Catalog: Archives: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (581)

A massive museum quality Chinese style Pot by leading Kyoto artist Ito Tozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The bulb-form body is sculpted with 14 flutes, a pair of beast heads serve as handles. The glaze is olive covered in red, bleeding through in places, the combination of color quite striking. The vase is 18 inches (46 cm) tall, 14 inches (36 cm) diameter and in perfect condition and comes with the original rosewood stand. The box is simply titled Horo-Kama Kabin signed inside Tozan Kinsei and stamped Tozan. The Ito family, spanned three generations. Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) began his artistic career studying painting in the Shijo manner under Koizumi Togaku before moving to the plastic arts under a number of teachers, including Takahashi Dohachi. He began using the name Tozan in 1895, and later received a number of prizes from the Imperial family, as well as being internationally acclaimed in the Paris, Chicago and Amsterdam Exhibitions. He was named a member of the prestigious Imperial Art Academy in 1917, three years before his death. He worked very closely with his adopted son, Ito Tozan II (1871-1937). He too began life as a painter, but his talent was seen by Tozan I, who adopted him and converted him to pottery, where he both succeeded and excelled as a member of one of Kyotos most well known pottery families. The line unfortunately died with the third Tozan in 1970.

A blossoming cherry occupied by two Birds of paradise spreads its arms over blue water flowing across the gold ground of this fine two panel screen by Kano Takanobu (d. 1794). The scene is depicted with mineral pigment on paper and gold foil. The artist has chosen a softer than traditional approach to the tree bark, almost boneless, all written with washes of dark color like that of the Rimpa school. The blossoms themselves are painted in slight moriage gofun, each heart shaped petal unique. It is quite spectacular. The screen has been fully restored at some point in the past, likely late 19th century, and touched up once more recently. There are two large areas of damage that were repaired, the first in the upper section along the border around the spine, where it appears the gold is much newer, and a 4 inch tear above the blossoming branch beside the birds. Also insect damage in the (must have been delicious) blue river has been repainted. Each panel is 34 by 69 inches (86.5 x 176 cm). There are faint water stains in rivulets running down the painting, however due to age and faint nature are not distracting. The screen is bordered in blue-green brocade separated from the painting by a white strip, and features a black lacquered wooden frame with high quality etched brass fittings. There are abrasions typical of age, but overall this is a very decorative screen in fine condition. Takanobu was the first born son of Kano Hidenobu, he achieved the rank of Hogan before his death in 1794.

A matching Edo period Myochin signed Go-mai-do Gusoku yoroi lacquered black and threaded with blue chord emblazoned with a seven star crest. It features a 24 plate suji kabuto with elaborate tehen kanamomo signed Myochin Ki Munemasa saku. The blossoming Shikoro features large back-turned Fukigaeshi and mabizashi covered in leather and also emblazoned with the seven star crest. Inserted in front is a sharp kuwa-gata maedate. The mask is a reisei ho with prominent flanges matching the design of the helmet and sode. Large five plate sode protect the shoulders, and the Do, made up of five hinged parts, supports 9 rows of gessan to protect the waist. The raw iron sangu is on all matching cloth dyed with the 7 star crest. The Haidate is of the Kawara style with leather plates lacquered black, and the suneate are signed, as is the helmet, Myochin Munemasa. It is in oveall fine condition. There are a few chips onteh mask typical of use, and the base of the maedate uke has been repaired. For more photographs please contact me.
Myochin Munemasa (Shahei) was a descendant (24th generation) of Myochin Munesuke active in Edo during the Tenwa era (later 17th century).

