Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (185)

A rare Edo period porcelain covered dish attributable to the Nanki Otokoyama porcelain tradition of the Southern Kii peninsula (modern day Wakayama) under the patronage of the Kii branch of the Tokugawa family. Outside the dish is expertly modeled in the shape of a sea bream, a fish known as Tai (or Madai) in Japanese. The fish is associated with celebration, not only because of its festive red color, but also as the name Tai is a homonym for festivity. Cranes soar inside both the lid and base with the mark Nanki Otokoyama brushed in among the imagery. The dish is 29 x 19 x 18.5 cm and is in excellent condition, enclosed in a period compartmentalized kiri-wood box titled Otokoyama Tai Futamono (Otokoyama Sea Bream Lidded Dish).
Nanki-Otokoyama ware was established in 1827 under the patronage of the Tokukgawa clan of the Kishu Domain by Sakiyama Rihe after he learned the art of blue and white porcelain in Takamatsu. The kiln remained open until 1878, and the then craftsmen moved to Work at the Tozan Kiln of Himeji. At the height of its prosperity, together with Kairakuen-ware, they were highly esteemed ceramics to be presented as a gifts from the Daimyo feudal lord. Works for the Nani Otokoyama Kiln are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of art New York, the British Museum and the Smithsonian among others.

A fine pottery koro in typical milky white glaze supported by three figures in russet red by Okuda Mokuhaku dating from the mid 19th century. It is 13 cm (5 inches) diameter, 11.2 cm (4-1/4 inches) tall. There is a chip in the rim, otherwise is in excellent condition. It is stamped on the base AKahadayama followed by a circular seal reading Mokuhaku. t comes in a simple wooden box.
Akahada Pottery, starting around 1585, was created by several kilns in the area of Yamato-Koriyama, Nara. It is one of the Seven Kilns of Enshu so named because Kobori Enshu, a prominent tea master, favored them. There is no clear record as to the origin of the pottery, but reportedly it started at a kiln built on Akahada Mountain in Gojyou village by Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Momoyama period. There was a serious decline due to the political changes in the mid 18th century, however in 1785 the feudal lord in Koriyama castle in Nara Yanagisawa Yasumitsu, asked two potters named Inosuke and Jihei to revitalize production. After 1785 the kilns had the patronage of the Daimyo feudal lord of Koriyama castle. Akahada pottery thrived under the protection of a succession of federal lords during the late Edo period and, by the very end of the period, Okuda Mokuhaku, (1800-1871) a noted master-craftsman, had succeeded in making the pottery well-known beyond that region.

A pair of vases in the shape of old wooden well buckets (tsurube) in white glaze upon which is scrawled in beautiful grass scrip a poem by Otagaki Rengetsu. The poem reads: Yamazato wa
matsu no koe nomi
kiki nare te
kaze fuka nu hi wa
sabishikari keri
Which translates as:
Living deep in the mountains
I’ve grown fond
of the soughing pines
On days when the wind is still
how lonely it is
Each is roughly 15 cm (just under 6 inches) square 18.5 cm (7-1/4 inches) tall and both are in excellent condition. ).
Otagaki Rengetsu (1791-1875) was born into a samurai family, she was adopted into the Otagaki family soon after birth, and served as a lady in waiting in Kameoka Castle in her formative years, where she received an education worthy of a Lady of means. Reputed to be incredibly beautiful, she was married and bore three children; however, her husband and all children died before she was twenty. Remarried she bore another daughter, however that child too perished and her husband died while she was just 32. Inconsolable, she cut off her hair to join the nunnery at Chion-in Temple, where she renounced the world and received the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). However, this was not the end, but only the beginning of a career as artist and poet which would propel her to the top of the 19th century Japan literati art world.

