Catalog: Archives: Regional Art: Asian (611)

A hand carved antique wooden mask of Tenko or the nine-tailed Kuuko, heavenly White Fox (kitsune) which do good, wrapped in a modern silk bag and enclosed in an antique black lacquered wooden box. The mask is roughly 21-1/2 x 17 x 20 cm (8-1/2 x 7 x 8 inches) and in excellent condition. A cartouche bearing the artists signature can be seen inside the black lacquer within. The Fox has many roles in Japanese Folklore. First it is a symbol of fortune and bounty, and guards Shinto Shrines as Inari-san. That is all good but it also has a devious side, with the ability to shape-shift, turning itself into a woman in order to lure victims to their doom. The Kitsune mask is used for the old fox in Fox Trapping (Tsurigitsune), the highest-ranking Kyogen play in which an old fox who has lost all of his relatives to a hunter's trap assumes human form to try to convince the hunter to stop killing.

Birds in white plumage decorate the shadowed raw clay of this vase by Miyagawa Kozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 21.5 cm (8-1/2 inches) tall, 19 cm (7-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.　
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 the tenth generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. 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. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one year mourning for his fathers passing. Under Hanzan 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 completely 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 pair of Kinsai Tokkuri on red ground by Eiraku Zengoro from his Kutani kiln dating from the late 19th or early 20th centuries enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Complete with lids, they are 5 inches (13 cm) tall each and in excellent condition.

No discussion on 20th century Kyoto ceramics can skip over the importance of the Kyoto Shi Tojiki Shiken-sho ceramics research facility at which all the luminaries studied and laid the foundation for a number of the early Living National Treasures. Here is a delicate vessel with elegant curves decorated with poppies dating from the early 20th century enclosed in an age darkened wooden box titled : Kyoto Tojiki Shikensho-sei (Made by the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility) Keshi Moyo Kabin (Poppy Design Vase). It is 22.5 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
The Kyoto Shi Tojiki Shikensho or Kyoto Municipal Ceramics Research Institute was founded in 1903 and under that specific persona existed until 1920. The facility was the proving ground for such luminaries as Kondo Yuzo, Kusube Yaichi, Kawai Kanjiro, Hamada Shoji and Komori Shinobu among many others.

An exquisite vase decorated with crashing waves and plovers in blue by Seifu Yohei dating from the Taisho era. It is 12 inches (31 cm) tall and in excellent condition. Quite large for a work by Seifu, it is marked on the base with an incised signature. Either the work of the third or fourth generation, according to the definitive book "Kyoto Ceramist Seifu Yohei III", pieces from this era with this signature are impossible to differentiate between the two generations, as they worked side by side.
Seifu Yohei III (1851-1914) was the adopted son of Yohei II. Sent at the age of twelve to study painting under then the top Nanga artist Tanomura Chokunyu, he returned in 1865 due to illness. The next year he entered as an apprentice the Seifu studio, then under the control of the second generation. As so often happens in these situations, in 1872 he married the daughter, becoming a “Yoji” or adopted son of Yohei II and taking the family name, established himself as an individual artist. Within the year his genius was discovered, and works by him were sent to the Vienna World Exposition. Seifu II retires of illness in 1878, and III succeeds the family kiln. Once again he is honored as the new head of the kiln to produce the dinnerware for the former president of the US Ulysses Grant. His work was highly acclaimed, both domestically and abroad, drawing honors and prizes at the Naikoku Hakurankai (National Exhibition), Chicago and Paris World expositions and being named one of the first members of the Imperial Art Academy specializing in ceramics in 1893 (Tei shitsu Gigei In). Works by this rare artist are held in Museums and collections throughout the world. He was succeeded by the fourth generation Seifu (1871-1951) in 1914. Seifū Yohei IV (Seizan: 1872-1946) was born the second son of Seifū Yohei III (1851-1914). He studied literati-style painting under Tanomura Shōsai (1845-1909), a son of Tanomura Chokunyū, in Osaka for three years. In 1914, he succeeded to the head of the family and produced works mostly in his father’s style. He won a number of prizes including the Golden Prize at the Panama Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco in 1916 and the exhibitions of the Japan Art Association in 1916 and 1918. He produced several works for members of the Imperial family.

A Boro Futon cover textile of sewn together bits of worn out indigo dyed fabric 160 x 204 cm (63 x 80 inches ). Go-haba (five widths)

A set of 12 Kogo incense containers representing the 12 animals of the zodiac by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden stacking-box. Each is roughly between 2 and 4 inches (5-10 cm). The Inoshishi (wild boar) has a small chip, otherwise all are in superb condition. In twenty years I have never seen a set like this and it certainly belongs in a museum.
Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.

Honda Tenjo enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seven Great Men. Ink on paper in a superlative silk mounting with ivory rollers (they will be changed if exporting). It is 26 x 85-1/2 inches (66.5 x 217 cm) and is in excellent condition. Honda Tenjo (1867-1946), born in Tokyo, initially studied western painting for five years under Kondo Katsumi before moving to Nihonga under Kano Hogai. Along with Okakura Shusui and Oka Fuho was to be called the four pillars of the Hogai Studio. He worked in the circle called the Kangakai established by Fenelossa and Tenshin, and lived for a while at Tenshin’s house. The belief at the time was to imbue oneself in Japonisme and so he also studied swordsmanship under Sakakibara Kenkichi. In 1888 he became one of the first students of the newly established Tokyo School of Art. He was exhibited and awarded at the Nihon E-ga Kyokai from its inception, and later with the Bunten after its establishment.

An exquisite large vessel by Seifu Yohei III (1851-1914) enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The mirror smooth surface is lightly tinged pink, a delicate touch only Seifu could create. The Fretwork about the center is absolutely perfect. The vase stands just over 12 inches (31 cm) tall, 5-1/2 inches (13 cm) diameter and in excellent condition. It is signed on the base Dai-Nippon Seifu Zo. Seifu, unlike many potters of his time, was low production and tenacious in his approach to perfection. What makes this piece so exceptional is not just the artist associated with it, but that the artist rarely made such large works. For his accomplishments he was honored as a member of the Imperial Art Academy (Teishitsu Gigei-In).

Forty sections of various antique katana scabbards have been set about the circumference of this antique suiban basin for use in Kado and Keido (flower arranging or bonseki sand gardens). Striped, mottled, textured, engraved and polished; covered in sharkskin, snakeskin or lacquered cloth. All lie between belts of tiger striped ebony-like hardwood around a removable copper basin. The handles (on each end) are the actual tie points of the scabbard. One bronze button decorated with shells in silver and brass can be seen on one of the scabbard sections, and another is cut to receive the Kozuka (small knife) used by Samurai. The basin is 22-3/4 x 13 x 3-1/4 inches (57.5 x 33 x 9.5 cm) and is in excellent condition. Very rare!