Gazing at the back of the traditional Maiko apprentice, pins and combs hold her coiffure perfect, our eyes travel down to the neck revealed as it joins the white painted shoulders, the luxurious kimono with its signature high and draping sash: She has the two of hearts! A very unusual painting reflecting the oddities of western influence at the opening of the 20th century by Matsumoto Ichiyo (1893-1952). It is truly a sketch, very possibly made from life while the young apprentice artist watched his teacher being entertained by the young apprentice geisha. It is performed with light color on silk, bordered in the Taisho manner with horizontal stripes of a softly charred blue, ivory and orange. The Ichimonji and integral Futai are streaked with true gold thread. It measures 40 x 195 cm (15-1/2 x 77 inches) and is in overall very nice condition, with yellowing of the silk to attest to age. There is some loss to the white Gofun clouds on the obi (sash), and it appears that red at the back of the collar may have been re-painted, possibly when it was mounted (which appears to be slightly later than it was painted).
Matsumoto Ichiyo was born in Kyoto, midway through the tumultuous Meiji period, and attended the city art primer before entering the Municipal School of Painting (Later Kyoto University of Art) where he jointly studied under the private tutelage of Yamamoto Shunkyo at his studio. While at school his first painting was accepted into the 9th Bunten (1915) National Exhibition. With a great emphasis on the revitalization of Yamoto-e tradition, he remained active on the National level, being consistently exhibited and prized, and later serving as professor at his Alma Matter. After the Second World War he served as a juror for the Nitten, and continued research and resurrection of Yamato-e until his death in 1952.

Green or Blue, which will win this contest? Two shishi lions vie for our attention on this absolutely fabulous pair of 19th century screens. The images are performed with pigment on applied silver, not an easy medium from the start. One creature pounces, mouth open, teeth barred while the other crouches, mouth shut, ready to leap. Peony, a flower typically associated with the creatures, grows about them. Each screen is 68 x 137 inches (173 x 348 cm). They have been fully remounted at some time in the near past (latter 20th century, 1970-80s?) and are in fine condition. Some repairs were affected at that time. A most impressive set of images, incredibly rare. Open and Closed Mouths of Guardians: Japanese Shishi (Shisa in Okinawa) Fu-dogs or Pinyin in China, Inari (fox guardians in front of shrines) as well as the Buddhist Niomon images are almost always depicted one with mouth open (Agyo) the other mouth closed (Ungyo). As a pair, they complement each other. One represents latent power, mouth held tightly closed in wait, while the other represents overt power, baring his teeth in action. The most common explanation of this imagery is the open mouth figure (feminine in Japan) scares away evil with its cry, while the closed mouth figure (masculine) keeps inside fortune and good spirits. Most Japanese adaptations state that the male is inhaling, representing life, while the female exhales, representing death.

A dry ink on paper image of mushrooms growing up along a garden stone dated 1874 by Tani Nyoi (1822-1905). The scene is signed Nyoisanjin, and dated the second month of 1874 hemmed in by origami cranes on cream satin in a field of rough pale green silk and features dark rosewood rollers. The style is very much in the literati tradition predominant during the early Meiji. The dry vigorous strokes evoke a sense of fleeting solidity, as if wind were about to blow the light paper away. And certainly it must have felt that way for a scholar/artist born in the late Edo who had experienced the unrest and upheaval of the Meiji restoration and ensuing battles, and the sudden influx of technology from the West. The artist Tani Ryutaro also went by the name Tani Tetsujin, Hyakuren and Taiko. He was a ranking figure from the Ii fief of Hikone, but studied philosophy and the scholar arts throughout Japan. In 1870 he was involved in problems of state but was promoted the following year, and later appointed the rank of minister of the left, finaly receiving appointment of Seigo-I by imperial decree. He left his post in 1874, for a period of reflection during which time he lived a quite life in Kyoto. It was during this period he was called Nyoisanjin, and it is from the first year of this period that this scroll hails. It measures 33-3/4 x 48-1/2 inches (85.5 x 123.5 cm) and is in fine condition. There is no box however we could have one made if desired.

A furosaki tea room screen made of a very large hanga woodblock print in the fashion of Inui Tai mounted within a simple wooden frame and stamped in the lower left corner. An intriguing work, village roofs are visible over a sea of rice containing all manner of small country scenes. A cat glares at two frogs, boys pluck small fish from irrigation ditches, uniformed students ride on their way to school, a farmer carefully cares for his plants… The screen is entirely black and white, accentuating its primitive charm. Each panel is 16 by 35 inches (41.5 x 88.5 cm). The screen is backed in red patterned paper, with one scratch in the back, the front in perfect condition but for a shadow in the white paper reflecting the cloth from long exposure (see pictures).

