A Very Rare Blue-White Vase with a Portrait of Lao Tzu, Founder of Taoism and Mark of Ming Dynasty Emperor Chenghua Reign The vase is exceptional in both its design and figure-painting motif...

A Rare Junyao-Styled Sky-Blue Glazed Brush-Washer with a Rosy Splash Motif and Two Year-Handles Condition Report: Good Condition Provenance: Property of a MA Collection Dimensions: Height: 3 inches (7 62 cm) Diameter: 5 3/4 inches (14.7 cm) Medium: Ceramic

A Rare and Exquisite Jade/Jadeite Marla Bead-String for Meditation Weight: 213 grams Length: 14 1/4 inches (36.2 cm) plus a 4-inch-long fringe Condition Report: Good Condition Provenance: Property of a MA Collection

Unavailable

A Rare Tang Dynasty Bronze Mirror with Archaic Shanzi Motifs Diameter: 7 5/8 inches (20 cm) Condition Report: Good Condition Provenance: Property of a MA Collection

A Rare Ming Dynasty Tianhuang Stone Seal with a Tiger-Knob The seal is carved with four Chinese characters Hao Qi Chang Cun, meaning the deed of bravery will forever exist as Heaven and Earth. Weight: Approximately 420 grams Width & Thickness: Approximately 2 X 2 inches (5.1 X 5.1 cm) Height: Approximately 4 (10.2 cm) Condition Report: Hand-Carved, Good Vintage Condition Provenance: Property of a MA Collector

A long Japanese ranma / transom Finely hand carved from Keyaki (hardwood), beautifully carved with a scene of cranes underneath the branches of a pine tree. Edged in black with attractive woodgrain. Original Condition Size: 73.5" length, 17.5" height, 1" depth

Fantastic execution of the Shino pottery style in the form of a bold and attractive Henko vase. The feldspar glazing and visually captivating red scorch marks serve as a backdrop for several attractive and well placed kiln effects—overall an exceptional piece by this artist.

Ando Hidetake was born the third generation of a Mino pottery family in Gifu prefecture in 1938. He began as an apprenticeship under Kato Tokuro in 1960...

Japanese framed print by sosaku-hanga artist Haku Maki (1924-2000) titled "Work 73-122". Depiction of a bright embossed persimmon against black background. Signed in pencil with red artist's cartouche. Set in a black and gold wooden frame. Size: 17.25" height, 14" width (entire frame) 11.25" height, 8.5" width

Kawase Hasui
Rain at Shuzenji Hot Spring
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Date: 1933
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the Watanabe "E seal" used between 1932-42 and consistent with a first edition.
Condition: Excellent with slight fading.

Japanese framed sumi print by abstract artist Toko Shinoda (1913-present). This print is titled "The Shade", with very light shadows and intersecting calligraphy lines with a streak of red. Number 14/50, signed in pencil. Size: (entire frame) 16.75" length, 13.75" width, 1" thick (artwork only) 11" height, 8" width

Located at the foot of an active volcano, the Ougaku kiln specializes in a type of pottery know as Sakurajima-yaki. The kiln is headed by Hashino Midori and run entirely by female potters who strive to infuse each piece they produce with the “energy” of the surrounding environment. Pieces such as the one featured here are made from volcanic ash and mineral-rich onsen spring water giving them a unique luster that is difficult to reproduce...

Paul Jacoulet
Tatooed Woman of Falalap, West Carolines
(Femme Tatouée de Falalap Ouest Carolines)
Date: July 5, 1935.
First edition: 91/150 numbered in kanji. Fewer than 100 impressions produced.
This edition was issued without a title...

This lovely white Hagi chawan rests firmly on a wari kodai or “split foot.” The crackled milky glaze varies in consistency across the curves and contours of the bowl with some areas tending towards a faint brown, adding an interesting dimension to the landscape.

The creator of this piece Matsuura Mugen (1944 - ) has spent his life in the pursuit of perfecting the art of Hagi...

This simple and elegant green porcelain vase was made by a student of Kiyomizu Rokubei (VI) who was well-known for creating fine porcelain pieces modeled on ancient Chinese forms.

Kato Keizan I (1886-1963) was born in Tajimi, Gifu prefecture but later moved to Kyoto and opened a kiln in Gojozaka in 1912...

Takahashi Shotei (1871-1945)
Rain at Igusa
Date: Pre-1923 earthquake. Muted color version with full title.
Size: Mitsugiri-ban...

