The Kura - Japanese Art Treasures
Robert Mangold has been working with Japanese antiques since 1995 with an emphasis on ceramics, Paintings, Armour and Buddhist furniture.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Metalwork : Pre 1700 item #1496582 (stock #K144)
The Kura
$8,000.00
A very thin cast bronze image of a hunched female crow in dark olive patina with an incised signature on the underbelly Takayo dated Bunan 2 (1445). The image is made in several parts, the upper and lower halves of the body joined along the neck and under the wings, the feet separately cast and attached where they join the body. There is some form of plug, or possibly spur mark, on the breast above the signature. It is 23 x 16 x 10 cm (9 x 6 x 4 inches) and weighs 616 grams (1.3 pounds), in overall excellent condition.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1495670 (stock #NA)
The Kura
$1,400.00
A set of Nesting Oribe bowls dating from the Momoyama to early Edo period from the Ohira-gama enclosed in an old collector’s box. Both They display a brownish color, typical of early works from the late Muromachi to Momoyama periods. The spur marks between are quite distinct “C” chapes. A simple tendril of iron has been poured over the sand textured surface, otherwise there is no decoration. Both slightly onched shapes feature kin-tsugi gold repairs. The large bowl is 23 x 24.5 x 6 cm (9 x 9-3/4 x 2-1/2 inches), the smaller 21 x 22.5 x 5 cm (8-1.2 x 9 x 2 inches).
The remnants of the Ohira kiln are located on Prefectural Road 84 just outside Toki-city. The Ohira old kiln group includes: several kilns, the Yamanokami Kiln, Yuemon Kiln, Seidayu Kiln and Ohira Kamagane Kiln. According to the overview in Shino, Volume 15 of the Encyclopedia of Japanese Ceramics (Chuo Koronsha), the Yamanokami Kiln fired Shino’s precursor, white glaze-gray Shino, during the Muromachi period. It is believed to have been active from the Tenbun era (1532–1554) to the Eiroku era (1558–1569), gradually progressing to higher-quality Shino. After that, Yuemon Kiln (which operated for a long time) produced quite high-quality Shino ware. Additionally, a climbing kiln called the Seidayu Kiln was established, where later-period Shino was fired during the Keicho era (1596–1614).
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1489649 (stock #K076)
The Kura
$1,200.00
An E-karatsu Yobitsugi bowl made of various shards attached with wide bands of gold to a discarded base: the pieces dating from the Momoyama to early Edo periods. It is 22 x 20 x 6 cm 8-1/2 x 8 x 2-1/4 inches) and comes enclosed in a modern kiri-wood collectors box titled E-Karatsu Hachi.
This method of using pieces from multiple works with lacquer repair is called Yobitsugi. Yobitsugi is a form of kintsugi that entails combining pieces of different objects together in order to create a completely new vessel. The newly created vessel is typically made of 60% – 70% of the first vessel and 30%-40% of the second vessel. Kintsugi embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic worldview centered around imperfection, transience, and the beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay. Embracing the flawed and broken aspects of an object through kintsugi is a way to appreciate the passage of time and the history of the object, recognizing that it gains value and character through its journey. Kintsugi aligns with traditional Japanese values of frugality and resourcefulness. Instead of discarding broken items, kintsugi repairs them, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. This approach reflects a profound respect for resources and a desire to cherish and honor the objects used in daily life. This is also a way to avoid offending the spirit of the object, as all items are embodied with a soul of some sort. The act of repairing broken pottery with gold-laced lacquer carries a symbolic message of resilience and overcoming adversity. The restored object becomes a metaphor for the human experience, highlighting that even after suffering damage or hardship, one can find beauty and strength through healing and renewal. In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony kintsugi plays a vital role in enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, especially during the tenth month. The practice of kintsugi encourages contemplation and introspection during the tea ceremony. Guests may be reminded of the impermanence of all things and the beauty that can arise from embracing life's scars and vulnerabilities. Overall, kintsugi holds a deep cultural and philosophical significance in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty in imperfection, respect for resources, and the resilience of both objects and individuals. In the context of the tea ceremony, it enriches the aesthetics and fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Devotional Objects : Pre 1700 item #1494812 (stock #K153)
The Kura
$2,950.00
A carved wood guardian figure of a Koma-inu looking quite genki with his tongue lolling and wearing a sheepish grin. It is made from a piece of wood which has grown around a stone, visible in the belly of the creature. This type of item, called Ishikui or Ishigami, is a highly prized phenomenon in Japan. The much-weathered figure was likely in the semi-outdoors for several hundred years, becoming rounded and loosing bits here and there. The tail, carved from a separate piece of wood and inserted, is no longer extant. It is roughly 40 x 20 x 41 cm (16 x 8 x 16 inches) and solid, with no insect damage.