Feminine figures dive upwards, forming the handles on this large art-deco vase by Nakajima Yasumi II enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Jundo Eikan Kabin. The vase is 13 inches (32.5 cm) tall and in excellent condition. Inside the box lid is an inscription stating it was given to commemorate the first run of a three year old thoroughbred Arabian Stallion at the Amagasaki Race course in 1958.
The name of Nakajima first came to notice in 1908, when the first generation Yasumi (1877-1951) was awarded at the Senkatsu Kinen Exhibition. He was a consistent exhibitor with the Teiten-Nitten national exhibitions and was also quite active abroad, being prized at the 1931 Belgian Exposition and serving as juror for the Japanese submissions to the Paris Exposition in 1925 where he was subsequently prized. His work is held in the collection of the Imperial Household Agency and he served as mentor to a generation of young bronze artists. His son, Nakajima Yasumi II (1905-1986) created this piece in 1958, and it was given as a memento for a horse race winning Arabian Stallion.

A large baluster form Sumidagawa vase decorated in slips of green and black glaze over crackled red with a three-dimensional tokage (lizard) crawling down the side. The detail on the creature is superb, from the textured body to the white claws with which it seems to grip the sides of the slippery surface. On the backside is a raised gourd shaped stamp reading Ishiguro Koko (One of the most prominent Sumidagawa potters). Sumida ware was first produced around the beginning of the 19th century, coming into full fruition after the arrival of Perry in the 1850s. Sumida pottery was made almost entirely for export, and by the turn of the 19th century, the Mckinley Act had required that all foreign goods be so marked. The ware was then marked Nippon, and later Made in Japan or Foreign. This vase is unmarked, indicating, and datres from the period between 1890 and 1920. It stands over 11 inches (28 cm) tall and comes enclosed in an antique chirimen-silk bag and kiri-wood box. The right rear leg of the animal appears to have been repaired, and although well done there is a slight color variation. There are also several flakes missing in hte red paint. This helps to bring the piece into a more affordable price range.

An unusual modern art vase in robbins-egg-blue dating circa 1970 enclosed in the original signed wooden box by Kyoto artist Kumakura Junkichi (1920-1985).. The blue metallic glaze flows down the sides leaving a distinct pattern in the smooth surface, collecting in oil drop pools around the thickened base. Notches cut in the surface are turned out at various points to allow the insertion of flowers and twigs on all surfaces. One could make a variety of very interesting arrangements with this attractive piece. Signed on the base Jun, it is a little less than 5 inches (12 cm) square. The vase is in fine condition but the box appears to have been wrapped in a red cloth which was once wet, allowing the die to seep into the box surface. Junkichi began working in ceramics in the 1940s, his works submitted to innumerable National and International Exhibitions including the Japan Art Festival, New York and the international Arts and Crafts Exhibition in Florence Italy. He also submitted to the Brussels World Exposition and helped design murals for the World Exposition Osaka. At the International Ceramics Exhibition, Prague in 1962 he took a silver prize. He was also often exhibited and is in the permanent collection of the Japanese National Museum of Modern Art as well as the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto.

A square bottle vase by one of the most sought after and influential of all Japanese ceramic artists, Kawai Kanjiro (b. 1890), enclosed in the original kiri box signed by the master, which we have had authenticated at the Kawai Kanjiro Memorial Museum (now endorsed on the top by his daughter, Kyoha). The pale crackle glazed vase dates circa 1935, and is decorated with flower like dabs of rust and cobalt typical of this period, with dark iron fading out from the square mouth and base. As would be expected, the vase is expertly crafted from pale clay, and measures 7-1/2 inches (19cm) tall, 4-3/4 inches (12 cm) across the body. Kanjiro was a true artist by nature, and together with Hamada Shoji, set a pattern of study for modern potters. After graduating the Tokyo School of Industrial Design, he came to study in Kyoto, eventually establishing his own kiln on the Gojo-no-Saka (It remains standing today and is a must see for anyone visiting Kyoto). Together with compatriots Shoji and Bernard Leach (with whom he traveled throughout Asia) established the modern Mingei movement in ceramics, the most influential ceramics movement in the 20th century. His research on glazes (of which he developed thousands over a lifetime of work) remains influential as well. Rrefusing to be limited to ceramics, Kanjiro also worked in bronze, wood and paint. An interesting final note on this unusual artist, when offered the title of Living National Treasure, an honor bestowed on very few, he declined.

