kawamoto Jihei to build both the Asahi and Yuhi kilns, and each subsequent generation inherited the name Hansuke. The third generation switched to Sometsuke-yaki in 1804. His son, the fourth generation, took over the family business in 1822. He created a variety of Shozui-style dyed patterns and was a naturally talented artist, inheriting his father's legacy, and was always passionate about improving porcelain. 'In the Tenpo era, he finally invented the idea of pulverizing Gyaman stone and blending it with the original clay creating a lustrous, tranparent porcelain. During the Tenpo era (1830-1844), he was ranked as the Bishu family's pottery master. He is remembered as a person who made a significant contribution to the history of Seto's ceramic industry for his research into the use of silica stone as a glaze on porcelain to increase transparency and improve the color of Gosu, and for his efforts to improve quality.In 1858 (Ansei 5), he adopted Kawamoto Masukichi as his eldest daughter's son-in-law and passed the family business to him as the fifth generation.
Kameyama ware was made in Nagasaki during the late Edo period. The high-quality white porcelain is famous for its literati-style Gosu paintings reminiscent of imported Chinese models, but many designs evoke an exotic atmosphere unique to Nagasaki. A characteristic of Gosu is that it is darker overall than Imari. Under the Nagasaki Magistrate, the techniques of potters in each domain were handed down from generation to generation, producing highly skilled porcelain such as Mikawachi ware from the Hirado domain, Hasami ware from the Omura domain, and Arita ware from the Saga domain. In 1807, a kiln was opened in Kakineyama, Irabayashi, Nagasaki by 4 potters with funds by a loan from the Nagasaki Magistrate's Office, the kiln named Kameyama. The clay was taken from Amakusa, Ajiro as well as imported clay from Suzhou in China. Prominent literary figures such as Tanomura Chikuden, Kinoshita Itsuun, Somon Tetsuo, and Miura Gomon, designed elegant literati paintings for the pottery decoration. By 1819, it was run solely by Jingohei Ogami, and during the Kansei and Tenpo years it reached its peak, gaining reputation for its high quality. In 1839, Jingohei Ogami passed away at the age of 65, and the second generation, Jingohei, took over the kiln, which remained in operation until 1865. Because the pottery was produced over a short period of about 50 years, and there are few passed down items, it is called a phantom pottery, and particularly well-crafted pieces are prized by collectors.
Kinoshita Itsuun (1800 - 1866) was a nanga during the latter part of the Edo period. born as the third son of Kinoshite Katsushige in Nagasaki. At the age of 17 he inherited the role of "Otona," or village head, which had been assumed by the Kinoshita family for generations, but transferred the role to his elder brother in 1829. Working as a medical doctor, which had been his initial interest, he was committed to proliferation of vaccination learned from a Dutch medical doctor. Itsuun first learned Nanga painting from Ishizaki Yushi, as well as directly under several Chinese artists visiting Nagasaki. He ardently studied the techniques of various painting schools including Unkoku, the Kano School, Yamato-e and the Maruyama Shijo School as well as Western oil painting and incorporated them into his own technique. He tavelled in literati circles with the likes of Rai Sanyo, Tanomura Chikuden, Somon Tetsuo and Hirose Tanso. He also excelled in other fields such as calligraphy, tenkoku (seal-engra

This child with a pleasant face happily rides his toy horse, the horse looking just as pleased. The entirety is a porcelain sake server from the Saga region on the southern Island of Kyushu, home to Imari, Hirado and other porcelain ware. A bung of black persimmon wood has been added as a lid in the shape of a Chinese hat. It is 21 x 12 x 21 cm (8 x 4-3/4 x 8 inches) and in overall fine, original condition, dating from the 19th century.

A rare large vase by Kanzan Denshichi decorated with a hermitage in the hills and a poem extolling the beauty of summers first rain by Kanzan Denshichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box bearing the Shountei seal, dating it between 1871 and 1890. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Kanzan Denshichi (1821-1890) was born in the ceramic-producing area of Seto. He worked at the Koto kiln of the Ii family in the Hikone domain, moving to Kyoto when the kiln closed in 1862. In Kyoto, he established his workshop at the base of Kiyomizu-zaka where he worked under the name Terao Denshichi and is thought to have been one of the first ceramicists in Kyoto to specialize specifically in porcelain. In the first year of the Meiji era (1868) he worked to supply the Kyoto Prefectural Office, following which he studied Western painting and pottery decoration under Gottfried Wagner. In the following three years, production was renamed Shountei and he worked under the name Kato Kanzan. Kanzan’s works include porcelain tableware, both Western and Japanese in style, often decorated with brightly colored polychrome and gold. Some of these wares were made for export, and Kanzan also exhibited at international exhibitions, securing a gold medal at Paris in 1878 In 1881 during their visit to Japan, Queen Victoria’s grandsons: Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, and Prince George, Duke of York (George V), visited Kanzan’s workshop in Kyoto. The Imperial Household Ministry purchased Kanzan’s works, including some tableware for use in the Enriokan and other items in the style of the underglaze blue decorated Edo-period imperial porcelains known as kinri goyōtōki.
Pieces by Kanzan may be found in the collections of the Sannomaru Shōzōkan (Museum of the Imperial Collections) and Imperial Banqueting Department of Japan’s Imperial Household Agency, Tokyo National Museum and Kyoto Prefectural Library and Archives. The Victoria and Albert Museum has a pair of vases displayed at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876, a pair of ginger jars and four other small pieces. In 2014, the Sannomaru Shōzōkan devoted an exhibition to a Japanese-style polychrome dinner service made by Kanzan’s workshop for Prince Arisugawa Takehito: Beautiful Modern Kyoyaki (Kyoto-style ware) – Fine works by Kanzan Denshichi passed down within the Prince Arisugawa Family, 21 March – 22 June 2014.

