Catalog: Archives: Regional Art: Asian (599)

Silver canines gleam menacingly in the corners of the mouth of this terrifying Edo period sabiji-nuri iron Menpo face mask. It has a three lame nodokake also with sabiji-nuri, laced with tight blue chord. The mustache is a bit ragged and there are typical chips around the edges from use.

Exceptional Edo p. Japanese Screen, Demon War An exceedingly rare set of four dramatic paintings divided into segments depicting a variety of battle scenes and supernatural phenomena, each heavy pigment on paper canvas mounted on one of four panels of a gold screen bordered in mulberry. The scenes appear to comprise a fragment of the tale of Daikozan (Oeyama), a Kyoto tale where in a powerful demon was lured to drink, then cut to pieces in his stupor. The screen itself is 20th century; however the paintings would date from the mid Edo. On the far right sword bearing men, priests and women run from monsters with giant heads while a cloud roiling with demonic figures bears down on the scene. A tanuki with the head of a woman can also be found here. Below women perform dance on the balcony of a palace for a long nosed tengu attracting a crowd of onlookers. The second panel is divided into four scenes of women reading a hand scroll to the same tengu from the first panel hidden behind a bamboo fence. Below we see him again seated outside a room awaiting audience with divine figures. Below this he is throttling a sword bearing soldier, a ghostly lute player on the left, and a raucous battle on the steps. On panel three the battle rages. Men hack away at each other while a head is presented indoors, and a man and demon appear ready to draw swords over the decapitated corpse. Below gory warfare rages, samurai and demon fighting indiscriminately. In the last scene a flock of birds attack one fellow, while heads topple hither and yon. The paintings were likely originally part of a larger screen, which have been cut down over time from re-mounting. The fantastic screen measures 107 inches by five feet (272 x 153 cm). There is some loss of paint; and the paintings, due to great age, are somewhat delicate.

An exquisite 17th-18th c. rendition of Suiten (vedic Varuna) rising over tempestuous waves. Pigment on silk, The scroll is 59.2 x 167.5 cm (23-1/2 x 66 inches). It has been fully remounted, in an antique silk retaining the original brass rollers. One of the oldest gods, Varuna is associated with a Serpent (Makara) as his vehicle and a noose as his weapon. Varuna is god of waters, the source of rains and the one who rules over the Nagas (divine sea serpent), myths important in Hinduism and Buddhism. In Shinto he is associated with the 12th century child emperor Antoku, and is considered a guardian deity for child birth as well as all things associated with water (fishing, sea faring, maritime freight, natural disasters such as floods and torrential rains, and interestingly “Mizushobai” (literally floating world trade), the business of pleasure.

A blossoming cherry occupied by two Birds of paradise spreads its arms over blue water flowing across the gold ground of this fine two panel screen by Kano Takanobu (d. 1794). The scene is depicted with mineral pigment on paper and gold foil. The artist has chosen a softer than traditional approach to the tree bark, almost boneless, all written with washes of dark color like that of the Rimpa school. The blossoms themselves are painted in slight moriage gofun, each heart shaped petal unique. It is quite spectacular. The screen has been fully restored at some point in the past, likely late 19th century, and touched up once more recently. There are two large areas of damage that were repaired, the first in the upper section along the border around the spine, where it appears the gold is much newer, and a 4 inch tear above the blossoming branch beside the birds. Also insect damage in the (must have been delicious) blue river has been repainted. Each panel is 34 by 69 inches (86.5 x 176 cm). There are faint water stains in rivulets running down the painting, however due to age and faint nature are not distracting. The screen is bordered in blue-green brocade separated from the painting by a white strip, and features a black lacquered wooden frame with high quality etched brass fittings. There are abrasions typical of age, but overall this is a very decorative screen in fine condition. Takanobu was the first born son of Kano Hidenobu, he achieved the rank of Hogan before his death in 1794.

A 17th – 18th century Neko-tora Tiger by Nagasaki school artist Watanabe Shuseki performed with ink and color on paper in yellow bronze silk border with bone rollers. The parchment is aged and gray, giving the sense of a wall painting in some ancient tomb. The scroll is 14 x 63 inches (36.5 x 160 cm). There is some damage to the lower extremities of the paper, and minor cupping. Watanabe Shuseki (1639-1707) lived in Nagasaki and was a proponent of that school trained under Itsunen. Works by the artist are held in the collection of the Kobe Municipal Museum of Nanban Art and Nagasaki Municipal Museum.

An exquisite wooden plate in cinnabar lacquer over black wrapped in a chord bound cloth bag end enclosed in an age blackened kiri-wood box dating from the Edo period. The surface of brilliant red has been worn through with handling revealing the black beneath about the rim and edges. It is 9 inches (23 cm) diameter and in excellent condition. The bottom is a brown tinged black (the brown is a product of oxidation, inherent only with age) upon which are written two characters in red. The box is titled Negoro Nuri Bon (Negoro lacquered Tray) and inside the box lid is written the name of the owner: ?hekitei Zo-gu (Collection of ?hekitei). The first character is too abbreviated to make a definitive reading.

An absolutely stunning large Chinese carving of a Buddhist Rakan (Arhat or Arahat), the emaciated figure wrapped in billowing robes with a hand scroll clutched in his bony right fist. The detail in the hairs around his face is incredible. The holy figure is chiseled from Ryuganki (dragons eye wood) and comes enclosed in a box dated 1922, likely the year it came to Japan, and is signed by the then owner. The Rakan is one who has broken the chain of re-birth and overcome the three poisons of desire, hatred and ignorance. It is a popular theme in both Chinese and Japanese art. The figure stands 16 inches (41 cm) tall. There is an abrasion to the back of the head, a chip repaired in his robes at the back, and it appears the small toe on the left foot has been replaced. The Japanese have long esteemed crafts of China and Korea, and this would certainly have been a highly prized possession.