A Stunning combination of works by mother and son Koyama Kiyoko (1936-present) and Koyama Kenichi (1961-1992), both in the original signed wooden boxes. The Tokkuri, by Kiyoko, is of bulbous form decorated with slips of green glaze used sparingly around the neck. The terracotta body is fired to a deep amber on one side, the bright orange clay indicative of Shigaraki showing through on the other. It is 4-1/2 inches (11cm) tall, 3-1/2 inches (9cm) diameter and is signed by the artist on the base. The Iga style Tsubo is spectacular, with the slightly lopped body burnt to a glassy green on parts, showing the typical blue Iga glaze through running rivulets down one side and charred dark gray on the other. It appears to have been pulled from a thousand years on the bottom of the sea. It measures 6-1/2 inches (16.5 cm) tall, 5-1/2 inches (14cm) diameter. Kiyoko Koyama is one of the pillars of Shigaraki and is one of the most influential female artists in her field. Kenichi

A black-tailed white crane braves tempestuous seas before the massive orb of a blood red rising sun in this sensational late Edo period Kano style scroll. From the right a sinewy tree loaded with exaggerated fruits hangs precariously from the green face of a sheer cliff, its wild branches running helter-skelter through the dark sphere. Mist retreats beyond the horizon, regrouping for another night. A very unorthodox scene, each wave scratched out with soft gray, foam flying from the bird and waking in troughs on the undulating surface of the sea. The powerful scene is bordered in tea green brocade patterned with vertical waves, and features massive ivory rollers. It is 2 feet (61 cm) wide, 76-1/2 inches (194.5 cm) long. There is some creasing in the heavy red paint of the sun, and although white underneath and not noticeable, there is loss to the thick gofun which originally covered the large peaches. These minor defects fail to mitigate the tyrannical presence of this extraordinary painting.

A massive celebratory image of Tai (sea bream) by important 20th century artist Imai Keiju in superb mounting enclosed in a wooden box signed Gorei. These fish have attitude! Sea Bream are an auspicious image in Japan due to their name (Tai) which is a homonym with medetai (celebration). The pigment on silk image is framed in patterned brocades and features bone rollers. The scroll is 51-1/2 x 78 inches (130 x 199 cm). There are two white points on the silk where it appears the silk was once bent, perhaps before mounting (see close-up photos). The box reads Onshi Keiju Sensei Kyoto Okazai Hoshoji-cho Jidai Kessaku (Earlier Work by the honorable Keiju of Hosho-ji-cho Kyoto) and is signed Gorei.
Imai Keiju (1891-1967) was born in Mie prefecture and lived his life in Kansai, cultural heart of Japan. After graduating the Kyoto School of Art, he studied Maruyama School technique under his to-be father in law, the great Imao Keinen (1845-1924), from whom he received his name. However he was later separated, and in 1953 moved his studio back to his birthplace of Mie.
Wakabe Gorei (1918-1987) was a landscape artist born in Mie prefecture who studied first under Nishimura Goun, then Imai Keiju.

Edo period Kimono hang from a lacquered frame on this gorgeous two panel silver screen dating from the turn of the 19th century. Dyed on the shoulder of the Chirimen silk lavender mans kimono is the Mitsuba-Aoi, official crest of the Tokugawa Shognate indicating the original kimono was property of the family which ruled Japan for 250 years. Below is chrysanthemum flowers (symbols of Imperial Power) embroidered over patterned Rinzu Satin. The other is completely embroidered with flower carts over patterned silk. Both are magnificent over the age tarnished silver. Each panel measures 27 inches by 5 feet (68 x 152 cm). There is some wear to the cloth at the inside hinge. It is backed with faded blue cloth in a polished mulberry frame

An important Vase decorated with the imperial symbols of 16 petal chrysanthemum and Go-shichi Nobori Kiri among over-glaze bamboo and floral designs by Ito Tozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 8-3/4 inches (22.5 cm) tall (excluding the base) and in superb condition and comes wrapped in a stamped silk bag.
Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) began as a painter in the Maruyama school studying under Koizumi Togaku. In 1862 he became a pupil of Kameya Kyokutei, as well as studying under Takahashi Dohachi III and Kanzan Denshichi (who made the dishes for the imperial table). In 1867, with the fall of the Edo government, he opened his kiln in Eastern Kyoto. Much prized at home, he was also recognized abroad at the Amsterdam, Paris and Chicago World Expositions. With an emphasis on Awata and Asahi wares of Kyoto, he began to use the name Tozan around 1895. In 1917 he was named a member of the Imperial Art Academy, one of only five potters ever given that title, and like his teacher Denshichi, created the dishes from which the Imperial family would eat. He worked very closely with his adopted son, Ito Tozan II (1871-1937).