Gargoyle or bat-like dragon-esque creatures spread their wings among tendrils of flame on the heavily decorated blue sides of this large pair of 19th century Sometsuke Japanese nesting bowls. Within boats ply the placid waters. The larger bowl is 24.5 cm (just less than 10 inches) diameter,10cm (4 inches) tall. The smaller is 21 cm diameter, 10cm tall and both are in excellent condition, dating from the 19th century.

A light raku chawan displaying a mitsuba-aoi family crest pressed into the side which has been shattered and repaired with black lacquer mellowed slightly brown, then broken again and repaired with gold. An amazing amount of work to save the fragments. The bowl is 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter6.5 cm (2-1/2 inches) tall and comes enclosed in an old Kiri-wood collectors’ box.
Kintsugi is a traditional Japanese art form of repairing broken pottery or ceramics using lacquer and powdered precious metals. Instead of hiding the cracks and flaws, kintsugi embraces them and turns them into a beautiful and unique feature of the object. This practice holds several significant cultural and philosophical meanings in Japanese culture, particularly in relation to tea ceremonies: Kintsugi embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic worldview centered around imperfection, transience, and the beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay. Embracing the flawed and broken aspects of an object through kintsugi is a way to appreciate the passage of time and the history of the object, recognizing that it gains value and character through its journey. Kintsugi aligns with traditional Japanese values of frugality and resourcefulness. Instead of discarding broken items, kintsugi repairs them, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. This approach reflects a profound respect for resources and a desire to cherish and honor the objects used in daily life. This is also a way to avoid offending the spirit of the object, as all items are embodied with a soul of some sort. The act of repairing broken pottery with gold-laced lacquer carries a symbolic message of resilience and overcoming adversity. The restored object becomes a metaphor for the human experience, highlighting that even after suffering damage or hardship, one can find beauty and strength through healing and renewal. In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony kintsugi plays a vital role in enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, especially during the tenth month. The practice of kintsugi encourages contemplation and introspection during the tea ceremony. Guests may be reminded of the impermanence of all things and the beauty that can arise from embracing life's scars and vulnerabilities. Overall, kintsugi holds a deep cultural and philosophical significance in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty in imperfection, respect for resources, and the resilience of both objects and individuals. In the context of the tea ceremony, it enriches the aesthetics and fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.

A fabulous porcelain incense burner in the shape of a boy playing the flute astride a large ox dating from the 19th century. The box identifies the work as Hirado ware. The quality is certainly of that level. It is 23.5 x 12 x 19 and is in perfect condition, enclosed in a period red-lacquered wooden box.
In Zen, an oxherd searching for his lost ox has served as a parable for a practitioner’s pursuit of enlightenment since this Buddhist sect’s early history in China. In the eleventh century, the Song-dynasty Zen master Guoan Shiyuan codified the parable into ten verses. The parable proceeds from the herd boy losing his ox and following its tracks to recover the animal to transcending this world. This piece represents the sixth step in enlightenment, riding the bull home. This is the point where one has attained understanding. The ancient verse associated with this image reads:
Mounting the bull, slowly
I return homeward.
The voice of my flute intones
through the evening.
Measuring with hand-beats
the pulsating harmony,
I direct the endless rhythm.
Whoever hears this melody
will join me.

A wildly crafted bronze image of a shishi lion breathing out a cloud forming the basin for a flower arrangement (known as an usubata). The curly hair has been somehow flaked off and maintained during the casting process, quite an exceptional example. The basin can be removed from the mouth of the creature. Assembled it is 32 x 28 x 33 cm tall (12-3/4 x 11-1/4 x 13 inches) and weighs 4390 grams (9.5 pounds). It is in fine original condition.

An antique gilt bronze Buddhist tower finial with three pierced flame flanges richly engraved with scrolling vines mounted on a hardwood pedestal It is 53 cm tall and in overall excellent condition.