A set of scholars desk items, including a Chinese Qing dynasty crystal brush rest in the form of two mountains, Chinese crystal stamp carved with four characters between dragons, and an unusual obelisk written with the Nichiren Buddhist epitaph Na-mu Myoho-ren-ge-kyo in radical script over textured surface, glass or crystal. We have been unable to find a single inclusion in the obelisk, making it either a perfect crystal, suiting a religious object, or glass. The stamp is four immaculately cut characters between two scrollwork dragons (I am not versed in Chinese, but the Japanese reading seems to be Min Zan Chu In). The obelisk is 3 inches tall, the stamp 1-3/4 inches (4 cm) tall and the brush rest roughly 2-1/2 inches (6 cm) long. All pieces are in perfect condition.

A very rare Japanese Ballot Box of hinoki wood bound in decorative iron dating from the later 19th to early 20th century. This year the ballot is on everyone’s mind, and this is an exceptional example of both traditional Japanese decoration and cabinetry. It has locks on both sides of the lid, which can be removed to reveal an inner lid with hinged iron cover over a slot for dropping in the ballots. This inner lid as well is locked. Keys included, it is 35.5 x 21 x 27 cm (14 x 8 x 10-1/2 inches), in excellent condition and comes enclosed in a protective outer wood storage box. The prewar image of Japan as a democracy has been stained by the era of expansion, however a look into the democratic and labor movements of the Taisho era, known as “Taisho Democracy” will show that the same forces vied for power in Japan as vied for domination elsewhere during that time. The Japanese version of Democracy verses the anti-establishment, Universal Suffrage, Women’s Rights, Anarchists, Socialism, Communism, labor movements against the Zaibatsu, the push and pull of independence movements, the embracing of western philosophy and derision of Western empires in Asia (who it may be said treated their colonies no better than the Japanese did), Imperialists, Militarists, Conscientious objectors, Sinophiles, the Mingei movement, Arts and Crafts and those wishing to regain contact with nature in the vein of William Morris…all played their part in the social lattice of that tumultuous era. Interestingly, according to Ken Lonsinger: In 1861 the Arts and Crafts Movement got its biggest boost when Morris founded Morris, Marshall, Faulkner and Co., a furniture, design and decorative accessories company that stressed time-honored craftsmanship and natural materials. The timing was perfect for in 1862 the London International Exhibition showcased never-before-seen Japanese arts and Crafts, which had an immediate effect on design. England quickly became enamored with this new look and began shedding the layers of Victorian clutter from its homes. Also in the arts, much has been written about Japanese influence on the birth of impressionism and Art Nouveau, and will likely become more clear over time the Japanese influence on Art Deco, the Art-glass movement, the Beatnick culture, Minimalism, Bauhaus and other architectural trends of the 20th century. An article by Helena Capkova for Bauhaus insists: The impact of the Bauhaus teaching methods reached far beyond Germany. Conversely, throughout its existence, a Japanese sensibility permeated the Bauhaus, springing from the Japonisme of individual professors, until its closure in 1933.
That is a lot said about a ballot box, but perhaps a stimulus in these times of self isolation to expanding understanding of the true internationalization of art as influenced by various cultures over time. After all, no man is an Island unto himself.

An elegant rendition of the famous Rimpa Crane standing alongside a swirling river of silver created by Shoun for the Shobido Art Studio enclosed in the original wooden box. Extremely well crafted, the creature stands 11 inches (25 cm) tall and is signed Shoun Saku. The black lacquered table is 18 x 13 inches (45 x 33 cm) and is in fine condition.
Shobido has been commissioning works with first rate artists and craftsmen for its own facilities and top Department stores since 1900. Founded by Eto Eikichiro at the height of the salon era, it served as a focal point for art, and they scoured the country for artists and craftsmen in all fields. During the strict war years their business suffered under the laws against excess, and finally the studio was completely destroyed in the bombing of Osaka in 1945. The second generation took over in 1946, working to re-establish the company and connecting with Hanshin Department Store, slowly growing while promoting the cultural heritage of Japan. They are now in the 113th year.

A fox and cubs under the crescent moon and falling leaves by Hotta Shuso (b. 1894) in a style representative of the Taisho era. Light color on silk in a pale green silk border with bone rollers. The scroll is 21-1/2 x 86 inches (55 x 219 cm) and in fine condition but for a faint discoloration in border top and bottom.
Hotta Shuso (1894-1954) was born in Nagano prefecture and studied under Ikegami Shuho, settling in Tokyo. One of his best students, Shuso later became leader of Shuho's Denshindo atelier. He was displayed at the Teiten/Nitten National Exhibtions beginning in 1924. He was most remembered for his detailed images of animals and flowers..

A humorous looking dragon twists up the paper canvas, eyes on the prize, a tama or Buddhist jewel underlying a dramatically written inscription. What is extraordinary is that the dragons scaled body is performed with a single stroke of the brush! Over this has been added a shadow for the back, and embellishment of the head. It is signed Fujiki Shuchokusai, and comes enclosed in the original signed and age darkened wooden box. Bordered with patterned green silk extended with beige and featuring black lacquered wooden rollers, the scroll is 17-1/2 by 72-1/2 inches (44 x 185 cm) and is in fine condition.

A haunting vessel by Miyagawa Kozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Haku Korai Bin, Yukan Tsuki (White Korean form with free handles). This piece is the epitome of the elegance which came from Japanese working with traditional forms. Devoid of decoration, the shape stands alone among works by this famous artist. It is 10-1/2 inches (27 cm) tall and is in perfect condition. I will enclose a rosewood stand for display purposes with this vase.
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 the tenth generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. 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 first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one year mourning for his fathers passing. Under Hanzan 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 completely 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.

The largest piece I have ever seen by Miyanaga Tozan I, a fine baluster form celadon on a superb rosewood stand. It is 21-1/2 inches (55 cm) tall, 15-1/2 inches (40 cm) diameter and in excellent condition. There is a custom made copper insert for use with flower arranging. Due to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately. Miyanaga Tozan I (1868-1941) is one of the most important names in Kyoto ceramics. He was born in Ishikawa prefecture, and graduated from the (now) Tokyo University of Art. While a government employee, he represented Japan at Arts Expositions, and studied art in Europe before returning to Japan in 1902 to devote himself to the production of ceramics, with great emphasis on celadon, one of the most difficult of all ceramic wares. He was direct teacher or mentor to a number of prominent artists including Kitaoji Rosanjin and Arakawa Toyozo. His kiln is now in the third generation, run by his grandson.

A tripod koro with custom silver lid and rosewood stand by Miura Chikusen II enclosed in a wooden box dated early Autumn 1920 signed by Ume, the mother of the second generation head of the family who died young that year. The white porcelain is roughly 15 cm (6 inches) tall on the stand, 10 cm (4 inches) diameter. This type of Sinophile work was very popular throughout the Meiji and Taisho periods, and Sencha steeped tea had a profound impact on Japanese culture at the time. For more on that see the book ‘Tea of the Sages: The Art of Sencha’ by Patricia Graham (1998).
Miura Chikusen I (1854-1915) made a name for himself as a strict adherent to and supplier of Sencha tea wares in Kyoto; one of the most important artists in the country for that genre. He studied under Takahashi Dohachi from the age of 13, before establishing his own studio in 1883. He was a feature in the literati community of Kyoto and was well known also as a painter, poet and calligraphist. His porcelains were considered of the highest grade throughout the Meiji era, and are still highly collectable today. The Eldest son took over after his father assuming the family name as Chikusen II, but died young in 1920 leaving a young child, whereupon his younger brother took over as Chikusen, III. However when Chikusen IIs eldest son was old enough, III relinquished the helm, appointing his nephew Chikusen IV and assuming the name Chikuken (Chikken). The kiln continues, currently under the management of the fifth generation.