A Fushina (Fujina) yaki image of the three monkeys made to support the Kettle lid in the Japanese Tea Ceremony dating from the Edo period. A warning to all, the little creatures hear nothing, see nothing and speak nothing. What happens in the tea room, stays in the tea room! The figure is 4.5 cm (roughly 2 inches) diameter the same height and in excellent condition. Impressed into the base is the Rakuzan seal. It comes in an antique woven thread pouch.
Rakuzan pottery falls under the umbrella of Fushina or Fujina Yaki, the Goyogama clan kiln of the Matsudaira of Matsue in modern day Izumo, sometimes simply called Izumo-yaki. The origin of Rakuzan ware lies in the early Edo period, when the second generation Matsudaira Tsunataka requested a Hagi ware potter from the neighboring Mori clan, which was eventually granted to the third generation Izumo leader Matsudaira Tsunachika around 1677. The founders of the kiln were Kurasaki Gonbei and Kada Hanroku. Although under continuous production, the kiln had its ups and downs until it was strongly revived by the 8th Lord of Matsue, Matsudaira Harusato (Fumaiko 1751-1818) Daimyo of the province. From then it fell strongly under his aesthetic taste. Flagging in the late 19th century, artists such as the great scholar and Nanga artist Tanomura Chokunyu sought to revitalize it, and came to Shimane to decorate the works or to teach decoration and painting techniques. It became an important influence on the Mingei movement and was visited by Bernard Leach, Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro in the early 20th century.

Unusual Pottery sweets dish in soft green glaze by the 11th generation head of the Raku Family Keinyu, enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Chagata Kobachi. Covered in crackled pale green glaze, it is 11.5 cm diameter, 8 cm tall and in excellent condition.
The 11th generation head of the Raku family, Keinyu, was born a second son of Ogawa Naohachi, a sake brewer from Tanba, the present Kameoka city in Kyoto, he was adopted in the Raku family as Tannyû's son-in-law, assuming the name of Keinyû. He succeeded as the 11th generation in 1845. He retired in 1871. The period he lived through was an age of transmission from the feudalism of the Tokugawa Shogunate to the modernization of the Meiji government introducing the modern cultural prospects from the West. At the same time he saw the collapse of traditional culture including the tea culture. Over a long production of ceramics under such unfavourable circumstances, Keinyû, however, vigorously made a variety of ceramics, not only tea bowls but other tea utensils as well as decorative objects, considered as the most versatile among all the Raku generations. His work is endowed with a high quality of artifice as well as a poetic sensibility.

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.

A small carved Zushi in the form of a cave housing a red stone in the shape of the Daruma, progenitor of Zen Buddhism in Japan. It is 6 x 4.2 x 8.3 cm (2-1/2 x 1-3/4 x 3-1/4 inches) and is in overall excellent condition, dating from the This would have been made as a talisman to ward off evil spirits. later Edo period.

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.

An elongated netsuke of bamboo carved at the root to represent the heads of a Reishi (Ling Zhi or bracket mushroom). It is 23 cm (9 inches) long and in excellent condition. Contrary to the ordinary Netsuke which are attached to long cords passed through the sash, the Sashi Netsuke has a very short cord and the netsuke itself is thrust between the sash and the Kimono. Their shape is thus long and flat.
The Reishi (Chinese Lingzhi), is the ancient "mushroom of immortality", revered for over 2,000 years. In the poetry of Ban Gu of the 1st century CE is an ode dedicated to Lingzhi. Taoist temples were called "the abode of mushrooms" and according to their mystical teachings, the use of a concentrated decoction of spirits mushroom gave followers the opportunity to see spirits or become spirits themselves by receiving the magical energy of the immortals who lived in the heavenly "mushroom fields". The Divine Farmer's Classic of Pharmaceutics of the 3rd century CE classifies zhi into six categories, each of which is believed to benefit the qi, or "life force", in a different part of the body.
Nyoi (Chinese Ruyi) is a ceremonial scepter or talisman used by and seen in Buddhist and Daoist art an cultural references. It likely originated from Sanskrit anuruddha "a ceremonial scepter" used by Buddhist monks in India, who later brought the concept to China where it became a symbol of authority. There it blended with the back-scratcher, and there is an interesting story behind that. As a Buddhist monk was not meant to marry, he would forsake having children. The Back Scratcher (Mago-no-Te) literally translates as the “Hand of the Grandchild”. As a monk would have no grandchildren, thus no one to scratch his back or ease his old age, the spirits of those that were not born would be embodied in the scepter. It is one of the most precious objects to a priest. It is often seen also with literati and nobles who held Nyoi during social occasions, and there seems no doubt that the original function was that of a scepter qualifying the holder to "take the floor, similar to the fly whisk or fan. In art they often appear as attributes of Buddhist saints and Daoist immortals. Although Chinese Ruyi are often of precious materials such as jade, precious metals and or are jewel encrusted, the Japanese emphasis on frugality and self-effacement promotes an aesthetic of simple, unadorned natural objects, often of wood or bamboo.