Komainu, also known as lion-dogs, are mythical creatures that hold significant religious importance in Japanese culture. They are often depicted as pairs of fierce-looking creatures resembling lions or dogs, with one open-mouthed and the other closed-mouthed. These statues are commonly found at the entrances of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. Komainu are considered protective guardians that ward off evil spirits and negative influences. The open-mouthed Komainu is believed to expel evil spirits, while the closed-mouthed one is thought to keep good spirits inside. By placing these statues at the entrances of sacred sites, it is believed that they protect the grounds and the people who visit them. The origin of Komainu can be traced back to ancient China, where similar guardian lion statues were prevalent and likely came to Japan during the 8th century, when cultural exchange between Japan and the continent was thriving. Over time, they became an integral part of Japanese religious and architectural practices.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1700 item #1496710 (stock #K108)
The Kura
$4,000.00
A Takatsuki stand of wood covered in black lacquer decorated with scrolling vines among which are randomly placed crests in the design of the Daruma Wheel on the stem, and the heraldic Mitsuba-aoi hollyhock crest within the tray. Slightly warped and worn with the centuries, finding a piece from this era in such good, original condition, is exceedingly rare. Early Muromachi, 14-15th century, it is 30 x 30 x 28.5 cm (12 x 12 x 11-1/2 inches).
The Mitsuba Aoi crest is associated in modern times with the Tokugawa clan, however many clans used the crest in the past, as it was the crest of the Kamo-jinja Shrine. Many local clans in Mikawa, such as the Matsudaira clan, the Sakai clan and the Honda clan, used the aoi-mon as their family crests. Gradually through the Edo period the use of the Mitsuba Aoi was severely restricted to only those associated with the Edo Bakufu (Shogunate).
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1487331
The Kura
$2,500.00
A shard has been grafted into the side of this large misshapen Shino bottle dating from the Momoyama to early Edo period, the repair lined with gold. Gold also circle the neck where the discarded misfire was repaired, and gleams on the lip. It is 22 cm (9 inches) tall and in excellent condition. It comes in an age darkened wooden box titled Ko-Shino Tokkuri, Shoki no Kama (Old Shino Tokkuri, early Kiln era)
This method of using pieces from multiple works with lacquer repair is called Yobitsugi. Yobitsugi is a form of kintsugi that entails combining pieces of different objects together in order to create a completely new vessel. The newly created vessel is typically made of 60% – 70% of the first vessel and 30%-40% of the second vessel. It is said that this technique was used as a sign of reconciliation between two warring factions during the Sengoku Period, the era of warfare surrounding the 1500s. It was common for the leaders of these factions to hold tea ceremonies with each other to negotiate peace. It is said that, when the negotiations were successful, yobitsugi was used to combine the tea sets used at the meeting where peace was decided.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1487575
The Kura
$900.00
A lovely chawan made of three separate excavated shards connected by lines of gold dating from the Kamakura to early Muromachi periods (13th to 14th centuries). It is 15.7 cm diameter, 7 cm tall and in excellent condition, enclosed in an old wooden box.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1494198 (stock #K402)
The Kura
$2,250.00
A Momoyama to early Edo period (16th-17th century) small Chawan , much worn inside, with old gold repairs gleaming softly on the iron ringed rim. Aside from this iron circle, and the wear earned over centuries on the slightly oblong shape, there is no decoration. It is 12.6 × 10.9 × 6.2 cm (5 x 4-1/4 x 2-1/2 inches) and comes wrapped in a crepe silk pouch enclosed in an old, fine quality kiri-wood box.