Unusual Low root wood table, beautiful golden color wood, the top is a cross section with dramatic burl grain radiating from the center like run rays, the base is made of a section of tree trunk. Size: 20" high x 36" long x 27" wide

Ohara Koson
Crows.
Size: O-tanzaku. Approximately 14.5 x 7.5 inches.
Date: 1910s.
Publisher: Daikokuya.
Reference: K5.10 and plate 111 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland)
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Never framed. Full original margins.

A beautifully painted porcelain blue and white Chinese vase with four maidens in elaborately designed robes, holding various objects such as flower baskets, a paint brush, and a book. Scholar's objects have been painted around the neck. The body has an interesting raised speckle texture. Unusual signature on bottom with beautiful floral design outline. Comes with hardwood stand...

Raised, undulating ridges on a field of cobalt blue highlighted with white slip and bronze flecks around the rim, this piece conjures images of the deep and stormy sea or possibly of the vast swirling cosmos...

Ohara Koson
Owl and Moon
Size: O-tanzaku. Approximately 14.5 x 8.5 inches.
Date: 1930s. This edition post 1950.
Reference: K20.6 and page 97 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: the Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland)
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku
Condition: Excellent. Full original margins. Never framed.

Ohara Koson
Cormorants at Coast
Size: Dai-oban. Approximately 17.25 x 11.25 inches.
Date: 1930s. This edition ca. 1960.
Reference: K3.3 and page 141 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: the Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland)
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku
Condition: Excellent. Full original margins.

Ohara Koson
Cawing Crow
Size: Dai-oban. Approximately 17 x 11.5 inches.
Date: 1930s. This edition post-1950.
Reference: K5.15 and page 140 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: the Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland)
Publisher: Nishinomiya Yosaku
Condition: Excellent. Full original margins.

A set of four unusual small dishes enclosed in the original signed wooden box by Kitaoji Rosanjin (1883-1959), one of Japans most famous 20th century artists. Iron reds underlie the pale earthen glaze, with a dollop of Oribe green on one side. Almost as if planned, the pieces have firing cracks filled with black lacquer, adding a fourth consideration to the standard essentials: form, design and glazing. Each dish is roughly 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) diameter...

Japanese woodblock print by artist Mayumi Oda (1941-present), titled "Ancient Sea Spider Conch", number 19/45 in its series. Signed in pencil. Pairs with another print titled "Ancient Sea" Largest prints she has made. Size: 38.5" height, 25.5" width

Japanese woodblock print by artist Mayumi Oda (1941-present), titled "Ancient Sea", number 19/45 of the series. Signed in pencil. Pairs with another print titled "Ancient Sea Spider Conch". Largest Prints she has made. Size: 38.5" height, 25.5" width

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Spring Rain at Matsushima
Date: 1936.
Size: Oban. Approximately 16.5 x 11.25 inches.
Publisher: Doi Hangaten, also bears Doi watermark.
Carver: Harada, printer: Yokoi.
This seal combination indicates an early post-war edition.
Condition: Excellent.

Paul Jacoulet
Une Averse A Metalanim Ponape, Est Carolines (Downpour at Metalanim Ponape, East Carolines)
Date: October 1, 1935. First edition. This edition was issued without a title. The title label at the lower right was added by the original collector.
Size: Approximately 18.75 x 13.75 inches.
Jacoulet signature and watermark with mandarin duck seal.
Edition: 053/150 numbered in kanji. (The edition of 150 is the earliest...

Paul Jacoulet
Jeune Fille de Saipan Et Fleurs D'Hibiscus. Marianes" (Young Girl of Saipan and Hibiscus Flowers. Marianas)
Date: June 30, 1934. First edition. This edition was issued without a title. The title label at the lower right was added by the original collector.
Size: Approximately 18.5 x 13.75 inches.
Jacoulet signature and watermark with fan seal.
Edition: 067/150...

Ohara Koson
Sailing boat near sandy coast
Date: 1900s-1910s.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.5 x 8.25 inches.
Reference: K44.21 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Condition: Excellent. The original "Made in Japan" stamp on the verso shows through a bit in the sky.
A very rarely seen seascape and Fuji view.

Ohara Koson
Matsushima - A bay with rocky islands and a sailing boat seen from above
Date: 1900s-1910s.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.5 x 8.25 inches.
Reference: K44.15 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Condition: Excellent.
A very rarely seen seascape. "Made in Japan" stamp on verso.

A beautiful early 20th C. Chinese silver enameled square opium box in excellent condition. W:5cm x 5cm Marked. Sold to Australia

Looking as though it were cast from molten rock, this chawan has a very earthy and primal feel to it...

This is an excellent hand-carved Japanese Netsuke depicting Shoki, the demon queller, in his usual standing position, with his sword drawn. Although he appears to have captured one of them, the other Oni is playfully standing on his shoulders while pulling one of Shoki's ears. Outstanding detail and form symmetry characterizes this miniature sculpture. Very nice contrast between the patinated robes and the highly polished Oni's and Shoki's protruding body parts. Signed Hideyuki, on the bac...

