Japanese antique 2-section choba tansu from the Gifu area. This merchant's chest is made of hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood and has extensive horizontal wooden slats on the sides for support. The top portion of the chest has sliding panels with horizontal slats which match the sides and one full-width drawer. The larger bottom section also has sliders with horizontal slats and 5 drawers of various sizes...

An antique Japanese Mikuni Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Aka Matsu (Red Pine), Hinoki (Cypress) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original lacquer finish and hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles and full moon lock plates). Through mortise and tenon Japanese joinery and side ribs for strength and support. Lift-up side handles allow through a wood pole letting two persons carry the tansu from store to store...

A spectacular collapsed pottery jar from the Karatsu tradition with a purpose-warped wooden lid covered in powdered silver enclosed in a top quality ancient red-lacquered kiri-wood box lined with wave-patterned colored-paper. The ancient box has silver lacquer writing on the top reading Kodai Karatsu Tsubo, Kamakura Ki, Mizusashi (Ancient Karatsu Tsubo, Kamakura Period, Mizusashi). The pot is 17 cm (7 inches) diameter, 15 cm (6 inches) tall and in overall excellent condition.

Antique Japanese Bronze Dragon and Phoenix Pedestal Stand, beautifully modeled and unusual with dragon encircling diameter of the neck with the phoenix above him. key lappet border at base. Good overall condition. Some wear to finish on top.

Size: 31"H x 10.75" Diameter at top and 12.5" Diameter at base.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912), circa 1900

Antique Japanese bronze temple bell, or "bonsho", with a handle of dragon heads called a ryuzu, protrusions called "chi chi" or "nyu" to improve resonance of sound, the "tsuki-za" striking panels, and the "mei-bun" inscription of the bell's history...

This an exquisite Satsuma tea jar from Ryozan. The gold work and painting are examples of his best workmanship. The piece is in excellent condition but the original lid is missing and this lid has a repair. It was used to help this great piece display better. Maybe some one out there has a better lid for the great piece. It stands 6 inches tall.

An antique Japanese Choba Tansu (merchant chest) made of Momiji (Maple), Sakura (Cherry) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. Made with hand forged iron hardware including the Warabite handles. With 8 exterior drawers, 2 sliding doors behind which is a storage space with a removable shelf and a hinged door that hides 4 small drawers. constructed using straight dovetail Japanese joinery with hardened wooden nails. Pair of side handles to each side for ease of placement in a room...

A Japanese Buddhist temple wall carving / transom, with red and gilt lacquer pigments. Carved with the image of an instrument against a ground of heavenly clouds. Professionally framed to be mounted and displayed on the wall.

Dimensions: 42.24" L x 27" H

An antique Japanese low one section Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Sakuranoki (Cherry) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Two sliding doors behind which is a spacious storage area with a full width split level shelf. Constructed using through mortise and tenon Japanese joinery...

Antique Japanese single section mizuya (kitchen tansu) made of sugi (crytomeria) wood and finished a light natural color. The large single compartment is opened by two sliding panels with details made of keyaki wood and rounded horizontal rounded slatsof sugi wood.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 33" high x 71 1/4" wide x 19 1/4" deep.

A rare large vase by Kanzan Denshichi decorated with a hermitage in the hills and a poem extolling the beauty of summers first rain by Kanzan Denshichi enclosed in the original signed wooden box bearing the Shountei seal, dating it between 1871 and 1890. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) tall and in excellent condition.
Kanzan Denshichi (1821-1890) was born in the ceramic-producing area of Seto...

Antique Japanese 2 Section Kiri Kasane (chest on chest) Tansu constructed entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. Two full drawers on top section with 1 full drawer and a smaller drawer with hinged door hiding 2 small drawers on the bottom half. Traditionally used to store kimonos, obis, and textile accessories, its contemporary use includes a dresser drawer, linen cabinet or when separated used as side tables or bedside nightstands...

A set of 5 rare Dutch glass cups imported to Japan in the Edo period and formerly owned by the Confucian scholar Nakai Riken (1732-1817). They are enclosed in a custom made double sided wooden box with drop in doors titled on the side Yoi-O-Gozui (Five fortuitous ways to be drunken) with a long verse carved into each door. Of course, the meaning of the title goes much deeper, and the Gozui is also a Confucian concept...

An antique Japanese Nihon Matsu Kasane Tansu made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original hand forged iron hardware and acquired natural patina. Features Warabite style handles with Plum Blossom knockers (called Atari) used as an audible deterrent when thieves try to open a drawer. 4 large drawers for Kimono storage and a hinged door behind which 2 drawers kept valuables safe. Made using Japanese joinery techniques and hardened wooden nails...

Antique Japanese gunbai, war fan belonging to a high ranking samurai officer. Made of lacquered wood with shell inlay and with 2 large cut outs. This fan would have been used to shade from the sun and to signal troops. Though this shape of fan was not used as a weapon, it could have come in very handy in battle and there are legends of samurai heroes fighting with nothing but their war fans. The art of fighting with a war fan is called tessenjutsu...

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 ...

An antique Japanese Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) in 2 sections made of HInoki (Cypress) and Keyaki (Zelkkova) woods. All original hand forged iron handles including the Mokko style handles. Upper section has 2 sliding doors with iron wire mesh screen that was used similar to the western pie safe with 4 drawers below. The lower section has 2 sliding doors behind which is a removable shelf with 2 side by side drawers below. Side supports added strength and visual design to the chest. Construc...

An unusual mask with gaping jaws and flattened features covered in red and black lacquer with golden teeth and eyes dated a lucky day in the 6th month of Tenmei 2 (1782). The mask is of carved wood covered in cloth over which has been applied layers of colored lacquer, gold and gofun (powdered shell) to form the white eyebrows. It is quite unusual in configuration. Most masks are open at the back, however this is carved with curling hair all the way down to the neck. Two holes in the teeth we...