A large and rare mid Edo period Tamba Funa-dokkuri Ship Bottle made with flaring mouth and wide flat bottom for use on Ships. Down the side is inscribed the date Kyoho Gannen (First year of Kyoho, 1716). The Akadobe clay is covered in rich green glaze cascading in rivulets all about, with a few scattered windows of raw clay exposed. The base is slightly concave, impressed with a fern leaf. The Funa (ship) tokkuri shape was originally made for the use on ships, the side bottom keeping it from spilling in tempestuous seas. This one is 25.5 cm (10 inches) diameter, 21 cm (8 inches) tall and is in excellent condition, enclosed in an old wooden storage box titled Tamba-yaki Funa-dokkuri. An exceptional and rare example. Exceptional and rare, although I use the words sparingly, this would be a perfect Museum example.
The Kyoho era is important for two factors: first, the population of the city of Edo (Tokyo) suprassed 1.1 million, making it the most populous city on earth. Second was the introduction of the Kyoho Reforms by the eight Shogun which sought to strengthen the market economy and slacken the grip of Confucian principles which stymied the economic system and relieve political and social issues. They also encouraged the import of western technology by lifting the ban on (non-christian) western books.

A pair of small gold doors depicting Asian Civets (Jakoneko) in a flower strewn garden dating from the early to mid Edo period (17th to 18th century) reminiscent of the famous pair of screens heralding the same image by Kano Yukinobu (Utanosuke, active Muromachi period). The handmade bronze handles are in the shape of hollyhock leaves, intimating connection to the Tokugawa clan, head of the Shogunate. The painted panels are 45 x 28 cm each (17-1/2 x 11 inches), the doors roughly 48.5 x 32 cm (19 x 12-1/2 inches) and are in remarkably good condition considering age. There is some soot built up on the gold surface as might be expected of a painting exposed to wood heat and cooking for two centuries.

A fine rendition of a plum by Tanaka (Zuitai) Ryurei (commonly known as Ryudojin, 1740-1804)). Ink on paper, it has been fully remounted in a silk frame with wooden rollers reflecting the original style. The scroll is 12-1/2 x 70 inches (31.5 x 178 cm).
Ryudojin was born in Owari, near modern day Nagoya. He is referred to also as Ryurei Zuitai and or Ryudo Reizui or simply Ryurei. Born into the Tanaka family, he was sent to the priesthood at Reigenji at the age of 11. Then he went to the capitol, Edo (modern day Tokyo) to study at Sengakuji. Returning to Owari he was put in charge of Heidenji. Proving his worth he was promoted to larger temples, eventually becoming the head of Manshoji. H was then put in charge of establishing temples, and worked to create three in the Owari area.

A boxed set of fifteen unique bowls with lids for clear soup made for the Lord of the Yanagisawa family enclosed in a wooden box dated the 7th month of 1730. What makes this set quite unique is that each bowl is singular, a different design, color, shape or technique. But throughout is the one continuous symbol, the four petaled crest of the Yanagisawa clan.　The box is titled Yakatasama, Go Suimono wan, Yangisawa Shimono and on the side Jugonin-mae. Yakatasama, means a nobleman's house such as a public house or a samurai house. Under the Shogunate it was a title or honorific granted to the head of a prestigious or meritorious samurai family or feudal lord of a Great Clan. Suimono Wan are bowls for clear soup served between parts of the meal to clean the palette. Yanagisawa Shimono is the name of a member of the Yanagisawa clan. On the side is written Jugonin-mae or service for 15. The box is divided into three compartments holding five bowls and lids in each compartment. Each bowl is roughly 12.5 cm (5 inches) diameter and they are in overall excellent condition with some browning of the lacquer inside due to heat from use.
Kawagoe-jo Castle in Musashi Kuni in modern Saitama Prefecture was given to the Yanagisawa clan by the fifth shogun in the 7th year of Genroku (1694). In 1724, in gratitude to the family’s service and recognition of their skill at administration, they were granted control over four domains (Yamato, Omi, Kawachi and Ise) totaling 150,000 Koku of rice. Undoubtedly at that time there would have been a sudden need for furnishings bearing the symbol of the family throughout their four domains, and this set of bowls is one of those furnishings. To this day the crest adorns the Yanagisawa Bunko library a designated cultural property in Yamato Koriyama city housing tens of thousands of antique texts from the era, a testament to the power of this important clan.

An haunting 17th century sumi-e image of a goose at twilight by Kano Toun (1624-1694) in the original Edo silver threaded brocade border patterned with clouds, upper and lower extensions of heavy coffee colored cloth ending in ivory rollers. The almost complete dominance of white seems to convey a passage through space, from clarity into obscurity, leaving the viewer with a slight sense of loss echoing in ones memory. Kano Toun, (born Masanobu, 3rd son of Goto Mitsuyori) first learned painting under Hogan, then became the pupil of Kano Tanyu (1602-1675). The influence of Tanyu on the painter is obvious. This is one of the finest scrolls we have owned. It measures 10 1/2 inches by 56 inches and is in fine condition.

An antique cast bronze waniguchi bell or gong, the type used to hang in front of places of prayer and under temple eaves dated 1710. Often these can be found hanging over saisen-bako where the bell is rung by clanging a dangling rope with wooden corbel against the bell to awaken the gods; coins are tossed and a prayer given. Anyone who has been to a Japanese Temple or Shrine may have noticed one. A much thinner cast than the later bell we are offering

A man-headed snake coils atop this incredible mid Edo period (18th century) image of Benzaiten (Saraswati) inside a mountain shaped reliquary of dark wood. Inside the gilded cave she sits on a gilded lotus base. The figure holds a variety of sacred implements in her 8 hands. Riding on the benevolent figures head is the snake seated behind a Torii-shaped Crown settled between two Buddhist jewels. The image is 8 inches (19.5 cm) tall, the mountain shaped receptacle 19 x 14 x 23 inches (48 x 35 x 58 cm). There are broken fingers on the right hand, and missing tama on the left hand lotus base, but overall it is in surprisingly good condition. Benzaiten is a Japanese Buddhist and Shinto Goddess from the Hindu goddess Saraswati, and has been worshiped in Japan since at least the 6th century. One of the central figures in the Sutra of Golden Light, she is the god of all that flows, including water, music and language. In Japan she has become the protector deity of the state, and therefore the Japanese people. In Shinto she is known as Ichikishima-hime, and in Tendai beliefs represents Ugaijin represented by a Shinto Torii and there (as in this figure) is known as Uga Benzaiten. This piece is from Shiga prefecture, home of one of the three great Benzai Shrines on Chikubu-shima Island in Lake Biwa.