Kintsugi embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic worldview centered around imperfection, transience, and the beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay. Embracing the flawed and broken aspects of an object through kintsugi is a way to appreciate the passage of time and the history of the object, recognizing that it gains value and character through its journey. Kintsugi aligns with traditional Japanese values of frugality and resourcefulness. Instead of discarding broken items, kintsugi repairs them, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. This approach reflects a profound respect for resources and a desire to cherish and honor the objects used in daily life. This is also a way to avoid offending the spirit of the object, as all items are embodied with a soul of some sort. The act of repairing broken pottery with gold-laced lacquer carries a symbolic message of resilience and overcoming adversity. The restored object becomes a metaphor for the human experience, highlighting that even after suffering damage or hardship, one can find beauty and strength through healing and renewal. In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony kintsugi plays a vital role in enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, especially during the tenth month. The practice of kintsugi encourages contemplation and introspection during the tea ceremony. Guests may be reminded of the impermanence of all things and the beauty that can arise from embracing life's scars and vulnerabilities. Overall, kintsugi holds a deep cultural and philosophical significance in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty in imperfection, respect for resources, and the resilience of both objects and individuals. In the context of the tea ceremony, it enriches the aesthetics and fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1495122 (stock #K408)
The Kura
$2,800.00
A collapsed water jar covered in iron glaze and enclosed in an ancient wooden box heavily annotated inside the lid and named Ho-gyoku by the Head priest of Bukkoji Temple in Kyoto. There is a red lacquered Ka-o signature used by the elite on the side of the vessel. It is 32 x 23 x 27.5 cm (11-1/2 x 9 x 11 inches) and is in fine condition. The box lid claims it was the property of or named by the head of Bukkoji Temple in downtown Kyoto.
In 1212, following his expulsion to Echigo, the True-land Buddhist prophet Shinran Shonin returned to Kyoto and began to develop the teaching of Shin Buddhism at a hermitage in Yamashina (eastern part of Kyoto). This hermitage was the origin of the present-day Bukkoji Temple. It was named Koryu Shoboji Temple. Genran, the 8th Abbot, who succeeded, passed away in the 13th year of his reign. His wife, Ryomyo, was appointed the 9th Abbot. In an era more than 600 years ago, when women were severely discriminated against, a woman abbot was unheard of. But in establishing Bukkoji: "Amida's Primal Vow does not discriminate between the young and old, good and evil; true faith alone is essential." In 1586, under orders from the Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Bukkoji was moved from Shirutani to the present location.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1700 item #1493628 (stock #K077)
The Kura
$2,200.00
Golden Maple leaves and five petaled plum blossoms float on the golden pond pooling on this early Edo period Karatsu Chawan decorated with a single Zen circle. Superb quality repairs gleam about the rim, one large repair decorated over top of the gold with fine amages of leaves and blossoms. The base is small and shallow, indicative of the early era. It is 12 cm (just less than 5 inches) diameter, 7.5cm (3 inches) tall and comes enclosed in an old wooden box.
Kintsugi embodies the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic worldview centered around imperfection, transience, and the beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay. Embracing the flawed and broken aspects of an object through kintsugi is a way to appreciate the passage of time and the history of the object, recognizing that it gains value and character through its journey. Kintsugi aligns with traditional Japanese values of frugality and resourcefulness. Instead of discarding broken items, kintsugi repairs them, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. This approach reflects a profound respect for resources and a desire to cherish and honor the objects used in daily life. This is also a way to avoid offending the spirit of the object, as all items are embodied with a soul of some sort. The act of repairing broken pottery with gold-laced lacquer carries a symbolic message of resilience and overcoming adversity. The restored object becomes a metaphor for the human experience, highlighting that even after suffering damage or hardship, one can find beauty and strength through healing and renewal. In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony kintsugi plays a vital role in enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, especially during the tenth month. The practice of kintsugi encourages contemplation and introspection during the tea ceremony. Guests may be reminded of the impermanence of all things and the beauty that can arise from embracing life's scars and vulnerabilities. Overall, kintsugi holds a deep cultural and philosophical significance in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty in imperfection, respect for resources, and the resilience of both objects and individuals. In the context of the tea ceremony, it enriches the aesthetics and fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1800 item #1492274 (stock #K012)
The Kura
Price on Request
An incredible lacquered screen decorated with a Bugaku Dancer wearing an angry devil mask opposing a snake in incredibly thick relief opposite three gentlemen heating sake over a fire under the changing leaves of a maple, their oxcart off to the side. An inlaid cartouche near the snake reads Kan. The two-sided panel is set into a frame with matt black iron texture over a raw kiri-wood panel inset with three windows. It is 45 x 16.5 x 40.5 cm (18 x 6-1/2 x 16 inches) and is in overall excellent condition, enclosed in an age darkened wooden box titled Haritsu Kenbyo. Off to the side a paper label gives a household collection number, and a further stamp shows it was recorded in an audit in Showa 14 (1939).
