A Federal sewing table of elegant form. Mahogany legs and mahogany veneered skirt - both with string inlay. Stylized, bentwood stretchers with mahogany veneer bracing the graceful, tapering legs. The top a later replacement and the key escutcheon without a lock mechanism. Early 19th century and later. Refinished. Serviceable condition. Height, 31 1/4 inches. Width 18 5/8 inches. Depth, 14 3/8 inches.

This table may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

A George III mahogany table. The pie crust tilt on turned pedestal with three legs terminating on slipper feet. The form and style generally known by reference to Chippendale. The size between what might be used for wine or for tea. 18th century. Fair and serviceable condition with an old repair to the base of the column and to one foot. Height, 27 inches. Diameter, about 24 1/8 inches.

This table may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

Federal card table. Figured mahogany single board top leaves and legs. Crotch mahogany veneered skirt. The shaped top leaves with reeded edges. The skirt frame conforming in shape, joined legs with carved flower head decoration within rectangular reserves over tapering, reeded legs on turned feet. Probably Philadelphia based on the form and feeding. Circa 1815. Good condition with some minor veneer loss along the skirt edging. The top with minor stressing of the wood. Height, 29 2/2 inches. Width, 35 1/2 inches. Depth, 17 3/4 inches.

This table may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

The small, scalloped bowl with persimmon, light teal and yellow floral decoration with red and black outline. A molded decoration of dragon with jewel in the center. A nicely executed chocolate brown rim consistent with tradition. The verso plain and exhibiting impurities and open bubbles in the white glaze. Raised on a ring foot exposing a relatively refined clay. This could be work from another Arita kiln, but perhaps as likely relaxed Kakiemon production after collapse of the supporting export market. We estimate later 18th century. Good condition. Diameter, 5 1/2 inches. Stands about 1 and 1/2 inch from the foot.

A finely made, large mid 20th century Kakiemon style shallow bowl with lobed rim. Persimmon red, light blue, light green and bright yellow enamel decoration with black and red outline of two Hōō (mythical birds of heaven) in the bowl and of Kiri kamon on the verso. The Kiri (or Paulownia) kamon was used by the Toyotomi, branches of the Imperial family, branches of the Matsudaira (related to the Tokugawa) and other prominent families. Very good condition with only minor kiln imperfections attesting to hand production. We are indicating an estimate of mid-20th century origin though it must be either pre-war or post-war (such porcelain production and decorative arts industry having been interrupted). This work already demonstrates some success in reviving Kakiemon traditions (note the well formed foot and relatively pure porcelain visible from the foot). But we know that the traditional pure kaolin body was not successfully repeated (without failure in the kiln) by the Sakaida masters until the later 50s. Diameter, 9 7/8 inches. Height from the foot about 1 and 7/8 inches.

An unusual, orange-peel textured Kakiemon lobed rim dish. Persimmon red, light blue, bright yellow, green and gold enamel decoration with black and red outline of Shishi and Tree Peony decoration (a traditional Japanese Kakiemon motif) on the white glazed porcelain body. The rim detailed with brown enamel also characteristic of Kakiemon wares. Strongly potted and raised on a slightly buff-toned ring foot (a Japanese specimen from the Kakiemon family kilns would reveal white kaolin from the foot, though other Japanese kilns would not necessarily). From the formation of the foot, the relatively stout potting, the molded orange-peel texture, uneven brown detailing of the rim, and nuances of the decoration, we believe this to be a European copy (possibly English [Chelsea?], or Edmé Samson after English in turn) of Kakiemon production. Excellent condition. Diameter, 8 and 7/16th inches. Standing about an inch and an 1/8th high from the foot.

A Continental or colonial strongly sculpted wood Santos figural group, probably depicting Saint Joseph with baby Jesus. Red, yellow, black, green, teal and skin-tone polychrome painted surface - distressed with time. Inlaid crystal eyes. A pleasing, classical fullness to the flexed posture of the figures despite the rugged strength of this accomplished work. 18th century or earlier. Good condition for the object’s age and medium. Some expected movement of the wood and distress of the polychrome. Height, at least 14 3/4 inches

An Edo period Echizen Kinai school iron sukashi tsuba. Strongly carved to depict a coiled dragon. Niji-mei signature “Kinai”. Very good condition. Early 19th century. Height, 3 3/8 inches. Width, 3 5/16 inches. (3/16 of an inch thick)

An Edo period iron sukashi tsuba depicting two sages within a well executed landscape with waterfall, grass, pine and clouds all nicely detailed with sparse gold inlay. Bearing the signature “Soten Sei”. Good condition. Height, 3 1/8 inches. Width, nearly 3 inches

An interesting Owari marugata form tsuba. The sukashi decoration of water caltrop is unusual with the side views top and bottom and the silohuette views left and right of the seppa-dai. Owari examples usually portray the water caltrop with open-work (rather than silhouetted) centers. The water caltrop is referred to in Japanese art terminology as “matsukawa” because of its shape and texture resembling pieces of coarse pine bark. The size, shape, proportion, symmetric decoration and plum color of the iron consistent with Owari. Appears to be scant traces of original lacquer on the surface. One hitsu-ana for kozuka or bashin. Azuchi-Momoyama period, Circa 1600. Good condition. Diameter, 3 1/8 inches

Higo iron tsuba. Hayashi school Sukashi fish net pattern within mimi. Hitsuana for kozuka and kogai flanking the seppa-dai. Edo period. Good condition but could use a little cleaning and care. Height, 2 15/16 inches. Width, 2 13/16 inches. (About 3/16 inches thick)

An Edo period iron sukashi tsuba with “hundred monkeys” motif. 18th century.