Waves lap at the dark shore crowded with cranes on this elegant 18th century paper screen embellished with clouds of gold flake signed Hokkyo Shunboku (O-oka Shunboku, 1680-1763). A bramble of dried bamboo hides one sleeping form, the others strut about oblivious to the frigid winter air. Turgid blue water rolls slowly behind, waves licking at the near shore. A fine example of the mid-Edo aesthetic; the screen is 67-1/2 by 148 inches (172 x 376 cm) and is in excellent condition, recently fully re-mounted. It is bordered in green silk with a black lacquered wooden frame reflecting the original, backed with dark blue paper embellished with black crests. As might be expected there is loss to the white gofun coating on the birds, and some repairs performed during restoration. This screen was bought personally by us in Kagoshima from the house of a former high level retainer of the Satsuma Fief. It was likely purchased or commissioned during the procession from Edo to Satsuma performed every three years by the Daimyo of that powerful fief. O-oka Shunboku was born in the merchant city of Osaka. He was a largely self taught artist, initially mastering the rules of the Kano school, then moving into Chinese style painting of the Yuan period. A talented painter, he was equally well known for his mild personality and mastery of the cultured doctrines of Tea Ceremony, Incense Testing, Dance, Song and Poetry. He was popular from a young age, and patrons fought for their place in line at his studio door (according to Araki) He is very well known for his reproductions of Chinese painting manuals and the large number of art books he published. He eventually rose to the level of Hogen, very rare for an artist with no lineage behind him. He died at the age of 84, and is buried in Komyoji Temple. He was survived by an adopted son, and is accredited with being an early influence on Ito Jakuchu (according to Daiten Kenjo) with his emphasis on Yuan painting, as well as Katsushika Hokusai with his colorful publications. A set of painted doors in the Mie prefectural Museum of Art, formerly in the Nagashima household, featuring a cow at rest, were painted by Soga Shohaku in a style based on Shunbokus 1740 six volume compendium of Kano techniques, Gako Senran (An Exploration into the Techniques of Paintings). His paintings adorn the doors of Myoshinji, one of the most famous temples in Kyoto, as well as Myokoji in Osaka among others. He also helps fill the collections of the Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum and British Museum in London.

A very rare find indeed, two early to mid Edo period matching Kashi-gusoku Yoroi from the same armory featuring Momonari Kabuto and Hotoke-Ni-Mai Do decorated with jagged bands of gold. A very impressive set. The sleeves are patterned blue and white hemp. The thumb on one sleeve is missing and the two hinge pins. There are broken strings and damage to the lacquer consistent with age and the fact this armor was handed out to soldiers, likely often for guard duties and escorts, and so did see a great deal of use. They are made to fit an adult and come in the pictured wood and bamboo case. The stands are not included. They are likely from the Kaga fief.

Item description:. The lead warrior charges headstrong into the frothing waves, a band of mounted warriors following across the six panels of this mid Edo period gilded screen. Cherry blossoms, symbol of impermanence and the life of the warrior, and pines, symbol of strength and long life, create teh back drop, with clouds of gold applied smoothly and over a pebble textured surface defining the characters. A well painted rendition of this famous scene from the epic Taiheiki . The screen has been restored at some point in the distant past. It is bordered in patterned blue silk with black lacquered wooden frame and features antique backing paper. Well painted and proportioned, in an easy to wall mount size. It measures 4 feet by 112-1/2 inches (122 x 286 cm) and is in fine condition, with only minor insect damage and fissures in the heavy pigment typical of age.

A mid Edo period (16th to 17th century) five plate cuirass (go-mai-do) of heavy iron emblazoned on front with a sun and moon in inlayed silver over the fierce god Fudomyo with protective sanskjrit characters in silver damascene on the sides and a five character phrase (The Gotoku or five precepts of Confucianism, also espoused in the book of five rings) on back, also in silver. It is lacquered red inside, and about the waste hang rows of black lacquered scales laced in blue with color fleckedwhite mimi-ito. The lacquer is in rough condition.
The Sode are made of plate iron lacquered black within, also laced in blue with white mimi-ito. The Sode are signed Koshu-nushi Myochin-Ki Nobunawa and dated an auspicious day in the 8th month of Tensho 2 (1574). Perhaps these were heirlooms passed down through the family that were incorporated into a suit of armor in the mid Edo period. It comes with papers from the Japanese Armor Society. A jizai butterfly with the same signature is held in the Musuem 50 in Kaohsiung Taiwan.
The Takahimo and Aibiki Himo (the tie chords connecting the front and back of the do on the right side and at the shoulder) are weak and need restoring, and one of the plates covering the Kohaze on the right shoulder (front) has been replaced. I am offering it in original condition to allow the collector the right to choose the level of restoration desired.
The five precepts of Confucianism espoused on back are not easily defined, but could be:
Nin: Think of others
Gi: Duty, justice, selfless
Rei: The actuation of “Nin”
Chi: Knowledge, wisdom
Shin: Friendship, loyalty, trust

This appears to be an incarnation of Shindara Daisho of the 12 guardian deities (Juni Shinsho). He has glass eyes and stands on the original Daiza.. The Deity is 21 inches (53.5 cm) tall, total height with stand is 33 inches (83 cm). Later Edo period (18th-19th century). The left hand has been replaced.

Perhaps the best dragon carving we have ever owned, here is a solid Keyaki carving taken from the interior of a temple with glass eyes glaring fiercely out at anyone who threatens the sanctity of Buddhism. Flames leap from the body blown by fierce winds as it rises from the Churning ocean. The carving practically roils out from the wood panel, fully in three dimensions. It is 78 x 26 x 10 cm (31 x 10 x 4 inches). Please notice the yellow arrows in the last photos, as the whisker of the creature has been cracked and broken off. It is otherwise in surprisingly good condition. The carving is from a Temple in Osaka which is currently being re-built.

A breathtaking pair of 19th century (Meiji period) sake cups decorated with hawks stored in silk pouches and enclosed in a red lacquered period wood box. In the basin two hawks, one perched in a pine accented with inlayed mother of pearl, the other soaring high overhead, are depicted in minute detail in raised gold designs. Opposite waves crash over rocks speckled with solid gold lichen. The cups are 10.5 cm (4-1/4 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.