A raw-clay-bodied globular vase decorated with comic deer in overglaze enamels by Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Akebononoiro-do Shika no zu Kabin (Vase of Sunrise-colored Clay decorated with Deer). The farcical creatures are punctuated by the fellow caught in the act of chewing his hoof (or was he having a scratch?) He looks back at the viewer with wide eyed and sheepish. The vase is 24 cm (9-1/2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
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 the tenth generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. 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. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one year mourning for his fathers passing. Under Hanzan 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 completely 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.

An incredible Flambe glazed vase by Kiyomizu Rokubei V on a black-wood stand enclosed in a massive red lacquered storage box heavily inscribed and signed by the artist. I rarely use the term, but this is Museum Quality, or perhaps I should more rightly say this unprecedented piece should be in a Museum! It is 55 cm tall (22 inches), 41 cm (16 inches) diameter. There is a firing flaw in one side (see close-up pictures). Less a box than a cabinet, inside the door is a long inscription which describes the conditions and methods of production of the vase dated 1918.
Kiyomizu Rokubei V (Shimizu Kuritaro, 1875-1959) initially studied painting and decorating technique under Kono Bairei, one of the foremost painters in Japan in the Meiji era. After graduating the Kyoto Municipal Special School of Painting, he took a position under his father at the family kiln however. That same year he exhibited his first work at the National Industrial Exposition. He was a co-founder of Yutoen with his father and Asai Chu, and worked ceaselessly to promote the pottery of Kyoto. He helped to establish the Kyoto Ceramics Research Facility (Kyoto Tojiki Shikensho) at the turn of the century which would be the proving ground for many young artist of the era. Doctor Maezaki Shinya has noted that Teishitsu-Gigei-in (Imperial Art Academy Member) Seifu Yohei III also fired his acclaimed works in the Rokubei kiln in the Taisho era. Due to his father’s poor health Rokubei V took the reins unofficially in 1902, commanding the helm until assuming the name Rokubei V in 1913. It was in 1928 that Rokubei changed the reading of the family name from Shimizu to Kiyomizu and applied it retroactively to previous generations. He exhibited constantly, and garnered a great many awards. He worked to get crafts added to the National Art Exhibition (Bunten/Teiten) and served as a judge in 1927, the first year crafts were allowed. In 1937 he was designated a member of the Imperial Art Council (Teishitsu Bijutsu Inkai). Despite changes in the world around him Rokubei persevered, working in all manner of materials and styles. He retired in 1945, perhaps as exhausted as Japan was with the end of the war, or perhaps seeing that capitulation would signal a new era in need of new leaders and a new aesthetic. He passed the name Rokubei to his son and took the retirement name Rokuwa. Uncontainable he continued to create pottery under that name until his death in 1959. His influence is so pervasive he was voted one of the most important potters of the modern era by Honoho magazine, the preeminent quarterly devoted to Japanese pottery. A multitude of works by him are held in the The National Museums of Modern Art, both in Tokyo and Kyoto, the Kyoto Kyocera Museum, The Kyoto Hakubutsukan Museum and the Philadelphia Art Museum among others.

A Teapot by Teishitsu Gigei-In Suwa Sozan I decorated by his friend the famous scholar artist Tomioka Tessai and enclosed in a signed double wood box. A custom pad between the pot and lid protect it during storage from chipping, and it has a silk bag in which it is wrapped. . It is 4-1/2 x 7-1/2 x 6 inches (11 x 19 x 15 cm) and in excellent condition. The box is titled Daibutsu Sozan – Chossen – Suichu and signed Hachiju Okina Kyuso Tessai Dai, Sozan Yakisei.
A strikingly similar work was featured in the 1928 Kyoto Bijutsu Club Catalog Beloved Works Remaining of Tomioka Tessai Okina (Tessai Okina Iaihin).
Tomioka Tessai (1837-1924) was a scholar artist trained from age seven in the traditional Confucian manner. After the death of his father he was apprenticed to a Shinto shrine, and later was forced to escape the capitol to Kyushu to avoid arrest for anti-governmental actions he had taken on part of the Imperial cause. Here he began serious study of Literati painting and furthered his scholarly research. Upon returning to Kyoto he was befriended by and moved to work under Otagaki Rengetsu, from whom he was heavily influenced. He helped to establish the Nihon Nanga-In and held a number of important positions, culminating in being appointed the official painter of the Emperor and a member of the Imperial Art Academy; the highest honor in Japanese Art circles. He is represented in innumerable important collections. Information on this important person is readily available, for more see Scholar Painters of Japan by Cahill (1972), Roberts Dictionary, or a quick internet search will find plenty of reading. He is held in the Tokyo National Museum, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Kyoto, V&A etc…
Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.

An exceptional boxed set of sake cups made by Seifu Yohei III lined with silver by Nakagawa Joeki (IX or X) enclosed in the original compartmentalized kiri-wood box signed by both artists. Each cup is unique, silver on blue, gold on red, and green on yellow, each stamped by the artist and displaying the celebratory Plum, Pine and Bamboo (Shochikubai) motif. They are 2-12 inches (6.3 cm) diameter each and in excellent condition.
Seifu Yohei III (1851-1914) was the adopted son of Yohei II. Sent at the age of twelve to study painting under then the top Nanga artist Tanomura Chokunyu, he returned in 1865 due to illness. The next year he entered as an apprentice the Seifu studio, then under the control of the second generation. As so often happens in these situations, in 1872 he married the daughter, becoming a “Yoji” or adopted son of Yohei II and taking the family name, established himself as an individual artist. Within the year his genius was discovered, and works by him were sent to the Vienna World Exposition. Seifu II retires of illness in 1878, and III succeeds the family kiln. Once again he is honored as the new head of the kiln to produce the dinnerware for the former president of the US Ulysses Grant. His work was highly acclaimed, both domestically and abroad, drawing honors and prizes at the Naikoku Hakurankai (National Exhibition), Chicago and Paris World expositions and being named one of the first members of the Imperial Art Academy specializing in ceramics in 1893 (Tei shitsu Gigei In). Works by this rare artist are held in Museums and collections throughout the world. He was succeeded by the fourth generation Seifu (1871-1951) in 1914.
Likely by Nakagawa Joeki IX (1849-1911), he became the head of the Nakagawa family, a lineage of Kyoto artists who had specialized mainly in making utensils for the tea ceremony at a time when support for the Tea Ceremony reached unprecedented lows. This was due to the association of Tea with the former ruling class. Nakagawa Joeki received the support of the Mitsui family to compensate for the loss of traditional patronage during the Meiji era and is remembered for creating highly accomplished works. Nakagawa Junsaburo (Joeki X, 1880-1940) was the took the reins in 1911, He headed the line from1911-1940, covering the reign of 3 emperors, he was greatly favored by tea masters at the time.