Height approximately 21.5cm. New patina added. In good condition.

Unusual special hardwood side table or stand with a beautiful dramatic woodgrain. It is of an hourglass form and is very heavy. Very fun interesting stand. Size: 25.5" height, 12.5" width

A beautiful jadeite in a wonderful emerald green tone, mounted on a 14K gold band with feminine form. Band is marked "14K" and "5.85". Size: .75 cm x 1 cm

Chinese ring with green jadeite oval shaped cabochon, mounted on a 14K good ring (with gold mark), the jadeite is encircled in a ring of leaves and raised up with an open back to maximize the light shining through stone. Size: 1.7cm x 1cm

Chinese jadeite pendant carved in the shape of a gourd on vine with smaller gourd on one side, a squirrel runs up the other side, made of lovely green jadeite with 18K white gold setting. Size of jadeite: 4.6 x 2 x 0.9 cm

Beautiful Chinese jadeite pendant, carved with a dragon on one side of front and back, mounted with a white gold setting marked 18K, the jadeite is a striking mottled light green, emerald green with subtle orange-yellow area on one edge. Size of jadeite: 2.8 x 4.3 x 0.4 cm

A wonderful contemplative scholar's piece of Chinese aloeswood. The distinct and pleasant fragrance of aloeswood is the result of a special kind of mould and is highly treasured for its use in incense and perfumes among various Eastern religions. A fine yet subtle decorative piece. Size: 6" height, 17" length, 4" width. Weight: 799 grams/13.8 oz

A wonderful statue of the Bodhisattva Kwan Yin carved from precious aloeswood. The distinct and pleasant fragrance of aloeswood is the result of a special kind of mould and is highly treasured for its use in incense and perfumes among various Eastern religions. This Kwan Yin has been decorated with gold and silver pigment. Small losses. Republic period. Size: 18" height, 6" width, 5.5" depth Weight: 1829 grams, 4.05lbs

Japanese woodblock print by artist Makino Munenori (1940-present) titled 'Tenka' (or Heavenly Flowers) in pencil, number 107/180, and signed in bottom corner. The colors used are extremely beautiful and gives a surreal feel to this piece. Dated 1988. Size: 16.5" height, 22" width

Japanese vintage woodblock print by artist Yoshio Kanamori (1922-present) titled 'Lake Mountain'. Numbered and inscribed in pencil, signed with red cartouche. Size: 19.25" height, 13.25" width

A breathtaking framed woodblock print by artist Takahiko Hayashi (1961-present) titled "The Wind Filled with Roots, Countless Small Beginnings". Hundreds of small overlapping swirls may represent gusts of wind blowing over bold blades of grass, with a gradating background of golden and deep brown hues. The top of a single, transparent red block sits in the very bottom center of the print. Signed, titled, and numbered 47/50 in pencil. It is set in a wonderful, attractive gilt frame with a bold li...

A unique Japanese kanban (shop sign) in the shaped of a pipe, with gilt kanji. It hangs from a length of iron chain. A very fun and attractive piece. Vintage age c1950 Size: 8" height (17.5" hanging) 26.5" length

Framed Japanese woodblock print by artist Okiie Hashimoto (1899-1993) Signed in pencil, with inscription and artist's cartouche. Circa 1959. Size: (entire frame) 35.25" height, 29.25" width (artwork only) 22.5" height, 17.5" width

Occasionally as I’m browsing through the temple markets of Kyoto or perusing backstreets tea-ware shops, an attractive piece will catch my eye for no particular reason. When this happens, I typically buy it immediately without hesitation, trusting that I will be able to decipher the Chinese script and give it proper attribution through the course of my research. In this case, I was only able to make it half-way there. Unfortunately the bowl does not bear the artist’s seal and the box only pr...

This impressive han-tsutsu Shino chawan was made by the late 13th generation Mino potter Kato Seizo (1930-1979, Kagekiyo). Kato’s works are well-regarded throughout Japan and he has won a number of honors and awards over the course of his career as an artist. Not surprisingly, he is equally appreciated abroad and by foreign experts of Japanese pottery. Robert Yellin wrote of Kato: "Kato was one of the finest Mino potters after the first generation of Showa greats, such as Kato Tokuro and Araka...

This brilliant Tenmoku chawan displays gold and flaxen hues interspersed with dark ash glaze. The piece rests upon an unglazed clay pedestal showing the iron-rich clay the bowl is formed from.