Antique Japanese Mingei Flat Pounding Board An exquisite patina covers this heavy pounding board from Northern Japan used for working rice into dough. It is 53.5 x 31 x 9 cm (21 x 12 x 3-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.

A large pair of 19th c. (Edo p) votive Inari Fox images representing the god of fortune. They are 16.5 x 10 x 24 cm (6-1/2 x 4 x 9-1/2 inches). One holds the key to the treasure house in his mouth. One would have been standing over a Buddhist jewel, however that is now missing.
Inari Okami is the Japanese kami of foxes, of fertility, rice, tea and Sake, of agriculture and industry, of general prosperity and worldly success, and one of the principal kami of Shinto. In earlier Japan, Inari was also the patron of swordsmiths and merchants. Represented as male, female, or androgynous, Inari is sometimes seen as a collective of three or five individual kami. Inari appears to have been worshipped since the founding of a shrine at Inari Mountain in 711 AD, although some scholars believe that worship started in the late 5th century.
Worship of Inari spread across Japan in the Edo period, and by the 16th century Inari had become the patron of blacksmiths and the protector of warriors. Inari is a popular figure in both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs in Japan. More than one-third (32,000) of the Shinto shrines in Japan are dedicated to Inari. Modern corporations, such as cosmetic company Shiseido, continue to revere Inari as a patron kami, with shrines atop their corporate headquarters.

Two Sometsuke tea containers decorated with scholarly scenes and lengthy calligraphic prose by Seifu Yohei I enclosed in a double wood box (ni-ju-bako) annotated by the fourth generation Seifu. They are 6.5 cm square, 13 cm tall. One has a some damage to the inner rim, a chip in the lid and a nick in the glaze of the bottom corner. Repairs can be performed at cost if desired
Seifu Yohei I (1803-1861) founded the Seifu dynasty in Kyoto. He was born in powerful Kaga-kuni, modern day Kanazawa prefecture. After apprenticing with the second generation Dohachi, he established his own kiln in the Gojo-zaka pottery district of Kyoto. Seifu Yohei II (1844-1878) took over that world upon his father’s death and continued to elevate the family name. His work was presented at the Philadelphia Worlds Fair in 1876, that piece was purchased at the time by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. He held the reigns for only a short time, and died at the very young age of 34, leaving the kiln to brother in law, who would hurl the name of Seifu onto the annals of history recording the highest qualities of world porcelain artistry. For more on this illustrious lineage see the book Seifu Yohei by Seki Kazuo (2012). Seifu Yohei I (1803-1861) founded the Seifu dynasty in Kyoto. He was born in powerful Kaga-kuni, modern day Kanazawa prefecture. After apprenticing with the second generation Dohachi, he established his own kiln in the Gojo-zaka pottery district of Kyoto. Seifu Yohei II (1844-1878) took over that world upon his father’s death and continued to elevate the family name. His work was presented at the Philadelphia Worlds Fair in 1876, that piece was purchased at the time by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. He held the reigns for only a short time, and died at the very young age of 34, leaving the kiln to brother in law, who would hurl the name of Seifu onto the annals of history recording the highest qualities of world porcelain artistry. For more on this illustrious lineage see the book Seifu Yohei by Seki Kazuo (2012).

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).

Golden threads are woven into a home for the large three-dimensional spider crawling over the scrolling edge of this caramel-colored dish dating from the Meiji era. It comes enclosed in an age darkened wooden box titled Akahada Kashibachi (Akahada Sweets dish). It is roughly 16 x 18 cm (6 x 7 inches) and in excellent condition. The clay is consistent with the sandy texture of Akahada, however the color is quite unusual.
Akahada Pottery began in the Momoyama period (1573-1603). It is said that the younger brother of the lord of Koriyama Castle excavated clay suitable for pottery, high-quality red clay with lots of iron. He discovered it in Mt. Gojo (Akahada-yama), and opened a kiln there. It was one of favored kilns of the tea master Kobori Enshu (1579-1647). The kiln lost influence and declined in the mid 18th century. In 1785 the feudal lord in Koriyama castle in Nara requesked two potters named Inosuke and Jihei to revitalize the kilns. They established three noborigama climbing kilns in the environs of Koriyama with a central, eastern, and western kiln. The central kiln was run by Okuda Mokuhaku. The western kiln was run by the two potters Sobei and Shijiro. The kilns remained in production throughout the Edo period, but only the central kiln survived the Meiji period in operation, and it remains active today

An awesome mid 19th century scroll depicting 2 highly detailed dragons battling in the clouds. The scene, signed Koun Teruhiro, is depicted in watercolor on 21 sheets of paper joined to form the canvas. Beside the signature is the words Hobun Utsushi, which means written in the style of Hobun. The huge scroll, measuring 45 by 90 inches (114 X 229 cm), has been fully restored and remounted in a border of green silk decorated with large flower mon (medallions) and ending in heavy, solid ivory rollers measuring 1-3/8 inches in diameter. The scroll dates to what the Japanese call BAKUMATSU, or end of the Edo government, roughly the 20 years preceding the Meiji Restoration. It comes in a large wooden box inscribed with the words Hontokuji Ihin (A gift to Hontoku temple).

A raw earthen bottle hand formed for sake and engraved with a poem by Otagaki Rengetsu. It is 5-1/4 inches (13.5 cm) tall and in fine condition. The poem reads:
Fuyubata no On the Daikon Leaves
Oone no kuki ni In a winter field
Shimo Sae Te Frost gleams
Asatode Samushi Going out in the morning I feel cold
Okazaki no sato Here in Okazaki village
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. 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 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.