An antique oke-bound wooden bucket has been lacquered mirror smooth black inside with a natural bark handle added to create a superb sumi-tori charcoal basket for use in the Japanese tea ceremony. The original cask-like body is worn at the rim to an incredible degree, and yet remains structurally sound. It may have indeed been a lacquer-workers bucket, or perhaps used by a paper-hanger, decades of being bumped by the brush naturally wearing down the edges. It is 11 inches (27 cm) diameter and in fine condition. It would also make for a great ikebana flower display.

A group of three clambering turtles in fine detail dating from the opening of the 20th century (later Meiji) stamped on the base Keishin and enclosed in a period wooden box. The group is roughly 8 inches (20 cm) long, 3 inches (7.5 cm) tall and in fine condition but for one old chipped toe on the back foot of the largest turtle (see close-up).

An unusually large vase by Seifu Yohei III with carved cloud designs covered in mottled red flambe glaze. The box is titled Dawn-cloud-glazed Vase, Made by the former Seizan (alternate name used by Seifu III) dated Late in the Year of the Earth-Horse in the Taisho era (1918), attested to by the 4th generation Seifu. He has employed the Teishitsu Gigei-in seal of the third generation on the lid. There is a large, broad repair to the foot in colored lacquer, so it is likely the vase was never offered for sale, but perhaps given to someone or held in the family collection. The expanse of the repair to the base indicates the running glaze likely adhered to the kiln floor or tiles and broke when being removed. Seifu III was known to have made few large works, so this is a very important piece. It is signed on the base Dai-Nippon Seifu Zo. It is 29 cm (11-1/2 inches) diameter, 41 cm (16 inches) tall.
Seifu Yohei III (1851-1914) was the adopted son of Yohei II. Sent at the age of twelve to study painting under then the top Nanga artist Tanomura Chokunyu, he returned in 1865 due to illness. The next year he entered as an apprentice the Seifu studio, then under the control of the second generation. As so often happens in these situations, in 1872 he married the daughter, becoming a “Yoji” or adopted son of Yohei II and taking the family name, established himself as an individual artist. Within the year his genius was discovered, and works by him were sent to the Vienna World Exposition. Seifu II retires of illness in 1878, and III succeeds the family kiln. Once again he is honored as the new head of the kiln to produce the dinnerware for the former president of the US Ulysses Grant. His work was highly acclaimed, both domestically and abroad, drawing honors and prizes at the Naikoku Hakurankai (National Exhibition), Chicago and Paris World expositions and being named one of the first members of the Imperial Art Academy specializing in ceramics in 1893 (Tei shitsu Gigei In). Works by this rare artist are held in Museums and collections throughout the world. He was succeeded by the fourth generation Seifu (1871-1951) in 1914.

A trumpeting form decorated with bamboo adorned with a single cicada by Matsumoto Sahei (Sabin) enclosed in a wooden box annotated by the current head of the family Matsumoto Sakio. It is 31 cm (12 inches ) tall and in excellent condition.
Matsumoto Sahei (1851－1918)　was born into the family of Matsuya Kikusaburo, a first generation Kutani porcelain artist. He studied under both his father and Tokuda Kansho, mastering Aka-e, Ao-kutani and other decorating styles of the era and realizing his own techniques with Iro-e Kutani. He was also known as Shoundo or Sabin. He was succeeded by Matumoto Sakichi (first and second) then Matsumoto ,Sakio in modern times.

A large and important work by Miyanaga Kozan of overall raw clay in a Nanban style with drips of color featuring a tiny colorful crab crawling out of a hollow in the base. It is 30.5 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition, in an age darkened wooden collectors box titled Makuzu Yaki Kabin, Miyagwa Kozan Sei followed by a very large stamp. This is a rarity!
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 the tenth-generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. 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. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan (1859-1940) through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one-year mourning for his father’s passing. Under Hanzan 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 unlucky third generation inherited the kiln at the height of the war years, it was completely 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 large screen depicting a samurai replete with the Jakumei crest of the Takeda Clan rearing his horse in a shout of battle, wand extended at arms length giving the order to charge. The horse appears to be fighting panic, possibly at the deafening sound of the guns of Oda Nobunaga, a sound which brought in the modern era of warfare to Japan in a pitched battle between Oda forces and those of Takeda Shingen. The scene is depicted in a typical Meiji Rekishiga-style, light pigments on silk, wrapped in a green silk border with black lacquered frame. Each panel is 77.5 x 193 cm (30-1/2 x 76 inches). Overall it is in fine condition, with some toning to the silk typical of age, and one light indentation on the far left panel about 1 cm (1/2 inch) long. The screen is signed Beizan Utsuru, followed by a stamp which appears to read Tanryo. Matsubara Beizan was an award winning Meiji era artist based in Tokyo.

A set of five Meiji period dishes hand painted by Suzuki Hyakunen in commemoration of the Gosho-Nai Dai-Hakurankai (Exposition in the Imperial Palace, Kyoto) stamped on the underside with the event name and each individually signed by the artist. The literati scenes include a scholar contemplating a waterfall, Mountain retreat lost in rugged hills, sails on the lake, traveler in the hills and horses on the lakeshore under weeping willows. A beautiful and very rare set, each dish is roughly 4-1/2 inches (11 cm) diameter and in fine condition. They come in an older custom made kiri-wood box.

Jingu, guardian Empress of Japan, stands ready to defend her princely child Ojin held by General Takenouchi Sukune within a painted border of martial articles. Swords, armor, bows and quivers full of arrows, a horse-bit and court cap, tea bowl and other implements precious to the samurai tradition all hand-painted about the central image, laid scroll-like over top but actually all part of the same canvas. The composition has been freshly mounted in toffee colored brocade reflecting the original mounting and retains the original large bone rollers. It comes enclosed in a period wooden box. The scroll is 17-1/2 by 71 inches (44.5 x 181 cm). There is some toning and marks but nothing worthy of distraction. The stamp appears to read Shinsei