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.

A carved wood figure of a wandering priest, robes billowing in the wind, his large straw hat full of holes, signed Yasuchika on the back. Dating from the late Edo to Meiji period, it is by a member of the Tsuchiya Yasuchika lineage. The figure is 31 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition, complete with walking stick.

A rare iron hanging censer in the shape of a Mongolian Saddle Stirrup (Abumi) with silver mesh lid covering half the top. It comes in an age-darkened and worm-eaten kiri-wood box titled simply Tsuri Koro. The receptacle is 13.5 x 7 x 15 cm (5-1/2 x 3 x 6 inches) and is in excellent condition, dating from the Edo period.

A classic bun-shaped Koro incense burner by Miyagawa Chozo pierced with Incense-clock-patterns enclosed in the rare original signed wooden box. It is 8.8 cm diameter, 7.5cm tall and is in excellent condition. The box contains a hand written note in old Japanese describing the origins of Makuzu-ware.
Miyagawa Chozo (1797-1860), also known as Chobei was born a direct descendant of Chokansai and would be the father to Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan I (1842-1916). The name Kozan was granted by Prince Yasui-no-Miya in 1851 in honor of the tea ware produced during the later Edo for the imperial Court by this, the tenth-generation head of the Kyoto pottery family, In 1832 at the age of thirty-five, he became apprentice to Aoki Mokubei (1767-1833) and by 35 had established his reputation as a preeminent independent potter. Differing from his master Mokubei (who was most renowned for Sencha ware) Chozo produced almost exclusively ceramics for use with Maccha (Japanese powdered tea ceremony) wares. Many say his most representative works were his Ninsei items, incense containers being particularly renowned. For more on this artist see Master Potter of Meiji Japan, Makuzu Kozan. The Kozan (Makuzu) kiln as we know it today was established in Yokohama in 1871 by the 11th generation head of the family where he reinvented the family business. He immediately set out on a journey which would propel the Kozan name to International Celebrity status, and send his wares throughout the globe. Pieces produced there were marked Kozan, or Makuzu, the official kiln name, or both. The kiln was commissioned for works to be presented to the Prince of Wales, the 25th wedding anniversary gift for the Taisho emperor and the Showa Emperors coronation gift. The kiln was destroyed in the bombing of Yokohama in 1945. For more on this illustrious family see Bridging East and West, Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio by Kathleen Emerson-Dell.

A 19th century Bronze incense burner int eh shape of a burning Buddhist jewel supported on five legs of curling smoke tendrils, alternating with five looping handles. It is 20 cm (8 inches) tall to the finial, and in excellent condition.

A stunning large Menuki in the form of a writhing dragon of gilt copper dating from the 19th century, It is 7.5 cm (3 inches) long and in perfect condition, retaining both the original studs on back unused. The Year of the Dragon is coming up!

Rich green glaze covers this elongated delicate undulating bottle from the Kosugi-yaki tradition of the Kaga region near modern day Kanazawa city. This bottle is roughly 20 cm (8 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Kosugi ware is a type of pottery that was produced in Kosugi Town over four generations for about 80 years, from around the early Bunka era (1810-1820) to the Meiji 20s (around 1890). In the hilly area south of Imizu City that connects Ikeda, Hirano, Ueno, and Hashimotojo, pottery was made in the Kofun period, Nara period, and Heian period, even before Kosugi ware began. This is probably because this area was rich in high-quality clay, which was the raw material for pottery, and red pine trees, which were used as fuel. From the first Yoemon to the fourth generation, pottery production was actively carried out in the former Kosugi Town (hereinafter referred to as Kosugi Town). The first generation Yoemon (given name Yoichiro) traveled throughout the land and mastered the technique of Soma ware (Fukushima prefecture), before returning to his hometown at the age of 30 to open a kiln. Kosugi ware rapidly spread its fame, and in the Tenpo era, it received a pottery license from the Kaga domain, and with the support of the county magistrate, reached its peak. The first Yoemon passed away in August 1838. The second generation Yoemon (young name Yojuro) took over at the age of 30. Many of the first-generation sake bottles were somewhat small, with a wonderful sculptural sense, and the green glaze had a beautiful color and luster that was slightly bright.

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