Pure elegance and simplicity of form by Komazawa Risai enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Mage-Kensui (Round Spent Water Container). It is lacquered outside is tame-nuri opaque wine-red, inside is polished ro-iro black decorated with gold reeds overlapping from all directions. It is 16 cm (6-1/2 inches) diameter, 7 cm (2-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition. It is made by Komazawa Risai; head of one of the ten crafts families of the three Senke tea schools adhering to the way of tea as taught by Sen No Rikkyu in the 16th century. The bowl is made of two pieces, the base a thin flat plank cut round, then the vertical is bent around and secured together with binding, the whole then covered in lacquer. The shape is that of a simple Oke or shallow bucket, however the artist has made it so much more than that. This is the epitome of the Japanese Tea Aesthetic.
Taking tea has long spread from its original home of Asia to the rest of the world, spawning in the process distinct and varied customs that deeply mirror the values of the culture that creates them. Japan's history of tea drinking is no different, becoming a focal point for the arts and enlightenment to the point where it became the unique ceremony we now know as chanoyu or the Way of Tea. The name can actually be something of a misnomer to the uninitiated, as although there are similarities in form and structure, there is no singular tea ceremony, and ceremonies can be very varied dependent on season, setting and school, yielding in the process a vast culture that can take a lifetime to become truly aquatinted with. Sen no Rikyu, born in 1522 is largely credited with instilling the quintessentially Japanese values into the custom and codifying the practice into a “Way”. To this very day the three houses of Omotesenke, Urasenke, and Mushakojisenke continue his tradition and teachings every time they perform the tea ceremony, and yet this is no fixed form, but an enduring process of gradual evolution and innovation that continues to reflect Japan beyond the walls of the chashitsu, tea room. In the case of the three Senke houses under Sen no Rikyu's teachings, in their centuries of history we find that their ceremonial tools are all produced by the same ten families, and ever since Mitsukoshi held an exhibition of their works in 1915 the name "Senke Jushoku", or the "Ten Designated Craftsmen of Senke", has entered common usage to describe this small collection of artisans who hold within their lineage the very DNA of the aesthetics of the tea ceremony.
The ten families are: Nakagawa Joeki (metalworker), Okumura Kichibei (scroll mounting maker), Kuroda Shogen (bamboo craftsman and ladle maker), Tsuchida Yuko (pouch maker), Eiraku Zengoro (brazier maker and potter), Raku Kichizaemon (tea bowl maker), Nakamura Sotetsu (lacquerer), Onishi Seiuemon (kettle maker), Hiki Ikkan (papier mache style lacquerer) and Komazawa Risai (woodworker).
The lineage of the Komazawa family began with the first generation Sogen in the later 17th century. The second generation headmaster, Sokei, was recognized by the Sen Tea houses, however, it was after the fourth generation, Risai, that they became more deeply involved in the House of Sen. He established a warm friendship with Kakukakusai, the sixth generation of Omote, and was designated as a regular joiner for tea ceremony and given the name of 'Risai'. The seventh Risai, who worked vigorously in the late Edo period and was also an excellent lacquerer as well as a joiner, and brought great fortune with his innovation and re-visioning of the tea ceremony and its utensils in a modernizing world. After the seventh generation, however, one after another the heads of the family died young. The thirteenth Risai lived up to seventy, but suffered the misfortune of losing his son who was born in his later years. After the death of the thirteenth generation, his wife Namie deicided to become the fourteenth Risai and have her daughter Chiyoko succeed her in the future, but the daughter died young in 1961, and she also died in 1977, leaving the position vacant to this day.

A Tokkuri decorated with an Otsu-e image of a sword bearer and a poem by Otagaki Rengetsu enclosed in a wooden box annotated by the head of Jinkoin Temple and titled Rengetsu-ni saku, Otsu-e Tokkuri, The poem reads:
Furi tate shi As if raising and lowering
mameshi gokoro no his true heart like a standard
hitosuji ni in one line
koyuru ka imo ni will he pass through to meet his love
Osaka no seki. beyond Osaka Gate?
This may be an especially poignant piece for a woman who lost so much love in her lifetime. It is 4-/12 inches (11.7 cm) tall. There is a tiny lacquer repair to the rim.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. 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 beautifully written tea room scroll by 19th century calligraphist and seer/soothsayer Yokoyama Marumitsu (1780-1854) bordered in pale green brocade and featuring bone rollers. The calligraphy is very expressive, dark lines varying dramatically in width as they curl down the wide sheet. The signature line reads A 72 year old man Kiosanjin Marumitsu making the scroll date to 1851 by Japanese age count(Kiosanjin was one of his many literary names). Aside from minor wrinkles (not hard creases) the scroll is in excellent condition, and measures 24-3/4 by 49 inches (63 x 124.5 cm). Born in Edo (present day Tokyo), Marumitsu was actually a bit of a forward thinking individual in his time who believed every person was born with a unique character that was buried over time by societal pressure, and the only way to live happily was to toss out ideas contrary to the inner self, thereby purifying ones true form. He was a proponent of the ancient Chinese art of Tengen-Jutsu, a fortune telling method he studied under Okuno Kiyojiro. My interpretation of the scroll: The middle lines are a bit sparse and difficult to read, however, overall the gist seems to be: Everyone has shame, The original heaven (self?) lies deep within, Gods willing (not in the western sense of god), Fortune will arise, A full life. My interpretation is: We have all a dubious past, but true heaven lies within, and gods be willing, through our own effort, the god within will shine, calling fortune. Allowing a full life. Given the context of the artist, this seems to be an apt work.

A dark forest rises in a field of white, as if still covered in frost or snow, over which is draped a poem brushed in the exquisite script of the poet-nun Otagaki Rengetsu, Itsu to naki, Tokiwa no sato ha, Hototogisu shinobu hatsune ni, Uzuki wo ya shiru?
With the first cry of the Cuckoo, in this village of Tokiwa
Will the people realize, Spring has arrived?
To the extreme left, the cuckoo flies off the page. Ink on paper in forest green silk extended in a beige with black lacquered wood rollers. The scroll is 50.5 x 113.5 cm (20 x 44-1/2 inches). There are faint water stains in the upper border (see closeup photos). It comes enclosed in an old wooden collector’s box annotated by Nanga artist Ueda Koho (1860-1944). The inscription reads Rengetsu-ni Painting, Attested to by the eyes of the 80 year old man Koho Ueda.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. 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 pair of ancient iron tongs for working charcoal within the furo during the Japanese Tea Ceremony enclosed in an ancient wooden box titled HiBashi, Todaiji Kawara-Kugi, or charcoal tongs, Todaiji, Roof Tile Nails. One of the nails shows deterioration in the center where it rusted on the surface between the tile and the roof. The hand forged nails are just over 9 inches (23.5 cm) long, folded over on the flattened ends to form the head. The polished rusty surface, and the manner in which the heads have pitted is the essence of wabi! An excellent addition to the tea room.