Ogawa Haritsu (1663-1747), also known as Ritsuo, one of the great individualists in the history of lacquer, was a poet as well as a painter, potter and lacquerer. Born into the samurai class, he renounced arms for the brush. In the 1680s, he became a disciple of the haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694). Haritsu turned to lacquer after 1707, the year his friends Hattori Ransetsu and Takarai Kikaku, both disciples of Basho, died. He adopted the art name Ritsuo, or "Old man in a torn bamboo hat," in 1712. The name suggests a poet or artist wandering carefree. A revival of interest in Haritsu's style and techniques during the 19th century is best exemplified in the copies of his work by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891), the foremost Japanese lacquerer of the 19th century.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Lacquer : Pre 1800 item #1487278
The Kura
$800.00
A bucolic scene of temples and rugged seaside hills dotted with pagodas in silver and gold wraps around the black surface of this deep tray dating from the Momoyama to early Edo period (16th-17th century). It is 27 cm (10-1/2 inches) diameter, 8.5 cm (3-3/8 inches) tall. The bottom has been re-lacquered at some time in the past. There is wear and cracks to the inside typical of age and use, and the rim has been re-done in gin-dame powdered tarnished-silver, which blends well with the ancient feeling of the piece.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1800 item #1496715 (stock #K150)
The Kura
$450.00
A classic Tamba Tea leaf storage jar (Chatsubo) with interesting mukimimi or “turned ears”, the tie lugs swirling like a Domoe on the shoulder next to the neck, each leaning to the right, as if listening to the next. In my experience this is quite unusual. The jar is covered in rivulets of flowing green leading down to an undulating belt line between the glaze and the raw clay. A white shadow in the clay indicates where once a label, likely identifying the type of tea contained, had once been applied. The jar is 28 cm (11 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1800 item #1495668 (stock #NA)
The Kura
$350.00
A set of four “Mokume” wood-grained dishes in pale crackled glaze decorated with iron lattice from the Seto area enclosed in an ancient wooden box titled Seto Oribe naga-zara. Each dish rises slightly off the table on four pinched feet. They are roughly 19 x 10 x 3 cm (7-1/2 x 4 x 1-1/4 inches) and all are in overall fine condition.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1800 item #1493747 (stock #K075)
The Kura
$1,400.00
A fabulous Edo period large Gohon Chawan from the Hagi region, a classical bowl wearing its history in a spider thread of gleaming gold. Broken once, the cracks have been repaired with softly gleaming thin wisps o gold in the highest quality. The bowl is 12.5 × 15 x 8 cm (5 x 6 x 3 inches) and comes enclosed in a period Kiri-wood box. Kintsugi lacquer gold repairs embody the spirit of wabi-sabi, a Japanese aesthetic worldview centered around imperfection, transience, and the beauty of the natural cycle of growth and decay. Embracing the flawed and broken aspects of an object through kintsugi is a way to appreciate the passage of time and the history of the object, recognizing that it gains value and character through its journey. Kintsugi aligns with traditional Japanese values of frugality and resourcefulness. Instead of discarding broken items, kintsugi repairs them, extending their lifespan and reducing waste. This approach reflects a profound respect for resources and a desire to cherish and honor the objects used in daily life. This is also a way to avoid offending the spirit of the object, as all items are embodied with a soul of some sort. The act of repairing broken pottery with gold-laced lacquer carries a symbolic message of resilience and overcoming adversity. The restored object becomes a metaphor for the human experience, highlighting that even after suffering damage or hardship, one can find beauty and strength through healing and renewal. In the context of the Japanese tea ceremony kintsugi plays a vital role in enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, especially during the tenth month. The practice of kintsugi encourages contemplation and introspection during the tea ceremony. Guests may be reminded of the impermanence of all things and the beauty that can arise from embracing life's scars and vulnerabilities. Overall, kintsugi holds a deep cultural and philosophical significance in Japanese culture, symbolizing beauty in imperfection, respect for resources, and the resilience of both objects and individuals. In the context of the tea ceremony, it enriches the aesthetics and fosters a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the present moment.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Stoneware : Pre 1800 item #1495123 (stock #NA)
