Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian (121)

A large Korean black lacquered wood box with mother of pearl inlay. The depiction of pairs of cranes and songbirds within the decorative panels likely relevant to a wedding gift.. Joseon dynasty, 19th century. Condition is fair to good, with some some light loss to inlays and minor distress from age and use. From the hardware, 19 1/4 inches wide, 10 1/8 inches deep, 10 3/4 inches high.

A Japanese woven bamboo reed ikebana basket. Of small size and fine work. Having handled a good number of ikebana baskets over time, this one strikes us as quite sophisticated. Of baluster form, meticulously consistent woven pattern, defined foot and rim, sparse and well balanced decorative intertwined bamboo shoots across the face, and confidently woven handles. Excellent condition. Height, 8 inches.

A Nabeshima blue and white dish with decoration of peonies issuing from rockery. Late Meiji era. Good condition. Diameter, 8 inches to 8 1/8 inches. Height, 2 3/8 inches

A finely carved Suzhou school agate snuff bottle. Decoration of figures, picked out from natural colors of the stone, in landscape of hilly bluffs with overhanging pine and whispy cloud. Based on the gourd in the sash of the larger figure - possibly depicting the immortal, Le Tieguai. Nicely defined foot rim. The top rim with broad, just slightly concave surface. Very well hollowed. Height of bottle without cap, 2 5/8 inches. Height with cap, 3 1/8 inches. Excellent condition of the bottle.

The top is also in good condition but the bone spoon is a bit short and wrapped tape keeps a snug fit to the bottle. The top may be a replacement.

A well made 19th century Japanese porcelain haisen (sake up rinser on stem foot). Rare Shunga decoration depicting a bondage scene within the bowl. The manner of the painted decoration in comic fashion similar to that found on some shunga makimono. Shunga paintings and prints are rare enough but encountered. Edo period porcelains with shunga decoration are exceedingly rare. Good condition. Height, 4 1/2 inches. Diameter, 6 3/4 inches.

A good Chinese boxwood carving of Budai. Three children clamor over him. A bat appears on his right hand. Bone and horn inlays detail his eyes and teeth. Rich, mellow old patina. Nice grain figure in places. Late Qing to early Republic. Ca 1900. Very good condition with typical minor distress checks in the old hardwood surface. Remnants of old label. Height, about 4 5/8 inches high.

Probably Echizen province, late 16th or 17th century. Bizen province artisans also took up Yoshiro zogan inlay work in the Kinai (ancient provinces and surrounds) manner. Brass (valuable in the period) and silver inlay flush with the iron surface was thought to have been introduced by an artisan named Yoshiro, for whom it is named. Slightly earlier, Heianjo school work tends to rest atop the surface into which it is inlaid. Late Muromachi or early Edo period. Length, about 12 inches. More pictures coming

A Japanese iron war fan, or 'Gunbai'. These were accessories used on the battlefield to fan in heat but also as lethal, close quarter defensive accessories. A rare item not commonly encountered on the market. Black lacquered and with gold lacquer kanji quoting Sun Tzu (fifth century Chinese political and war strategist). "Swift as the wind, quiet as the forest, fierce as fire, immovable as the mountain", from 'The Art of War', popularized by 16th century Japanese warlord and Buddhist layman, Takeda Shingen. This fan is probably not earlier than the Edo period (1603-1868). Condition is fair with some lacquer loss. Length, 19 7/8 inches. More pictures coming

A fine, Mishina school tanto, forged and signed collaboratively, Omi no Kami Minamoto Hisamichi and Chakushi Minamoto Rai Hisatsugu with edakiku (branched chrysanthemum) above the two signatures. Dated on the verso 'a day in August of Genroku 15' (1702). In full polish, in shirasaya, accompanied with original koshirae with fine fittings including floral and snow on persimmons motifs. Included are kozuka, kogai, tsuba, fuchi-gashira, menuki. Accompanying documents include NBTHK Hozon certificate and old Japanese domestic registration card. Cutting edge 10 inches. Length including tang about 14 1/4 inches. Length of koshirae about 18 inches. More pictures coming later

A pair of boldly carved pale blue peking glass vases. Birds in flowering branches. Good condition. Height, eight inches. Early 20th century, Republican era.

A late Joseon dynasty mother of pearl inlaid black lacquer cosmetic and mirror box of drawers. Cranes and peaches decoration on the top. Butterflies, flowers and rockery decoration on the sides. Bamboo decoration on the back. Honeycomb pattern decoration on the front. Good condition, retaining the mirror, and with only light mother of pearl and lacquer loss. A recent owner lined the bottom of the hinged top mirror compartment with a drawer liner and felt. 19th century. 11 inches long, by 8.5 inches wide, by 7 inches high.

A Kakiemon style porcelain six lobed dish. Cobalt blue underglaze and red, green, yellow, blue and black outline overglaze enamel decoration of 'three friends of winter' (pine, bamboo and prunus). Assymetry of decoration, as well as palette, typical of Kakiemon type porcelains. But the quality of decoration (though good inside the dish), potting and mark speaks to a more general 'Arita' attribution. Some kiln grit adheres inside the foot rim. 19th century. Condition is good, with a few small glaze flakes outside the rim on one lobe, and with some wobble to the potting, and minor kiln faults and light scratches. Diameter from 5 7/8 inches (15.1 cm) to 6 1/4 inches (15.7 cm) [recall the mention of "wobble"]. Height from 1 5/16 (3.3 cm) inches to 1 1/2 inches (3.7 cm).