A pair of gold screens with bold shishi on genuine gold leaf. It is signed Miyauchi Gohogan Shinsai Fujiwara Morimichi sei and stamped Hogan Morimitsu no In. Each panel is 37-1/4 x 68-1/2 inches (94.5 x 174 cm). The screens have been restored, with some old repairs visible. These appear to be remounted from what is likely a different composition, possibly a set of fusuma doors. This is possibly from the Kano Tanshin of the later Edo, who used the name Morimichi, although there are a number of Tanshin. He was the 7th head of the Kajibashi branch of the Kano family, and was an appointed painter for the Edo Shogunate, achieving the rank of Hogan. He died in 1835 at the age of 51.

A set of sake decanters in the shape of Split Bamboo Tea Whisks by the third generation Kiyomizu Rokubei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The artists stamp is clearly impressed into the nunome cloth-textured base. They are 14 cm (5-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition dating from the mid 19th century.
Kiyomizu Rokubei III (1820-1883) was the second son of Rokubei II (1790-1860) and took over the family kiln at the age of 18 after his father retired in 1838. (His father subsequently went to Echigo to open the Oyama-yaki kiln at the bequest of the local Daimyo). Being at the head of the family business in the tumultuous era at the end of the Edo and beginning of the Meiji, he was a driving force behind the revival of the Kyoto industry after the transfer of the capitol to Tokyo in 1868. He produced a great deal of work in various styles, and was known for his painting skills, having studied under the great 19th century Literati Oda Kaisen. While preserving the techniques of his forebears, Rokubei III was also open to new, foreign influences. He accompanied Miyagwa Kozan to Yokohama to investigate newly imported western advancements in pottery and production (Kozan would subsequently move to Yokohama). He was greatly affected by Modernism, and produced western influenced dishes in addition to the staple Japanese fair. In 1879, he was one of the artists commissioned to make a tea service for use during the visit of former US president Ulysses S. Grant. He frequently served on juries and won medals at domestic exhibitions, including the Kyoto Exhibition (1875), the Domestic Industrial Exhibition (1877), and the Nagoya Exhibition (1878). His works also featured in exhibitions in Paris, Sydney and Amsterdam

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.

A conical Jingasa battle hat 6-1/2 inches (16.5 cm) high, 14-1/2 inches (37 cm) diameter entirely gilded outside with genuine gold. Inside is lacquered black and retains the tie holds for the liner. There is some writing within, and a maru-ichi crest. There is damage to the peak and edges, but is quite impressive looking, and was likely used by the immediate vanguard of the Daimyo. One of two variations we have, they are from Omi province, just outside of Kyoto in old Japan.

A bridge and weeping-cherry (shidare sakura) draped over swirling eddies on this silver lidded Meiji period Koro incense burner on its original matching table. On the table a waterwheel is visible downstream from the same scene, tiny silver beads floating on the crests of the ripples. The incense burner has a silver lid and removable liner, with a nashiji gold-flaked bottom. It is 4-1/2 inches (11.5 cm) diameter and in fine condition. The table is 14-1/2 x 7 x 2-1/2 inches (37 x 17.5 x 6 cm) and is also in overall fine condition. There were originally many more silver flecks on the waves, which have been lost to time. Both come inclosed in period Kiri-wood boxes.

Gold clouds border a spectacular and rare scene of birds flying amid wisteria (fuji) on this fine 19th century gold screen. The screen is roughly 68 by 148 inches (172 x 376 cm). We are offering this screen as is, to allow the buyer to pursue restoration to a level they deem satisfactory. In need of restoration, there are scratches in the gold over the birds, three marks low in panel three and a number of thin tears along the lower portions of the 6 panels. For detailed photos please inquire.

A refined set of 5 later Edo Sake cups in a hybrid E-gorai style from the Kosobe kiln of Igarashi Shinbei decorated with pale blue designs (gnarled plum trees?) under thick cream colored glaze on very thinly potted clay blended with shiseki for great effect. This is likely the work of the second or third generation Shinbei, both known for their Korai-Utsushi (Korean style) wares. Each cup is 2-1/2 inches (6.5 cm) diameter. They are in surprisingly good condition, with no cracks. There are a few losses to glaze at the rims typical of sake cups (Kampai!) and one has a chip in the foot visible when the cup is upside down. Finding such a delicate set in such good condition from the Edo period is exceedingly rare.
The Kosobe kiln was established in Takatsuki, along the route between Osaka and Kyoto by Igarashi Shinbei sometime around 1790, The first generation (1750-1829) was known for Raku wares, Tea Utensils and Utsushi wares among more common household items. The second generations (Shinzo, 1791-1851) is remembered for Takatori, Karatsu, Korai and other continental styles. Shingoro, the third-generation head of the family (1833-1882) continued in that line, but secured a route to use Shigaraki clay and blended that with his local clays. He was known for Mishima and E-gorai styles. Into the Meiji period, the 4th generation head Yasojiro (1851-1918) saw the kiln close due to health problems of his successor Shinbei V, (Eitaro) in the late Meiji or early Taisho period.

Rivulets of green glaze descend all sides of this sublime storage jar, the bottom raw red Tamba clay dating from the Edo period. About the rim are four “mimi” ears for tying down the wooden bung. The base is slightly concave and burnt to a rock like texture. The vessel is 12 inches (30 cm) tall, 11-1/2 inches (29 cm) diameter and in excellent condition. Tamba is considered as one of Japan’s six famous ancient kilns, along with Seto, Tokoname, Echizen, Shigaraki and Bizen. It is known for a solemn, austere atmosphere, and for the beautiful green pine-ash glaze. The origins are purported to be in the late Heian period, when it was called Onohara ware. Traditionally it is coil formed, or turned counter clockwise on a wheel. Early pieces were fired in anagama, until the Momoyama period, when the advent of the climbing kiln offered increased production and possibilities and hire firing temperatures.