Shodai-ware has a long and storied history stretching back as far as the Nara (710 - 794) and Heian (794 - 1192 ) periods. Pieces made in this pottery tradition have a very distinctive look that comes from the iron-rich clay of Kumamoto and the distinctive ash glazes that are used that give t...

A very elegant and mature tsutsu style chawan created by Ito Tozan III (1900-1970), third generation of the Ito Tozan line of potters. Tozan, who at one time worked in the kiln of Hamada Shoji, learned pottery from his father Ito Tozan II (1871-1937) and his grandfather Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) from a very young age. Tozan III received many prestigious awards during his years as a potter and has the distinction of having his pottery held by the Imperial Household. Tsutsu chawan have an especia...

This magnificent Shino-yaki chawan, done in a rediscovered Momoyama period style, came from the kilns of one of Japan’s most celebrated and talented potters.

Arakawa Toyozo (1894 - 1985), designated in 1955 as one of but a handful of National Living Treasures, is best known for rediscovering lost techniques of pottery from the Momoyama and early Edo periods. In 1930 he discovered shards at the site of the ruins of an ogama style kiln at Mutabora proving that that Shino and Oribe g...

This chawan was fired in the kilns of one of Kyoto’s best known raku-yaki potters, Sasaki Shoraku III (1944-). The Shoraku line began when the grandfather of the current potter established a kiln near the famous Kiyomizu temple, nestled at the foot of the eastern mountains in Kyoto. In 1945, the kiln was moved to Kameoka near the Yada shrine where it remains today.

Raku teabowls are made by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters ha...

A pair of Japanese wooden carvings of the Nio, or wrathful guardians to the Buddha. While Buddhism beliefs are typically pacifist, the Nio justified physical force in order to defend against evil and are usually found on either side of a temple door. The Nio called Misshaku Kongo or Agyo keeps his mouth open to represent the first sound in the Sanskrit language "a", symbolizing birth and overt violence. The other Nio is called Nareen Kongo or Ungyo and has a closed mouth to represent the last so...

A dazzling Hagi-ware bowl with cherry petal and earthen tones made by one of Japan's great potters. The 14th potter of the Sakakura line of potters Sakakura Shinbei XIV (1917-1975) was designated an important human cultural treasure of Yamaguchi prefecture in 1972. For those interested, videos produced by NHK are available online detailing the work of the current Sakakura Shinbei XV, the kiln, and the surrounding estate.

This piece is 5.7 inches in diameter (14.5cm) and 3 inches tal...

A captivating bowl created by Kyoto potter Kawai Zuiho, most likely in the early 70’s. This bowl features a red undercoat which is visible in places through the greenish overglaze. The effect is quite striking and sure to attract the eye. With a convenient indent on the side, this bowl fits comfortably in the hand.

Kyo-Yaki is high-fired ceramic and pottery that centers around the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. Dating back to the 17th century, this style of pottery stems from the...

A charming akaraku chawan done by third generation potter Kato Ryusei. This piece was fired at the Akahiko Kama which has produced pottery in Aichi prefecture since 1956 and who have the distinction of being commissioned not only by the Showa Emperor and Empress but also by the later Heisei Emperor.

With a soft luminance and subtle charm, this piece would be an valued addition to the collection of any budding tea practitioner.

The bowl is 4.7 inches in diameter (12cm)...

A beautiful Hagi-yaki chawan done by well-known artist Kaneda Keien (1949-). Keien is an 8th generation potter who has been producing works for over 40 years and is the winner of several awards for excellence. A distinctive feature of his works is that they utilize an iron-rich soil collected on the island of Mishima in the Sea of Japan. Pieces made using this soil tend to display a soft cherry petal hue which gives these bowls an excellent “keshiki” or what might be referred to as a “cera...

This chawan was fired in the kilns of one of Kyoto’s best known raku-yaki potters, Sasaki Shoraku III (1944-). The Shoraku line began when the grandfather of the current potter established a kiln near the famous Kiyomizu temple, nestled at the foot of the eastern mountains in Kyoto. In 1945, the kiln was moved to Kameoka near the Yada shrine where it remains today.

Raku teabowls are made by hand, without the use of a potter's wheel. In the process of shaping the bowls, potters ha...

A mature work by an artist who’s career as a potter has spanned over 55 years. This beautiful white Hagi bowl by Takenouchi Akihiro (1937-) displays a quiet elegance that sets the mind at ease.

Takenouchi is a member of the Japan Arts and Crafts Association and the winner of various prizes and awards for pieces he produced at the Sousou kiln which he established in 1967.

The piece is 4.5 inches in diameter (11.5cm) and stands 3.7 inches tall (9.5cm) and comes with a ...