Catalog (86)

A very unusual Muromachi to early Edo period (16th to early 17th century) lacquered box decorated outside with a wolf looking up at a crescent moon; inside with floral motif typical of the Muromachi. The gaunt beast is made of worked lead inlayed into the surface. It is very unusual, in original condition as found. It is 22 x 18 x 5 cm (9 x 7-1/2 x 2 inches) and overall, in quite good condition considering the elapse of time. There is crinkling of the lacquer and some losses typical of age, but It comes in an ancient wooden box.

An early Edo period Ki-Seto sake cup repurposed with a silver lid pierced with a chrysanthemum to function as an incense burner enclosed in a custom made silk pouch and bamboo case dating the transformation to New Years of Kae-7 (1854). Without the lid it is 5.5 cm (roughly 2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.

Additional photos of the 4 unique bowls dating from the 17th to 19th centuries with old gold repairs. All are between 11 and 12.5 cm diameter. The Hakeme Brush patterned bowl has gold repairs and a break which is currently glued but not repaired with gold.

A magnificent set of five wooden bowls lacquered red with a net design enclosed in the original wooden box titled Shu-nuri Amime Hashiaraiwan dating from the first half of the 20th century. Excluding the lid each is 7.5 cm (3 inches) tall, roughly the same diameter at the rim, and all are in excellent condition. Repeated use of lacquer tends to see the black acquire a brown tinge. These remain jet black, and it is likely they have been virtually unused for the better part of a century.
Hashiaraiwan (also called Hitokuchiwan) are used after the first four courses in Kaiseki food to clear the pallet, ordinarily a thin soup or something light. The literal meaning is washing the chopsticks bowl.

A lightning strike of gold ricochets across the walls of this 16th century Muromachi to Momoyama period bowl hailing from the kilns of Kyushu. It is 10 cm (4 inches) diameter, 6.5 cm (2-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.

A crow at rest upon a rock raises its head in a gruff cry by Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Karasu Okimono. It is pierced in the back, allowing it to be an oki-koro incense burner. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition. A nearly identical piece was published in the 1923 book Sozan Toko, attributed to his late period.
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 exquisite dark bronze image of the deity Benzaiten playing a four stringed lute known as a Biwa signed in a cartouche inset into the base and dating from the early 20th century (Later Meiji to taisho period). The figure is 20 x 16 x 18 cm (8 x 6 x 7 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Benzaiten (or Benten) is the Japanese embodiment of Saraswati, the hindu god of the arts. Benzaiten is depicted a number of ways in Japanese art. She is often depicted holding a biwa (a traditional Japanese lute) similar to how Saraswati is depicted with a veena in Indian art In medieval Japan, Benzaiten came to be associated with a number of Buddhist and local deities, which include the goddess Kisshōten (the Buddhist version of the Hindu Lakshmi), the snake god Ugajin (thus Benzaiten is sometimes depicted with a snake) and the kami Ichikishimahime. Apart from being a patron of music and the arts, she was also worshiped as one of the Seven Gods of Fortune (Shichifukujin).

The androgynous Kannon sits in meditation under climbing rocks and tumbling waves deeply carved into the side of this bamboo incense container dating from the early 20th century (late Meiji to Taisho period). It is 34 cm long (13-1/2 inches) long and in excellent condition, a superb example of the genre. This would have been used to hold incense sticks.

A sage with his deer companion wanders the wilderness wrapping around this bamboo incense container dating from the ealy 20th century (late Meiji to Taisho period). It is 33.5 cm long (13-1/2 inches) long and in excellent condition, a superb example of the genre. This would have been used to hold incense sticks.

An incredible Mishima Chawan dating from the Edo period with a wide repair to the rim in dark lacquer decorated with golden grasses in gold maki-e lacquer designs. It comes in an ancient dilapidated silk pouch with cotton buffer enclosed in an age darkened kiri-wood box titled Mishima Chawan. The bowl is 5.5 cm (2 inches) tall, 12.5 -13.5 cm (5-1/2 -6 inches) diameter and in fine condition. Mishima ware refers to different types of imported and adopted Japanese pottery. Mishima originally refers to the shimamono pottery imported from the islands of Taiwan, Luzon, and "Amakawa" (Macau). They were characterized by being roughly-made and often uneven, thus epitomizing the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi. HOwever the term overall came to refer to impressed and slip-inlayed ceramics in the Korean style like this bowl.

A beautifuly formed iron sake kettle known as a Choshi with a solid silver lid and featuring sliver inlay designs on the handle enclosed in an age darkened kiri-wood bos titled Tetsu Choshi Jungin-futa. It is 8 cm (just over 3 inches) diameter, 16 cm (6 inches) to the top of the handle, and is in excellent condition.