An 18th-early 19th century Literati landscape featuring a scholars gathering in a forest of pines on one side, a pair of boats pulling up to a hermitage on the other. These are published in the book Jidai Byobu Shuei (pre-restoration, pages 76 and 77). They have been completely restored maintaining the original cloth border and are in superb condition. Each screen measures 70-1/2 x 150-1/2 inches (179 x 382 cm).
So Gessen (1741-1809) was an artist initially trained in Edo under Sakurai Sekkan, and later in Kyoto under Maruyama Okyo. A known associate of Yosa Buson, he was a prominent figure in the literati scene of that time. He lived a quiet life in his later years at Jakushoji Temple in Ise and his style was helped to shape the Literati style of the 19th century. The second stamp bears the temple name, Jakusho shuujin A similar composition is held in the Mie Prefectural Museum.

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.

A stunning box covered entirely in mother of pearl upon which is the crescent moon in lead under maki-e gold florals. Inside Rimpa style dear rest in lead and gold maki-e on a ground of red-tinted Nashiji. The box is in excellent condition, likely dating from the mid 19th century. It measures 22 x 24.5 x 5 cm (8-1/2 x 9-1/2 x 2 inches).

An Edo period sumi-e painting stamped Shundo-no-in on very rough silk depicting Daruma heir Kensu Osho, an eccentric Chinese beggar-monk who lived on shrimp and clams. The painting is certainly no less eccentric than its subject, unique among paintings I have seen from the Edo era. It retains the original faded border of dragon dials and lucky symbols extended with beige and features bone rollers. The scroll measures 14 1/2 x 56 inches (37 x 142 cm) and is in original condition, with some wear to the border extensions. The box is titled:Kensu Osho Ink Painting, From the Ihotei Collection. The Hakogaki refers to the life of Kensu as one who exists unmoored and inscrutable, living freely beyond rules and regulations, and although the behavior of those like him may appear profane, it is actually sacred. The writing could refer to the rare stance of the artist as well, in a society where mediocrity was enforced from above, what artist dared to stray so far from accepted norms? Some eclectic monk himself, seeking to understand the daruma through his own art? A most intriguing work.

An elephant with pagoda on its back forms this three-piece koro incense burner from the Kairakuen Feudal kiln of the Tokugawa family stamped on the belly with the Kairakuen seal. It is magnificently sculpted, standing 31 cm (12 inches) tall and in excellent condition. It comes in a wooden collector’s box. Inside the lid is a long verse detailing the origins of Kairakuen pottery written and attested to by important Meiji to Taisho period pottery legend Miyagawa (Makuzu) Kozan I.
The Kairakuen kiln was the "garden kiln" sponsored by the Kii branch of the Tokugawa house, in modern day Wakayama founded in 1819. It operated irregularly, drawing upon the services of potters from various Kyoto workshops including the 9th and 10th Omotesenkei Heads Ryoryosai (1775-1825) and Kyukosai (1818-1860), 10th Raku Master Raku Tanyu (1795-1854), and Eiraku Zengoro XI (Nishimura Hozen, 1795–1854) among others . Kairakuen products reflect a marked revival of interest in Chinese ceramics in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This vase, with its restrained shape and overall turquoise enamel glaze, follows Qing [Ch'ing] dynasty ceramic models. The design of the four-character mark, "Made at Kairakuen," imitates enamel four-character seals appearing on Qing [Ch'ing] imperial wares.

Wisteria vines in gold and silver Maki-e lacquer decorate the natural body of this beautiful sake flask cut from a section of vine, hollowed and capped with natural wood and black lacquer, a pouring spout of brass bunged with bamboo. It is 9 inches (22 cm) tall and in fine condition, dating from the 19th century.

Feeling frisky that day, perhaps a wry self portrait by this most famous of Nuns, Otagaki Rengetsu with a poem brushed above in her unique script.
Hito hakaru The trickster
Sagano no harano In the Fields of Sagano
Yufumagure At Twilight
Onoka obana ya Tail in the Pampas grass
Sode to misuran Will it seem a sleeve
There is something very human about this depiction, perhaps the nose…The Hakuzosu (Fox spirit) is a popular theme surrounding the superstition that foxes transform themselves into human form to bewitch the unwary, particularly at twilight. Perhaps the final reference to a sleeve is that of the beguiler, the sleeve of a kimono draped for the seduction of a passing man. Performed with ink on paper in a silk border, the scroll is 10-1/4 x 65-1/2 inches (26 x 166.5 cm) and in overall fine condition. The word obana, written with characters meaning "tail-flower," is classic poetic diction for susuki autumn grass signifying Sagano, a place name often used in poetry as a pun on saga, "one's nature." For a similar image with this poem see the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York (Gift of Donald Keene).
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. 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 collection of six unique antique sake cups from various regions in Japan, each enclosed in an old wooden box.
1. A rice bale shaped Kosobe yaki bowl in thin bluish-white glaze stamped on the base, probably second or third generation (see below).
2. A Soma Yaki small bowl of pinched form with speckled green glaze from Fukushima. Soma Yaki has a four-hundred-year history.
3. A very rare Etchu Kosugi Yaki wangata cup in smooth blue green glaze with a hint of yellow at the rim.
4. Another very rare Garyuzan-yaki cup incised with white slip in basket style by Yokohagi Ikko (1850-1924) in a signed box.
5. A later Edo Korean style piece with gold repairs by Mizukoshi Yosobei bearing his five-sided seal impressed into the base (the kiln closed in 1860).
And last an anonymous celadon piece whose title I cannot read (appears to be Kyudai seiji).
The Kosobe kiln was established in Takatsuki, along the route between Osaka and Kyoto by Igarashi Shinbei sometime around 1790, The first generation (1750-1829) was known for Raku wares, Tea Utensils and Utsushi wares among more common household items. The second generation (Shinzo, 1791-1851) is remembered for Takatori, Karatsu, Korai and other continental styles. Shingoro, the third-generation head of the family (1833-1882) continued in that line, but secured a route to use Shigaraki clay and blended that with his local clays. He was known for Mishima and E-gorai styles. Into the Meiji period, the 4th generation head Yasojiro (1851-1918) saw the kiln close due to health problems of his successor Shinbei V, (Eitaro) in the late Meiji or early Taisho period.