An Arita porcelain seashell form, scalloped dish with tall foot. Enamel decoration of Ho-o (Japanese mythological Phoenix) in the Kakiemon pallete - black, red, blue, green, yellow and gold overglaze enamel - applied over the glaze inside the dish. Slightly opaque white, large bubble suffused glaze with faint celadon pooling in recesses. Kiln grit adhering to the unglazed foot rim. An old label remains taped inside the foot proclaiming the dish to be 18th century Kakiemon ware (but probably Arita and possibly as late as the 19th century.) Very good condition. Length, 6 11/16 inches (17 cm). Width, 5 1/4 inches (13.3 cm). Height: 1 1/8 inches (3 cm).

A fine Arita blue and white four lobed bowl. Decoration of Sennin Chokaro with his gourd attribute in landscape, centered by extraordinary shironuki (drawn in white) decoration in the cavetto - each of four panels with a different auspicious figure and attributes. The outside of the shaped rim and sides also with simple shironuki decoration of a water border and a lotus blossom floating at each, dimpled corner. This accomplished work would have issued from aristocratic patronage rather than standard kiln production. Faint celadon tinge in the pooled glaze along the footrim. 18th - early 19th century. One flake inside the rim otherwise good condition. 5 7/8 to 6 inches (14.92 to 15.24 cm) across at the corners. About 1 1/2 inches (3.8 cm) high.

A fine little octagonal blue and white porcelain kakiemon style deep dish. Chocolate brown glazed rim, white body and clear glaze over cobalt blue decoration of a primitive, raised teahouse with loose thatch roof and slung entrance screen all under a large willow tree and, conspicuously, a spiderweb (perhaps to emphasize closeness to nature) in the foreground. The interior wall and rim decorated with repeating pattern and karakusa (scrolling vine and leaf). Karakusa also appearing on the exterior wall. Blue rings around the foot, a blue ring inside the foot centering a mark - appears to read Yoshi and Ga (Ka) and possibly another stylized character from the center line. One might call it a variant on the Fuku mark in this context but it looks rather like an artist and possibly a place reference for a private kiln (which would have been Daimyo sponsored in the period). The mark on the verso is aligned with the decoration on the front - an indication of attention to detail expected also of authentic fine Chinese ceramics. An extraordinary work, finely potted and deftly painted. Very good condition with light rubbing on the interior from wear and a small kiln fault there where the glaze crawled a little. Certainly early 18th century and not implausibly reaching to the end of the Genroku era (1704). About 5 1/4 inches (13.34 cm) diamater at the sides, 5 5/8 inches (14.3 cm) diameter at the corners, about 1 5/16 inch (3.33 cm) high.

A fine Japanese blue and white porcelain dish. The foliate rim with chocolate brown glaze, the white porcelain body and glaze, and the fine attention to detail all suggest Kakiemon type. The cavetto with decoration of flowering plants including peonies, prunus and others. The center decorated with a bird (perhaps a flycatcher) in fruited branches, rockery and bamboo leaves below. Both the cavetto and center with reverse technique where the underglaze cobalt blue forms the background of the decoration. Finely defined chatter marks inside the footrim centering five spur marks. Remnants of an old label adhere to the back. The decoration has the feel of Chinese inspiration. Emulation of traditional Chinese porcelain decoration, and certainly Chinese porcelain marks, is not without basis. I have not come upon quite this decoration before and would consider it, along with the quality of this work, to be rare and early - probably Genroku era. One hairline issues from the rim where a flake on the front has an old repair, otherwise good condition. This dish would be an excellent candidate for a proper kintsugi (gold lacquer) repair. Diameter 8 7/8 inches (22.5 cm), Height 1 1/16 inch (2.7 cm).

A large Tembo tsuba. The Tembo (or Tenpo) style evolved from the Saotome school and the sukashi decoration of Okiagari here (an especially nice feature) carries over. Okiagari are self righting toys and the subject was a symbol of inspiration to Samurai in aspiring to improvement and the right path in life. There is, on a curious level of interest, some minute trace of old gold decoration (long since worn off) on the surface of this tsuba. Though there are transitional examples, the present example has a drier feel more typical of Tembo iron (Saotome examples having a smoother, wetter feel.) The kozuka-ana plugged with, apparently, pewter. Edo period. Good condition with one small scratch (should be easily treatable.) Height 3 3/8 inches (85 cm), Width 3 3/16 inches (81.5 cm), and 5/32 of an inch (4 cm) thick.

A simple, small but stout iron tsuba. The Myochin line of metal workers were armor makers who also produced tsuba. The simple decoration upper-right here could be a flower head or a snowflake. Udenuki-ana appear lower left. Good condition. Height 2 3/4 inches (69 cm), Width 2 9/16 inches (65 cm), and 6/32 of an inche (5 mm) thick.