A large and stunning vase by Nakamura Shuto made for the Shobido Art Company enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 12 inches (30 cm) tall, 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) across the base and in excellent condition.
Nakamura Shuto I (1865-1928) was born the son of famous Kaga potter of Daishoji Temple Nakamura Shigeichiro from whom, along with Takeuchi Ginshu from the age of 12, he initially studied pottery and painting techniques. Delving into the past he researched and revived ancient kiln techniques. From 1906 he took the name Shuto, and became famous throughout Japan for superb quality ceramics. Suddenly in Taisho 2 (1913) he switched to painting and design, and then in 1917 combined the two disciplines in a new approach using a kiln he created in his home. Works by him are held in the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum among others. Shobido has been commissioning works with first rate artists and craftsmen for its own facilities and top Department stores since 1900. Founded by Eto Eikichiro at the height of the salon era, it served as a focal point for art, and they scoured the country for artists and craftsmen in all fields. During the strict war years their business suffered under the laws against excess, and finally the studio was completely destroyed in the bombing of Osaka in 1945. The second generation took over in 1946, working to re-establish the company and connecting with Hanshin Department Store, slowly growing while promoting the cultural heritage of Japan. They are now in the 113th year.

A deep and mournful sound emanates from this ancient Temple bell from Zennoji temple dated the 20th day, fourth month of 1686. One panel is inscribed Humbly presented, Shokakuzan Zenno Zen-Temple treasure, For the Nyodendoshi-Mujo Bosatsu Buddha. It is further inscribed Donated by Harada Shitaro of Saijo Village for the priest Jusanzoshu. We have been told by the previous owner this and another bell are from Zennoji Temple in Kanazawa prefecture. The striker plate, in the form of a petaled flower, has worn over time to be almost indistinguishable in form. The bell measures 21 inches (53 cm) tall, 12-1/2 inches (32 cm) in diameter. There is a casting flaw beneath one of the studs, with a dent below, otherwise is in fine condition, especially considering its age. Originally a small Zen temple founded in 1566 on Shokakuzan Mountain, Zennoji was moved down to the base of the mountain later, and is recorded in the book ShinpenKamakuraShi published in 1685. The temples records state it was moved after being heavily damaged from a typhoon caused landslide. This is believed to have taken place over time between 1688 and 1731. Currently the temple bears a different first character (Sennoji), however is still read Zennoji in the local district. Now the temple houses a standing Kanon, but was originally said to have been dedicated to AizenMyo-O, destroyed by fire in the later Edo, and it was after this last rebuilding the temple name was changed.

An exquisite and rare tiny O-ko-date incense burner for stick incense from the Minpei kilns enclosed in a wooden box attributed to Sato Sekizen by Shohei Hozan. It is 2 inches (5 cm) tall and in fine condition, stamped on the base Sekizen.
Mimpei-yaki, is a type of pottery established in the late Edo era (circa 1830) by Mimpei Kasyu, the village headman of Igano mura, a small town in the southernmost part of Awaji island west of Osaka. The son of a powerfull Soy trader his talent led Mimpei to leave the family business to become a potter at the age of 33. After inviting Ogata Shuhei to his kiln to introduce the techniques of Kyoyaki (Kyoto ware), he soon developed his own style which was influenced by contemporary potters of the day such as Eiraku Hozen and Shuhei’s older brother, Ninnami Dohachi. As well as classic Chinese pottery. Borrowed from Savory Japan: He created delicate porcelain ware decorated in exquisite and intricate three-dimensional designs that included animals, human forms, floral and geometric motifs. These were overglazed with polychrome enamels in classic Chinese colors (blue, celadon, bright green, yellow and gold) so that the design was highlighted and enhanced, pooling randomly in varying levels of intensity. Mimpei was quite successful and his pottery was popular and widely traded in its time.