A Carved and Gilded Buddhist Reliquary containing a polished pink stone exhibited at the Shimane Prefectural Musuem Arakawa Kisai exhibition in 1974 enclosed in a custom-made wooden box and retaining the loan papers from the museum as well as the original pamphlet. The wood body has been carved in tempestuous waves, lacquered black and gilded, with a polished pink orb inside a flame shaped finial. It is 7 inches (18 cm) tall and in excellent condition.
Arakawa Kisai (dates disputed, roughly 1827-1906) was born the son of a carpenter in Shimane prefecture. He was considered a child prodigy by the age of five, and began sculpting around his tenth birthday. He received a proper education, and by the time he was twelve his clay sculptures were a popular collector’s item. At the age of fourteen his artistic training began in earnest, working as a netsuke carver, he studied shrine architecture while also taking painting lessons from Nabeshima Ungaku, his son Kagaku and Buddhist sculpture under Kato Saori (sp?). Successful in these endeavors, at the age of 28 he would also begin metal sculpting while keeping company with artisans of all trades, absorbing many skills. With the opening of the country in the Meiji era, he would begin studying Nanga painting under Nakanishi Koseki as well as Western style oil painting under pioneering artist Yokoyama Matsusaburo who would be considered a master at photography, lithography and painting. He submitted a piece to the first Naikoku Hakurankai (1877 National Industrial Exhibition) which was awarded and collected by the Imperial Household. He studied Physics, and developed a number of important inventions including weaving machines. His work was awarded at both the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, and the Paris World Exposition in 1900. One work considered his masterpiece, a carving of the mythological Princess Inada, is held in the collection of Izumo Shrine, one of the most holy sites in Shintoism. The Arakawa Kisai Ten in which this was featured was held n 1974, and his work was again the focus of attention with the exhibit “The Japanese Aesthetic Hearn Loved, Sculptor Arakawa Kisai and Lafcadion Hearn held in 2018-2019. An excerpt from that show: In August of 1890, Lafcadio Hearn would be transferred to Matsue, and discover a certain stone statue while out for a walk. Hearn became mesmerized by the statue, a friendly Buddhist Jizo which overflowed with benevolence and belonged to the Ryusho-ji Temple in Teramachi. Hearn immediately asked after the sculptor, and this was how he came to know the name Arakawa Kisai. The very next day, Hearn visited Kisai’s workshop, where he became enamored with the skill and demeanor of the master sculptor. The two men discussed the arts and are said to have hit it off very well (San-in Shimbun Newspaper). Hearn would go on to commission pieces from Kisai in an effort to introduce the sculptor to the world, as a producer might promote an artist. The bond these two men shared can be glimpsed today in Hearn’s writings; the diaries of Nishida Sentaro, who was Deputy Head Teacher of Shimane Prefectural Common Middle School and Hearn’s good friend; letters to Nishida; contemporary newspaper articles (San-in Shimbun); and other sources.

A very rare pair of porcelain vases decorated with Plum Pine and Bamboo by Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Makuzu Gama Seika Shochikubai no Shuku-ga Kabin (Makuzu Kiln Plum Pine and Bamboo Celebratory Image Vases). Bamboo rise up majestically, the blossoming plum branches wrapping opposite each other, with baby pines growing on the back. All traditional symbols of celebration. The vases are roughly 25 cm (10 inches) tall each and in excellent condition, retaining their original rosewood stands. An inscription inside the lid states they were received from Hanzan (Kozan II) as a gift commemorating the wedding of Arishima Takeo in 1910 and held in the Arishima family collection.
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 the tenth generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. 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. Although he had been running the daily operation since the late 19th century, the first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one year mourning for his fathers passing. Under Hanzan 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 completely 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 stunning delicate cup made from a hollowed egg-shell. Inside is matte-black with patches of gold gilding, while outside the silhouettes of pines and a soaring Hototogisu (cuckoo) are deftly brushed with shiny black lacquer. The imagery instantly calls to mind Japanese poetry, which extols the song of the cuckoo, a harbinger of Spring and warmer weather. There is also something melancholy about the cuckoo call, as they are always deep in the forest, out of sight and alone. This is simply a phenomenal piece, and comes in an old custom-made wooden box dating from the Meiji period. It is It is 4.5 cm (just under 2 inches) tall and in perfect condition.

A massive evocative painting exhibited at the first Bunten National Exhibition in 1908 by Ito Koun enclosed in a large period wooden box and pblished in the Nitten-shi series volume I. It is performed with pigment on silk, and shows that soft, almost mystical touch typical of late Meiji Rekishi-ga historical imagery. The samurai crouches at the gate, letting fly arrows at his overwhelming opponents. Metal tipped shafts pierce the thick wood of the gate before him and broken arrows lay scattered among the fallen leaves at his feet; a poignant reminder of the fleeting life of the warrior. The scroll is 120 x 149 cm (47 x 98 inches) and is in overall fine condition; a museum class painting.
Ito Koun, (1879-1939) was born in Tokyo with the name Ito Tsunetatsu in July of 1879. He studied under Murata Tanryo, and exhibited with the Bunten National Exhibition to which he was named a committee member after 1925. He specialized in Rekishi-ga and historical scenes.

A very elegant pair of Antique Andon lamps dating from the Meiji period in the original storage box from a Kyoto estate. The box is dated Meiji 36 (1904) and stylistically these fit perfectly into that era, with a fine transparent red lacquer finish. They are in excellent condition, each standing 31 inches (79 cm) tall, 8-1/2 inches (22 cm) square. Due to size these will require special shipping consideration, the cost to be accrued separately.

A Meiji scene of samurai preparing for battle, a noble women looking on with apprehension as a courier brings word from the battlefield. The lord fixes the knot on his helmet, preparing to rush into the fray. The scene is performed in pigment on silk, and we have had it completely re-mounted with a black frame reflecting the original style with sturdy cloth backing. Likely dating from the last decade of the 19th century, when the genre of Rekishiga was at its peak, it is stamped in the lower right corner (read right to left) Eisei. The extreme detail and delicate touch reinforce that dating, an era when the arts of the Meiji were peaking both within Japan and abroad. The screen measures 53-1/2 x 55 inches (136 x 140 cm) and is in excellent condition.

Two austere Bodhisattva play music and spread lotus petals before the benign countenance of Kannon while a fierce green God (god of thunder or wind) recoils, flame spouting from his mouth. This is a very unusual triptych enclosed in the original age darkened compartmentalized kiri wood box signed Urata Tenka titled Daiji Kannon no Zu (Image of the most merciful Kannon), Takahashi Koko Sho (Painted by Takahashi Koko). Urata Tenka was the first art-name (go) used by famed Meiji artist Takahashi Koko. The tension created by the movement and posture of the left figure juxtaposed against the serene silence of the celestial figures on the right is striking, with the central figure an island of calm and compassion in a tempestuous world. Pigment on silk in fine silk border with solid bone rollers. The scrolls are (Center) 96 x 223 cm (left & right) 52.5 x 222 (38 and 20-3/4 x 87-1/2 inches respectively). Overall they are in excellent condition, with toning of the silk typical of age. Beside the original Urata signature on the box has been added at a later date: By the deceased Takahashi Koko.
Takahashi Koko (1875-1912) was born the eldest son of Unkoku school painter Urata Chojiro (1846-1913)in Yamaga City Kumamoto Prefecture and was trained from an early age in the Unkoku style of his father as well as absorbing other styles. While working as a teacher in Kumamoto City at the age of 20 he met actress Takahashi Ko, who was visiting the area. Under the guidance of Takahashi, who was impressed by his artistic talent, he moved to Tokyo in 1890 and entered the painting school of Japanese-style painter Matsumoto Fuuko who honed his skills in historical genre painting. He exhibited with a number of different art organizations, and together with Yukihiko Yasuda and Shikō Imamura, he livened up the art world of the Meiji era. His ability was recognized by Okakura Tenshin, and was invited to the research institute in Izura. During this time, he exhibited at the Tatsugakai and Kojikai, and received many awards. In 1908, he was nominated as a judge by the chairman of the Kokuga Tamaseikai. In 1912 he was commissioned a work by the Minister of Korea Hanabusa Yoshitada, and visited Manchuria and Korea for research where he contracted scarlet fever. He died suddenly at the age of 37 after returning to Japan. A major figure in the art world, he left a solid mark on the Meiji painting stage. Work by him is held in the collection of the Sankei Kinenkan (Yokohama), Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art, Kumamoto Municipal Museum, Senoku Kokan Museum (Kyoto) and Adachi Kyodo Museum (Tokyo) among others.