A fine wakizashi in saya of crushed aogai shell in lacquer with engraved silver fittings adorned with a family crest wrapped with matching Kozuka. Kyoto license number 59007 Heisei 9.
blade length: 38.9 cm
sori:0.7 cm
motohaba:2.4 cm
motokasane: 0.6 cm It is in excellent condition.

Two fox representing Inari, one of the principal kami (gods) of Shinto, are depicted on this Edo period talisman made at a shrine and traditionally hung in the home for protection. The two creatures hold in their mouths a buddhist jewel, symbol of knowledge, and a key to the kura, a storehouse for treasures. Between them is written Inari Daimyou Jin. Inari is the Japanese god of fertility, agriculture and of general prosperity and worldly success. In Edo Japan, Inari was also the patron of swordsmiths and Warriors. This is a wood-block printed talisman purchased at a shrine and preserved for more hundreds of years. It has been recently mounted in blue patterned cloth extended with beige and features black lacquered wooden rollers. It comes in a fine kiri-wood storage box with a paper sleeve. The scroll is 46 x 116 cm (18 x 45-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.

A wide low chawan tea bowl inscribed with a poem by Otagaki Rengetsu reading “Yo no naka ha tata utatane no shibaraku wo samenu yume ji ni matofu wari nasa. In the world only for the span of a nap yet wandering an inescapable path of dreams…such a mystery. (Translation from Rengetsu.org). It is 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter, 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) tall and in fine condition.
Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. 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 museum quality work by 19th century great Oda Kaisen featuring vines burgeoning with ripe fruit under the epitaph “Painted on a muggy date (possibly “by moonlight” as the term keigetsu refers) in 1840”. Ink on silk in brass colored Satin patterned with tendrils of mist and featuring white piping in the Mincho style and ivory rollers typical of literati painting of the 19th century. It is 18-3/4 x 72-3/4 inches (47.5 x 184.5 cm) and is in excellent condition.
Oda Kaisen (1785-1862) was born into a family of in the textile industry in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi on the extreme western end of Honshu, the Japanese main island. He went to the cultural capitol of Kyoto in 1806, where he was initially trained in the Shijo style of painting under Matsumura Goshun (1752–1811). After Goshun died, he moved to study nanga literati painting with Rai San'yō (1780–1832) and through extensive study of treasured Chinese paintings in various collections. It is during this period he began using the name on this scroll, O-in. He worked as a compatriot of the great masters Uragami Shinkin and Tanomura Chikuden. Work by this artist is held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the British Museum, Ashmolean, and in Japan the Osaka Municipal Art Museum and Chofu museum among others.

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.

A ghoulish character from the Otsu-e pantheon, the Oni no Nenbutsu, a devil in priests robes, stands grinning, hammer in one hand to bang his bell and a ledger in the other in which are noted all the peoples sins. This figure is carved of wood and covered in lacquer and mineral paints. Dating from the 19th century (Later Edo period) it is 13 inches (33 cm) tall. There are some losses to the pigments accentuating the antique feel.

The bowl is 5 inches (13 cm) diameter2-1/2 inches (6 cm) tall and in fine condition. Oku yama no, Hana no Shirayuki, Nagare-kite, Haru no sue kumu, Kawazura no Sato (From Deep in the mountains, fallen petals white as snow, Flow past the village, like the last vestige of Spring). Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. 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 lovely hand formed bowl in the shape of an inverted mushroom with brush strokes (Kushi-me) defining the gills and the bulbous stipe laying like a handle to one side. A speckled yellow glaze (typical of Maiko) covers the sandy clay, with a drape of green and white seeping like milk from one side. It is roughly 21 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, stamped on the base Mahiko (In traditional writing the character for Hi is interchangeable with the character for I as is Fu and U). It comes enclosed in an age blackened wooden box annotated by Yasuda Kenji. Inside the lid is written:
Maiko-yaki, Wafuken Saku (Made by Wafuken), Mattake kashiki (Mushroom shaped Sweets Dish) Created during the Tenpo era by Wafuken Takata Tsuchinosuke of Akashi Yamada Mura. Attested by: Yasuda Kenji , Head of the Osaka Toji Bunka Kenkyu Kai Ceramic Culture Research Group, and Governor of the Nihon Toji Kyokai National Ceramics Society.
It is said that Maiko yaki was begun in Yamada Mura Akashi-gun (modern day Hyogo prefecture) around 1790 by Kinugasa Sohei and was sold along the Maiko Beach, from where it derives its name. Upon the death of Sohei, the kiln passed to his son, but went out of business. Nearby in Oguradani Mikuni Kyuhachi opened a kiln around 1820, creating a characteristic iron speckled wood ash glaze (as seen on this piece). Takata Tsuchinosuke revived the kiln of Sohei in the Tenpo era (c. 1830) and was instrumental in carrying Maiko-yaki forward in the late Edo period. It slowly fell into disuse with the rise of industrial production from the Meiji to Taisho periods, and disappeared in the early 20th century.

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.

Spiraling lines and wispy trees rise up to the heavens in this convoluted landscape by Fujimoto Tesseki dated 1855. If one looks carefully, it is fun to see the artists playful choices of colors, not apparent at first, like the blue trunk on the central tree at the base of the painting. Dramatic and colorful landscape Ink and light color on silk, the scene is enveloped in a patterned white satin border with white piping in the Mincho style popular in the 19th century, and features absolutely massive rosewood rollers. The scroll is 21-3/4 x 78 inches (55.5 x 198 cm) and is in overall fine, original condition. The box is titled Keishi Giken no Hito Fujimoto Tesseki Okina Chakushoku Sansui (Colored Landscape by Noble Hero of the Old Capitol the Elder Fujimoto Tesseki) and is signed within Kozan.
Fujimoto Tesseki (1817-1863) was a samurai literatus from Okayama skilled in Martial arts as well as philosophy and Chinese History. A loyalist, he was killed in battle during the years leading up to the Meiji Restoration. A well known painter in the Nanga style, he left a small body of works for the world to remember him by. He was posthumously awarded by the Meiji government for his part in the restoration of the Emperor in 1892. He is held in the British Museum and Tokyo National Museum among others. Enclosed is a registry paper of the Mori family of Kyoto from whose collection this scroll came.