A copper alloy (sentoku) example in The Metropolitan Museum of Art posits the motif as “108 human sins in the guise of monkeys” (46.122.77). Signed Hishū Yagami-Jū Mitsuhiro, it and other examples include a silver alloy (shibuichi) tsuba in The Walters Art Museum (from Noda, rather than Yagami, in Hizen province) signed the same (51.133), a second (unsigned and in the nanban manner with patterned seppa-dai) in the Walters has a mimi surrounding the open worked plate, an iron nanban tsuba in the Seattle Art Museum (37.44), a photographed iron nanban tsuba in the J. Paul Getty Museum (56538), and an iron tsuba in the Museum of Fine Arts Boston signed Yagami Shoyoken Mitsuhiro (13.1769).

Of the above examples in prominent public collections, the sentoku [copper alloy] and shibuichi [silver alloy] examples appear to be later generations of the same Mitsuhiro line. The present example (unsigned) and the Boston example (signed Yagami Shoyoken Mitsuhiro) are traditional iron tsuba, taking inspiration but not form from nanban work (proportions, seppa-dai and this tsuba's mimi [rim] being traditional), and exhibit strikingly comparable workmanship including sparse gold details on at least a few eyes of the monkeys. Both also have symmetric hitsu-ana suggestive of the Shoami tsuba movement. The remaining cited examples are nanban work from which the motif derived.

The present, unsigned example may be earlier than the cited examples owing to the prominent mimi consistent with the tradition of katchushi (armorer) tsuba from which the Shoami movement evolved. Later generations were also more likely to sign comparable works. I would characterize this tsuba as early Hizen Yagami Mitsuhiro work in the Shoami tradition and probably the same "Shoyoken Mitsuhiro", as the Boston museum example, or possibly a preceding generation or contemporary. It is reasonable that creative Shoami artists could be expected to pick up influences including from extant nanban work. Hizen province generally being a center for foreign trade, and Yagami specifically being a district of the Nagasaki trade port, further supports this.

An article by Robert Burawoy in Bushido magazine, V3,No1, 3rd quarter 1981, touches on the three generations known to have signed Yagami Mitsuhiro. Some reference is made to economy of simpler execution of the mimi by the first generation - with repetitive pattern in contrast to varied detail by the second generation. The thick, prominent mimi of the present example also provides economy of execution as does the second, nanban example in the Walters (though the present example is clearly by a Japanese artisan while the same cannot be said of the Walters’ unsigned nanban manner tsuba).

Good condition. Height, 3 inches. Width, 2 3/4 inches. (Seppa-dai about an 1/8 inch thick. Mimi a little more than 1/8 inch thick. The monkeys decoration a little less than 1/8 inch thick.)

An attractive, simple Shino low-fired pottery dish with oatmeal colored glaze, flat, Oribe manner scraped foot, also with a glaze swipe and impressed two character mark within cartouche. The rim and a boat decoration accented with brushed iron oxide. Good condition. Edo period. Diameter, about 8 1/2 inches

A small gem of a vase: Hayashi manner silver wire cloisonné. Butterflies decoration in polychrome enamels over a muted green enamel background. Maker’s mark impressed inside the foot rim. Meiji period. Very good condition, with some coarse enamel texture over the intricate cloisons detailing the butterflies. Height, 4 3/4 inches

A pair of cups and saucers with Dragons In Compartments (also known as Bengal Tiger) pattern decoration. Probably late 18th century, Barr period Worcester.

One cup is in good condition with some rubbing to the gilding. The other cup has less rubbing but a small flake just inside the rim (the rim edge and exterior outside the flake look and feel substantially good). One saucer with only mild rubbing has an old flake inside the rim (the rim edge and exterior outside the flake look and feel reasonably good). The other saucer is somewhat rubbed but the body and supporting glaze in good condition. (See the second enlargement for the two pieces with a rim flake each).

Saucer diameters, roughly 5 1/8 to 5 1/4 inches. Cups, height about 2 1/4 inches high and about 3 inches diameter.

A Hirado blue and white porcelain bowl. Dragon decoration on the interior center. Flowerhead in mokkogata reserves decoration along the interior below the rim with pale iron oxide wash. Intricate dragon and phoenix decoration around the exterior. The unglazed bottom and foot with the smooth biscuit characteristic of the kiln. Taisho period. Good condition. Diameter, 5 1/2 inches. Height, 2 1:8 inches.

A Hirado blue and white porcelain censer with pierced lattice work cover and sides. Lion masks in relief on opposing sides. Decoration of aromatic flowers and wisps of burning incense. Three feet elevate the censer above surfaces. Early Showa period. Good condition. Lion mask to Lion mask nearly 4 inches in length. Height, covered, just over 3 inches.

A good Hizen-yaki, Arita kilns octagonal blue and white porcelain bowl. Shonsui ‘three friends if winter, decoration in roundels among shape patterns. A single Minogame decorates the interior center. A Fuku mark appear center of the bottom, inside the unglazed ring foot. 19th century. Good condition. 5 inches at widest points. Little more than 3 inches at highest points.