The Kura
$300.00
Sale Pending
A shallow bowl in the Mishima style from Izumo named Meigetsu (Bright Moon) by the famous priest Takeda Mokurai dating from the mid to later Edo period enclosed in a fine kiri-wood collectors box titled Izumo Mishima Chawan. Perfect for summer Usu-cha, it is 13.2 cm (5-1/2 inches) diameter, 4.5 cm just less than 2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
The origin of Izumo-yaki lies in the early Edo period, when the second generation Matsudaira Tsunataka requested a Hagi ware potter from the neighboring Mori clan, which was eventually granted to the third generation Izumo leader Matsudaira Tsunachika around 1677. The founders of the kiln were Kurasaki Gonbei and Kada Hanroku. Although under continuous production, the kiln had its ups and downs until it was strongly revived by the 8th Lord of Matsue, Matsudaira Harusato (Fumaiko 1751-1818) Daimyo of the province. From then it fell strongly under his aesthetic taste. Flagging in the late 19th century, artists such as the great scholar and Nanga artist Tanomura Chokunyu sought to revitalize it, and came to Shimane to decorate the works or to teach decoration and painting techniques. It became an important influence on the Mingei movement and was visited by Bernard Leach, Hamada Shoji and Kawai Kanjiro in the early 20th century.
Takeda Mokurai began his journey down the Buddhist path at the age of 7 under the priest Ryodo. Developing under a number of masters, it was during a sojourn in Hakata he developed a love for poetry and calligraphy, something for which he would later be greatly remembered, for in later days his scholar script was highly prized. He finally settled under Yuzen Gentatsu, from whom he received Inka. A pious man he was sent to Kyoto to work at Kenninji temple in the heart of Gion, the pleasure district. His exemplary performance there, and a series of unfortunate deaths left the young priest in charge of the sprawling complex. As a scholar priest he had great influence on the art of early 20th century Kyoto, as Zen practice was almost seen as a given for painters and ceramic artists of the time including Tsuji kako, Kiyomizu Rokubei and Ito Tozan among many others. For more information on this important Zen Master, see the art of 20th Century Zen by Stephen Addiss and Audrey Yoshiko Seo.
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Devotional Objects : Pre 1800 item #1492641 (stock #K051)
The Kura
$2,100.00
The bird-faced Kami (god) Doryo Daigongen strikes a powerful pose astride the back of a mischievous white fox. Doryo is purported to have been an ascetic monk who turned himself into a Tengu when he vowed on his deathbed to protect the Mountain Temple Complex of Daiyuzen in modern day Kanagawa prefecture. This legend inspired a cult which rose to great prominence in the Edo period. To this cult the figure was the ward of Budo (martial arts). Originally this figure would have had feathered wings, which have been lost to time, and it is likely the soot encrusted figure was also once adorned in color and the fox was white, but that too has been all buried beneath centuries of soot from incense smoke. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall. There is some damage to his right hand, tip of the beak and foxes tail.
Tengu are mountain and forest goblins with both Shinto and Buddhist attributes. The patron of martial arts, the bird-like Tengu is a skilled warrior and mischief maker, especially prone to playing tricks on arrogant and vainglorious men, and to punishing those who willfully misuse knowledge and authority to gain fame or position. In Buddhist lore they came to be protectors of temples and defenders of the Dharma (Buddhist Law).
All Items : Antiques : Regional Art : Asian : Japanese : Porcelain : Pre 1900 item #1493633 (stock #K149)
The Kura
$550.00
A cluster of Blue and White Edo period Imari bowls which melted together in the inferno and fused, three becoming one in a fortuitous accident. The Japanese have long held these flaws in high esteem, accentuating the ideas of Wabi-sabi and the ephemeral which permeate Japanese culture. Roughly 24 x 16 x 8 cm (9-1/2 x 6 x 3 inches), a very interesting addition to the table.