A protective deity is carved into this Piece of a pillar from Himeji Castle dating from the Meiji period restoration of the Tenshukaku (main tower). It is branded with the Yaki-in which reads Himeji Jo Ko-zai-in (Brand of the old wood from Himeji Castle). It has long been a method of raising funds in Japan to offer replaced pieces of a historical building to those who donate to the restoration. These pieces are commonly branded with a special seal, called a yaki-in, which is heated and burnt into the surface, stating from which famous building the Ko-zai or old material, comes from. This large piece also has on another side written “Keicho 5 (1602) Ikeda Terumasa Chikujo (Castle made by Ikeda Terumasa) Kokuho Himeji Jo Tenshukaku Kozai (Old material from the Main Tower of National Treasure Himeji Castle) Yonkai Ko-neta (4th Floor small joist). It is 89 cm (35 inches) tall, 12 x 13 cm (roughly 5 inches) square.
Himeji Castle dates to 1333 when Akamatsu Norimura built a fort on top of Himeyama hill. The fort was dismantled and rebuilt as Himeyama Castle in 1346 and then remodeled into Himeji Castle two centuries later. Himeji Castle was then significantly remodeled in 1581 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who added a three-story castle keep. In 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu awarded the castle to Ikeda Terumasa for his help in the Battle of Sekigahara, and Ikeda completely rebuilt the castle from 1601 to 1609, expanding it into a large castle complex. Several buildings were later added to the castle complex by Honda Tadamasa from 1617 to 1618. For almost 700 years, Himeji Castle has remained intact, even throughout the bombing of Himeji in World War II, and natural disasters including the 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake. Himeji Castle is the largest and most visited castle in Japan, and it was registered in 1993 as one of the first UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country and five structures of the castle are also designated National Treasures.
In 1873 (Meiji 6), many of Japan's castles were destroyed due to the Castle Abolition Ordinance as they were seen as symbols of the former government (Shogun) and were no longer necessary for defense, but around 1877 (Meiji 10), when the major changes at the beginning of the Meiji period had come to an end, there was born a movement to preserve the countries castles. At the request of Colonel Shigeto Nakamura, who oversaw construction and repairs in the Army, Himeji Castle was also preserved with national funds, including its large and small castle towers and turrets, along with Nagoya Castle (Unfortunately, Nagoya Castle was later burnt down in the war). following, temporary repairs were carried out, but due to lack of funding, full-scale renovation was postponed until 1910. At this time the large castle tower was repaired along with the remaining small castle towers (east small castle tower, west small castle tower, inui small castle tower) in the first phase of construction.

Plums blossom red on the dark surface of this traditionally shaped Mizusashi bearing the rare Ubagamochi Stamp impressed into the clay of the base. It is 18 cm diameter, 15 cm tall, and comes in an old custom made collectors kiri-wood box labeled Ubagamochi Mimitsuki Mizusashi. It retains the original ceramic lid, as well as two lacquered lids, one a tsukuibuta lid in austere black, the other redish brown outside, gold within, featuring a raised image of a dragon flying through billowing clouds circling mount Fuji.
Ubagamochi is a rice cake popular in Kusatsu in Omi Province (modern Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture) and Ubagamochiyaki is a pottery made there. Legend has it that the owner of the Ubagamochi Chaya in this area founded a kiln in the mid 18th century.. originally making plates upon which to serve the famous Ubagamochi cakes, it expanded to tea ware purportedly under the 8th head of the family Segawa Kuniyoshi, who was a dedicated tea practitioner and close with the lords of Omi and Zeze Castle (which had its own pottery). This lasted through the 10th head of the family Kanazawa Kocho, who was also a fervent follower of tea. Unique Carved Hand Wooden Sculpture by Makino Koen Yay or Nay, stop or go, all good or hang on a second… .an intriguing wooden sculpture by Makino Koen of Niigata prefecture, a two sided hand carved from Japanese hardwood, one side gesturing with all fingers extended, the other joining the thumb and forefinger in an OK sign. It is 37 x 23 x 38 cm and in excellent condition, signed beneath.

A crane rises elegantly from a truncated tree, the legs intricately crafted and the body flowing in a liquid grace. This is Bizen Saikumono, a body of Bizen popular throughout the Edo, Meiji and early 20th centuries. Craftsman carved wild animals, mythical beasts, human figures and many other figures out of the smooth Bizen clay, relying on perfection of form, allowing the firing to add color without overt decoration. This figure is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. It comes in a period wooden box dated the 8th month of Koka 3 (1846). As one might expect from something nearly two hundred years old, there is a well done invisible repair in the neck, otherwise is in excellent condition.
The Bizen pottery tradition in Japan dates back over a thousand years, tracing its roots to the Heian period (794-1185). Located in the Okayama Prefecture, the Bizen region has been renowned for its unique style of pottery, characterized by rustic simplicity, earthy textures, and natural aesthetics. The beauty of Bizen pottery lies in its adherence to wood-fired kilns. The firing process is crucial, as it allows for the spontaneous creation of unpredictable patterns and colors on the pottery's surface. These effects result from the interaction of flames, ash, and minerals present in the clay during the high-temperature firing, reaching up to 1300 degrees Celsius. Bizen ware typically features unglazed surfaces, showcasing the natural qualities of the clay itself. The pottery's reddish-brown coloration, derived from the iron-rich clay native to the Bizen region, is emblematic of its organic appeal. Saiku-mono or figurative pottery works have their roots much further back, but were very popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Simplicity of form, often inspired by nature and everyday objects, enhances the pottery's charm. Its rustic elegance and understated sophistication resonate with collectors and enthusiasts worldwide.