A very unusual vase by Teishitsu Gigei-In (Imperial Art Academy Member) Ito Tozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box showing decidedly Art Nouveau styling. It is 20 x 8 x 32 cm (8 x 3 x 12-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) began as a painter in the Maruyama school studying under Koizumi Togaku. In 1862 he became a pupil of Kameya Kyokutei, as well as studying under Takahashi Dohachi III and Kanzan Denshichi (who made the dishes for the imperial table). In 1867, with the fall of the Edo government, he opened his kiln in Eastern Kyoto. Much prized at home, he was also recognized abroad at the Amsterdam, Paris and Chicago World Expositions. With an emphasis on Awata and Asahi wares of Kyoto, he began to use the name Tozan around 1895. In 1917 he was named a member of the Imperial Art Academy, one of only five potters ever given that title, and like his teacher Denshichi, created the dishes from which the Imperial family would eat. He worked very closely with his adopted son, Ito Tozan II (1871-1937).

A whimsical tiger exhales incense smoke, his body glimmering with gold on black ripples; an antique oki-koro incense burner enclosed in the original Kikko signed wooden box. The tiger bears the Kikko mark on his butt. The piece is 15 x 10 x 13 cm (6 x 4 x 5 inches) and is in excellent condition. The Kikko Kiln was established in Osaka in the opening years of the 19th century by Iyo native Toda Jihe, who had learned the ceramic arts in Kyoto under all of the great names of the time, Kiyomizu Rokubei I, Ryonyu the 9th generation head of the Raku family, and Ninnami Dohachi among others. He would be known as Jusanken Shogetsu. After being noticed by then Daimyo of Osaka area Mizuno Tadakuni, he received the kiln name Kikko. His works were distributed as gifts among the Daimyo, and he was called to work in many fiefs creating “Niwa Yaki” kilns throughout Japan. During the Meiji the kiln would be split into two continuing lineages, one using Jusanken stamp, the other Kikko Shogetsu.

Nita A ring of skulls playfully sojourn on the front of this rather unusual deep Edo Karatsu Chawan. On back another pair tumble helplessly over the thick speckled glaze. The base is bare earth, dark and shiny with age and handling. The skulls are not just resist painted on, but are actually incised, the eyes and nostrils set deep into the southern clay. The bowl is 3-1/2 inches (8.5 cm) tall, roughly 4 inches (10.5 cm) diameter and is in excellent condition, enclosed in a wooden box.

A lacquered and iron bound round lidded box called a kubi-oke made to carry the head of a man taken in battle or that of a man after committing ritual suicide for offering to the lord. It is 13 inches (33 cm) diameter, 11-1/2 inches (29 cm) tall with large handles from which it could be carried on a pole. There is mouse damage on one part of the bottom, but has not eaten through to the inside.

A beautiful Meiji period basin of light weight metal gilded with genuine gold leaf with each individual petal rising to form the fluted rim. Much worn from handling, the bowl measures 25 cm (10 inches) diameter and is 12 cm (5 inches) tall.

A one of a kind Edo period Buddhist censer of wood carved in the shape of a Baku, a mythical creature with the ability to eat nightmares, a brass basin inserted into the back. It is 23 x 16.5 x 27 cm (9 x 6-1/2 x 10-1/2 inches) and in fine condition. There is a strip of wood embedded in the form filling a crack in the wood.
The traditional Japanese nightmare-devouring baku originates in Chinese folklore and was familiar in Japan as early as the Muromachi period (14th–15th century). An early 17th-century Japanese manuscript, the Sankai Ibutsu, describes the baku as a shy, mythical chimera with the trunk and tusks of an elephant, the ears of a rhinoceros, the tail of a cow, the body of a bear and the paws of a tiger, which protected against pestilence and evil. Writing in the Meiji period, Lafcadio Hearn (1902) described a baku with very similar attributes that was also able to devour nightmares.

A skull lies ethereal, only a soft circle before the ghost-like apparition of a grave-marker rising from the boldly stroked dead grasses of some forgotten field. The epitaph above reads:
“Hana no toki mayouta mo” Wavering they did while in full blossom
“Kono Kareno kana” The neglected fields of winter
Here the artist has made a comment on our lives, we blow with the winds here in there, indecisive in our prim, bobbing joyously in the winds, but all come to the same as the flowers fall and winter approaches. Ink on paper in the original paper border with transparent red lacquered wooden rollers. It is 30.5 x 185.5 cm (12 x 73 inches) and is in overall fine, original condition with some discolorations in the upper border. It comes in an old wooden box.
Takeda Motsugai (Fusen, 1795-1867) was a Zen priest of the later Edo to Meiji period born in Iyo Matsuyama (modern Ehime) on the Island of Shikoku. He used a number of names in his lifetime, Fusen was his official Buddhist name, Motsugai may be that for which he is best known, but another common name was Genkotsu Osho (Priest of the bone fist) and Dobutsuan (Place of the mud Buddha). An unruly child, he was sent at the age of five to Ryutai-Ji temple, and at the age of 12 would go to take official position under Kanko Osho at Denpukuji Temple in Hiroshima. He would become an accomplished practitioner of the martial arts there, mastering many styles and weapons. His fame in this department would spread, along with his first nickname, Shio-kara Kozo (Too-salty Bonze), and he would be asked by the Asano Daimyo of Hiroshima to take a position at Kokutaiji temple where the Asano family studied Buddhism. After causing trouble he would leave Hiroshima for Osaka where he would study Confucianism and undergo mendicant training. At the age of 18 he would become an itinerant priest given to wandering the paths and begging for food. In 1819 he would make his debut in Edo (modern Tokyo) where he would enter Kichijo-Ji temple, and two years later be posted to Ruriko-Ji temple in Yamaguchi, and it was here he woud begin writing, returning to Denpuku=ji and his first teacher Kanko-osho the following year. In 1828 he was given the reins of Zaihoji in Onomichi (Hiroshima) and here his fame as a stern teacher would spread, and many would come to learn under his unique ways known as Fusen-ryu. He became a well known writer adept at both Waka and Haiku forms of poetry. He was also known for his skills in flower arranging, Tea Ceremony, and tactical skill in the game of Go. His reputation as both a learned priest, Confucian scholar and martial prowess saw him much traveled and called upon in the troubled period of the 1860s. In 1865 he would be asked to mediate the first Choshu uprising and his application was presented to the emperor showing here the high regard for which his writing had become known. He died enroute from one of his travels in Osaka in 1867.

The full moon glowing in shimmering gold illuminates the silver blossoms adorning the ragged plum tree growing along the river bank, a superb lacquer box dating from the 19th century enclosed in a period wooden box titled Plum & Moon Maki-e Suzuri Bako. Inside the lid the stream continues, running past golden rocks and young flora reaching for the moon. Contained within is a grinding stone with gilded edges and a blossom shaped suiteki water-dropper inset into a raft structure upon which the brushes could rest without touching the brilliant sparkling nashiji gold flake. It is in overall very fine condition, measuring 23 x 25 x 5 cm (10 x 9 x 2 inches) with no cracks or repairs.