A lifelike turtle from the Kikko kilns of Osaka, the bottom stamped and covered in brown lacquer, the top traditional kikko ocher tinged colors. There are chips around the edges, without which it would be tough to define this hyper realistic piece as pottery. It is 16.5 x 11 x 6 cm (6-1/2 inches long), dating from the later Edo period. 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.

An Edo period Kyogen mask of a fox with mobile jaw enclosed in a black lacquered wooden box. Carved wood covered in gofun and pigment, it is 15.5 x 19 x 17.5 (6 x 7-1/2 x 7 inches) and is in fine condition. A rare opportunity in this one.

A dynamic early porcelain work in vivid color by Kiyomizu Rokubei VI enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Futatsuki Kajutu Mon Kashiki (Sweets dish decorated with fruit) bearing his real name, indicating it predates his taking the name Rokubei in 1945. The box bears the seal of the Hattori Tokeiten, purveyors of fine art in Pre-war Japan. The porcelain is 19.7 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, signed on the bottom.
The Kiyomizu family potters managed one of the most productive workshops in Kyoto’s Gojozaka district throughout the second half of the Edo period. From the Meiji they began producing tableware for export and special pieces for government-sponsored exhibitions under Rokubei IV. Rokubei V led the kiln into the 20th century, and his son, Rokubei VI (1901-1980), would assume lead in 1945, taking the kiln through the tumultuous years after the Second World War. He graduated the Kyoto Municipal School of Arts and Crafts, then the Kyoto Special School of Painting, before apprenticing under his father in 1925. He exhibited frequently and was often prized at the National Bunten, Teiten and Nitten Exhibits, where he later served as judge. He was also lauded abroad, in the USSR, France, Italy, Belgium and was appointed a member of the Japan Art Academy. In 1976 he was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit for his lifelong devotion to promoting Japanese pottery traditions. His works are held in numerous museums throughout the globe.

An exceptional web of gold interspersed with nishiki-cloth patterned designs on gold lacquer fuses this once broken 16th-17th century Koro with ami-me net patterned solid silver lid. This was likely originally made as a tea cup, considering that the entire interior is glazed. Broken and reassembled using the Kintsugi gold technique and placing unusual patterns on the missing portions, this is an exceptional work of art. The silver lid was likely made when it was repaired and repurposed as an incense burner. It is 8 cm diameter, 7 cm tall (roughly 3 inches) and is in excellent condition. It comes in an antique cloth pouch with solid silver lid enclosed in a compartmentalized age-darkened kiri-wood box.

The pure and elegant simplicity of this set of Haisen is right up my alley, and certainly representative of the Japanese aesthetic surrounding reverence of nature and natural materials. These two deep bowls are turned from the node of a large bamboo, allowing the natural undulating node itself to form the bottom. They are then covered simply in black lacquer, the only decoration a gold circle about the rim. They come in the original age darkened wooden box and are in excellent condition. Each is roughly 13 cm (5 inches) diameter, 9 cm (3-1/2 inches) tall and both are in excellent condition dating from the 19th century.

A set of two matching black lacquered bowls and lined with gold decorated with gold designs for use when drinking sake with a shared cup to rinse the bowl between users. This type of bowl is called a Haisen (Literally cup washing bowl) and was a common accoutrement to drinking sake in Japan prior to the second world war. They are 14.5 cm diameter9 cm tall and in excellent condition, each enclosed in a red lacquered wooden box.

A radical image by the outlandish Doi Goga featuring a black devil and its child. The child reaches up to the monster, while the monster seems to be giving him a raspberry, his toungue flailing in the air. Ink on paper, it has been completely restored in beige cloth border with bone rollers reflecting the original mounting. The scroll is 42 x 181 cm (16-1/2 x 71-1/4 inches) ad is in excellent condition. Doi Goga (1818-1880) was a Confucian scholar of the late Edo to Meiji periods. He was born the son of a doctor serving the lords of Ise (modern Mie prefecture), home of the gods and Ise Shrine. A child prodigy, he studied under Ishikawa Chikugai and Saito Setsudo. The early death of his father saw him succeed the family head at the age of 12. He would serve later as a teacher in the official government school. He held strong opinions and was very critical of the hypocrisy and corruption he saw in military government and in Confucianism itself. His works began to see the light of day in the early Meiji period, however due to their inflammatory nature, much was left unpublished until after his death. Known for paintings of bamboo and landscapes, his Dojin figures are rare and highly sought.