A framed calligraphy fan painting by important Edo period poet Kawano Tetsuto (1825-1867), published in the book Shijin Kano Tetsuto (1932). The ancient paper fan is mounted in a field of gold flake bordered with black lacquered wood, the frame measuring 11-1/2 by 23-1/2 inches (29 x 59.5 cm). There is one spot of damage to the flecked gold mounting in the lower right (see photos). Tetsuto was an influential poet and scholar of the late Edo period, trained in the arts under Yoshida Kakusen and Somekawa Seigan. Forced to read by his father, he began studying Confucian theory at the age of 6, and by 11 had mastered the 100 Sanyoshi poems, to be called a genius. Two years later he became a pupil of Shirotani Junji. He lived rather freely, loving wine, song and women. He wrote the poems Ho-no-Kai-ko and Shuengai-Nishu and was also a well known flute player. In 1862, five years before his death, he was elevated to the position of a guardian (hanshu Seiwako Oban Gashira) at Nijo castle in Kyoto. During his life he established a school in Osaka; his most famous disciples were Noguchi Shoyo and Yagi Tenkawa. In 1867 he died of complications from diabetes. 60 years after the passing of Tetsuto, his work remained so important; his rank was again elevated by the Showa Emperor in 1928. A copy of the book in which this piece was published is included with the sale.

A pair of 19th century screens by important artist Mori Kansai. Ink and applied gold flake on paper in a patterned silk border with black lacquered wooden frame featuring fine brass hardware. Each is 376 x 171 cm (148 x 67-1/2 inches). This was sold at auction on May 19 1917 from the collection of turn of the century actor Takata Minoru (1871-1916), and is published in the book Photographic Archive of Japanese Paintings, Maruyama Shijo School Volume 2 with copies of the original catalog photographs included.
Mori Kansai (1814-1894)was born the son of a nurse to the Ishida Clan in the castle town of Hagi. He went to study painting under Mori Tetsuzan, and was adopted into that family, however with his Ishida clan connections found himself afoul of the Shogunate as the Ishida clan took the Imperial side in the Meiji restoration. After the fall of the Edo government, he opened a School in Kyoto where he held considerable influence on the next generation of Nihonga painters. He is held in the collections of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Fogg Art Museum of Cambridge, Imperial Palace in Kyoto, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto among many others.

A Boro cover textile of sewn together bits of worn out Asa (Hemp) fabrics resist died with various patterns. 146 X 163 cm (57-1/2 x 64 inches).

A heavy hand forged iron candle-stand from a Buddhist temple in the shape of a burning jewel. It is 90 cm tall, 57 wide, base and legs 20 x 39 cm and dates from the 19th century. Very thick and heavy iron work.
Due to size the cost of shipping will be accrued separately for this item.

A hand forged Uchidashi Iron votive tablet in the form of a Shojo sake sprite knocking back a massive cup. It is 84 x 58 cm (33 x 23 inches) and in fine condition, enclosed in the original black wooden frame. Uchidashi is a technique of hand hammering shapes and images into iron from behind, and is highly valued in Japan, a land where metal was extremely scarce and hand formed from iron ore up to the Meiji period. This dates from the 19th century.

A set of five porcelain tea cups by Ninnami Dohachi decorated with bamboo and poetry by Nukina Kaioku (Suo) enclosed in a superb custom period kiri-wood box with rosewood edges. Each cup is 2 inches (5 cm) tall, 2-1/2 inches (6 cm) diameter. There are old gold repairs to two of the cups, otherwise are in fine condition.
Nukina Kaioku (1778-1863) was born into a samurai family in Awa, on the island of Shikoku a patron of the Hachisuka clan. In frail health, he was excluded from the strict rigours of the martial arts, but was trained in the typical Confucian education based on Chinese classics, painting and calligraphy, at which he excelled. He went to Koyasan to study Buddhism, Literati arts in Nagasaki and advanced Confucian studies in Edo(Tokyo). He settled in Kyoto where he established the Shuseido Academy teaching Confucian studies, and his circle was extremely influential in the waning days of the Edo government, especially among loyalists. Works by this artist can be found in the British Museum, Brooklyn Museum, The Walters Art Museum, Honolulu Museum, as well as a plethora of domestic museums in cluding MOMAT, Homma, Imabari, Itabayashi etc.
The Dohachi Kiln was established in Awataguchi by a retainer of Kameyama fief, Takahashi Dohachi I around 1760, and the name Dohachi was brought to the forefront of porcelain and ceramic production by the second generation head of the family who attained an imperial following, and grew to be one of the most famous potters of the Later Edo period to come from Kyoto.
Ninnami Dohachi (1783-1855) was born the second son of Takahashi Dohachi I in Kyoto. He opened a kiln in the Gojo-zaka area of Kyoto (at the foot of Kiyomizu temple) in 1814. Well known for research into and perfection of ancient Chinese and Korean forms long held in high esteem in Japan, and at the same time working to expand the family reputation within tea circles, along with contemporaries Aoki Mokubei and Eiraku Hozen became well known as a master of porcelain as well as Kenzan and Ninsei ware. Over the following decades he would be called to Takamatsu, Satsuma, Kishu and other areas to consult and establish kilns for the Daimyo and Tokugawa families as well as Nishi-Honganji Temple. He is also held in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Kyoto National Museum among others.
The third generation (1811-1879) was known as Kachutei Dohachi and continued the work of his father, producing an abundance of Sencha tea ware and other porcelain forms, maintaining the highest of standards and ensuring the family place in the anals of Kyoto ceramics well into the Meiji period.

A superb later 19th century (Bakumatsu-Meiji period) celadon image of a Rakan enclosed in a high quality wooden display box. The rather brutish features harken back to older styles seen in Korea and early Edo Japan. A stand has been carved to fit the base of the deity and slides into the box, and the figure stands6-3/4 inches (17.5 cm) tall. It is in excellent condition. The Rakan (also Arhat Arahat, Arhant) is a perfected one, or a being which has overcome the three poisons of desire, hatred and ignorance, and at the end of his present life, will not be reborn, but will be freed from the cycle of death and rebirth and attain Nirvana.

A wily fox stands, head cocked to one side wrapped in the robes of a nun, something to be wary of this ceramic Okimono by Takahashi Dohachi enclosed in the original wooden box titled outside Dohachi Zo Hakuzoso, and signed within Kachutei Dohachi Zo followed by the artists stamp. It is 8 inches (21 cm) tall and in fine condition. This dates from the later Edo or first half of the Meiji period (mid 19th century), a time spanning two generations of Dohachi when both ceramic sculptures and imagery of the supernatural were both popular.
The Dohachi Kiln was established in Awataguchi by a retainer of Kameyama fief, Takahashi Dohachi I around 1760, and the name Dohachi was brought to the forefront of porcelain and ceramic production by the second generation head of the family who attained an imperial following, and grew to be one of the most famous potters of the Later Edo period to come from Kyoto.
Ninnami Dohachi (1783-1855) was born the second son of Takahashi Dohachi I in Kyoto. He opened a kiln in the Gojo-zaka area of Kyoto (at the foot of Kiyomizu temple) in 1814. Well known for research into and perfection of ancient Chinese and Korean forms long held in high esteem in Japan, and at the same time working to expand the family reputation within tea circles, along with contemporaries Aoki Mokubei and Eiraku Hozen became well known as a master of porcelain as well as Kenzan and Ninsei ware. Over the following decades he would be called to Takamatsu, Satsuma, Kishu and other areas to consult and establish kilns for the Daimyo and Tokugawa families as well as Nishi-Honganji Temple. He is also held in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Kyoto National Museum among others.
The third generation (1811-1879) was known as Kachutei Dohachi and continued the work of his father, producing an abundance of Sencha tea ware and other porcelain forms, maintaining the highest of standards and ensuring the family place in the anals of Kyoto ceramics well into the Meiji period.

An exquisite pair of gofun covered fox on black and gold lacquered stands protected by copper wire cages, dating from the second half of the Edo period. They wear a shrewd look, eyes narrowed to slits, enhancing their mischievous image. The mystical carvings are covered in white gofun, stained a soft gray from age with highlights still white from eons of careful cleaning. Around the pair of ethereal creatures are removable cages of copper wire to protect the sacred images, the gofun coating made from powdered shell a tasty source of calcium for foraging rodents. The fox alone are roughly 6-1/2 inches (17 cm) tall, with stand together roughly 8-1/2 inches (21 cm) tall. The back paw of one of the animals is missing, but the copper cages have born the brunt of damage and otherwise all is in fine condition. The fox is a magical being, believed a shape shifter and protector of Shinto Shrines. They are also the kami (a term meaning divinity) of business. Every January the Fox Shrine, Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, is inundated at New Year with entrepreneurs, business people and the self employed praying for a successful year.

A 19th century (Edo to Meiji periods) gilded bronze branch bearing three golden fruits, each of which opens to reveal a small compartment. It is 19 cm (7-1/2 inches) long, 6 cm (2-1/2 inches) tall and comes enclosed in an age darkened kiri-wood box. Certainly of Buddhist connotations, it likely held some small sweets or incense.

What a fantastic expression worn by this Edo p. Seto Hand warmer (hibachi or properly Shuro/ Te-abure). The dark shiny Seto glaze suits well the beast portrayed. Coals would have been burned inside, heating the surrounding pottery walls, and the piece would have been placed on a step leading into the house for guests to warm their hands on or used within the house in a more formal room. It is 13 inches (33 cm) long and is in fine condition overall. It appears as if when potted the craftsman had allowed for a hole near the top of the opening for storing the hibachi tongs, however had second thoughts and filled that hole with a biscuit before glazing. A hairline stress crack has formed along the left side of that patch of clay; otherwise it is in excellent condition. Rabbits and Daruma are often seen, but the bull is an uncommon theme for this particular implement.

A loosely brushed image of a Kingfisher perched on dilapidated lotus stalk decorates the crackled gohon pale glaze of this gourd shaped Mizusashi fresh water jar by Takahashi (Ninnami) Dohachi. It features a black lacquered wooden lid. There are cracks in teh lacquer of the looping handle. The signature is consistent with works by Ninnami Dohachi (Dohachi II) from the mid 19th century. It is 5-3/4 inches (14.5 cm) tall, 6-1/2 inches (16.5 cm) diameter and in excellent condition, enclosed in a collector made wooden box. A Mizusashi in iron glaze of this same form is visible in the book Tensai Toko Ninami Dohachi (2014, Suntory Museum) page 164.
The Dohachi Kiln was established in Awataguchi by a retainer of Kameyama fief, Takahashi Dohachi I around 1760, and the name Dohachi was brought to the forefront of porcelain and ceramic production by the second generation head of the family who attained an imperial following, and grew to be one of the most famous potters of the Later Edo period to come from Kyoto. Ninnami Dohachi (1783-1855) was born the second son of Takahashi Dohachi I. Following the early death of his older brother he succeeded the family name, opening a kiln in the Gojo-zaka area of Kyoto (at the foot of Kiyomizu temple) in 1814. Well known for research into and perfection of ancient Chinese and Korean forms long held in high esteem in Japan, and at the same time working to expand the family reputation within tea circles. Along with contemporaries Aoki Mokubei and Eiraku Hozen became well known as a master of porcelain as well as Kenzan and Ninsei ware. Over the following decades he would be called to Takamatsu, Satsuma, Kishu and other areas to consult and establish kilns for the Daimyo and Tokugawa families as well as Nishi-Honganji Temple. An exhibition was held at the Suntory Museum in 2014 centering on this artist, and he is also held in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Kyoto National Museum among many, many others. The third generation (1811-1879) was known as Kachutei Dohachi and continued the work of his father, producing an abundance of Sencha tea ware and other porcelain forms, maintaining the highest of standards and ensuring the family place in the annals of Kyoto ceramics. He was followed by the fourth generation (1845-1897), and his sons Takahashi Dohachi V (1845-1897) who took control of the kiln in 1897 until 1915 when his younger brother Dohachi VI (Kachutei) (1881-1941) continued the business.

Green or Blue, which will win this contest? Two shishi lions vie for our attention on this absolutely fabulous pair of 19th century screens. The images are performed with pigment on applied silver, not an easy medium from the start. One creature pounces, mouth open, teeth barred while the other crouches, mouth shut, ready to leap. Peony, a flower typically associated with the creatures, grows about them. Each screen is 68 x 137 inches (173 x 348 cm). They have been fully remounted at some time in the near past (latter 20th century, 1970-80s?) and are in fine condition. Some repairs were affected at that time. A most impressive set of images, incredibly rare. Open and Closed Mouths of Guardians: Japanese Shishi (Shisa in Okinawa) Fu-dogs or Pinyin in China, Inari (fox guardians in front of shrines) as well as the Buddhist Niomon images are almost always depicted one with mouth open (Agyo) the other mouth closed (Ungyo). As a pair, they complement each other. One represents latent power, mouth held tightly closed in wait, while the other represents overt power, baring his teeth in action. The most common explanation of this imagery is the open mouth figure (feminine in Japan) scares away evil with its cry, while the closed mouth figure (masculine) keeps inside fortune and good spirits. Most Japanese adaptations state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death.

An antique Japanese saddle pad covered with a Korean tapestry of two frolicking lion-dogs in green and white. It features gilded leather piping (which has come loose in some places, see photos), and typical Japanese backing cloth with deer-leather ties. The pad is roughly 116 x 56 cm (46 x 22 inches). Exceptionally rare,

An ancient Japanese scroll featuring a blue eyed neko-tora (cat-tiger) prowling over a boulder peering out through sheets of pouring rain. This is a very unusual subject; I have never before seen a tiger depicted with blue eyes. Due to 250 years of isolation the Edo period Japanese artists had never seen real tigers and were forced to conjure up these feline images from their own imaginations. The painting has been remounted in green brocade embossed with vines, extended top and bottom in a soft brown. It is unsigned but bears two stamps and measures 24 by 74 inches (61 by 188cm). There is heavy creasing present.