A bronze vase of mountainous form by Nakajima Yasumi I patinated in his signature mottled red-brown and enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 9-1/2 inches (24 cm) tall, 8 inches (20.5 cm wide and in excellent condition. Nakajima Toyoji, (d. 1950) first came to notice in 1908, receiving an award at the Senkatsu Kinen Exhibition. He was a consistent exhibitor with the Teiten-Nitten national exhibitions, He was also quite active abroad, being prized at the 1931 Belgian Exposition and serving as juror for the Japanese submissions to the Paris Exposition in 1925 and was subsequently prized there. His work is held in the collection of the Imperial Household Agency and he served as mentor to a generation of young bronze artists.

The bowl is 5 inches (13 cm) diameter2-1/2 inches (6 cm) tall and in fine condition. Oku yama no, Hana no Shirayuki, Nagare-kite, Haru no sue kumu, Kawazura no Sato (From Deep in the mountains, fallen petals white as snow, Flow past the village, like the last vestige of Spring). Much has been written about the life and work of poet/artist Otagaki Rengetsu. Born into a samurai family, she was adopted into the Otagaki family soon after birth, and served as a lady in waiting in Kameoka Castle in her formative years, where she received an education worthy of a Lady of means. Reputed to be incredibly beautiful, she was married and bore three children; however her husband and all children died before she was twenty. Remarried she bore another daughter, however that child too perished and her husband died while she was just 32. Inconsolable, she cut off her hair to join the nunnery at Chion-in Temple, where she renounced the world and received the name Rengetsu (Lotus Moon). However this was not the end, but only the beginning of a career as artist and poet which would propel her to the top of the 19th century Japan literati art world.

A Flask shaped vase decorated with a Shishi (Mythical Lion Creature) in a rugged landscape by multi talented artist Domoto Insho enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The vase is 10 inches (25 cm) tall and in fine condition. Insho (b. 1891) was a Kyoto artist, trained in the traditional Shijo manner, but not one to be bound by its rigidity. He studied at the Kyoto Municipal School of Fine Arts, and under the important artist Nishiyama Suishi. Consistently exhibitied at the large National exhibitions (Nitten, Bunten) while fighting for greater acceptance of artworks. He traveled to Europe in 1952, and was appointed a member of the Japan Art Academy and winner of the Imperial Fine Arts Academy Prize, ultimately receiving the Order of Cultural Merit (highest prize allocated to a civilian in Japan). His works moved steadily toward the abstract, as we will see with the next listing. A true Jiyu-gakka, he refused to be defined by any school and was incredibly influential in his time and perhaps even more so after. His works are held in the collection of many internationally renowned institutions including the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, Tokyo National Museum and Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art. And in fact there is a museum dedicated to him in Kyoto, the Domoto Insho Museum.

Spiraling lines and wispy trees rise up to the heavens in this convoluted landscape by Fujimoto Tesseki dated 1855. If one looks carefully, it is fun to see the artists playful choices of colors, not apparent at first, like the blue trunk on the central tree at the base of the painting. Dramatic and colorful landscape Ink and light color on silk, the scene is enveloped in a patterned white satin border with white piping in the Mincho style popular in the 19th century, and features absolutely massive rosewood rollers. The scroll is 21-3/4 x 78 inches (55.5 x 198 cm) and is in overall fine, original condition. The box is titled Keishi Giken no Hito Fujimoto Tesseki Okina Chakushoku Sansui (Colored Landscape by Noble Hero of the Old Capitol the Elder Fujimoto Tesseki) and is signed within Kozan.
Fujimoto Tesseki (1817-1863) was a samurai literatus from Okayama skilled in Martial arts as well as philosophy and Chinese History. A loyalist, he was killed in battle during the years leading up to the Meiji Restoration. A well known painter in the Nanga style, he left a small body of works for the world to remember him by. He was posthumously awarded by the Meiji government for his part in the restoration of the Emperor in 1892. He is held in the British Museum and Tokyo National Museum among others. Enclosed is a registry paper of the Mori family of Kyoto from whose collection this scroll came.

A Gasaku joint effort by Kyoto porcelain master Takahashi Dohachi V and Scholar artist Tomioka Tessai (1837-1924) dating from the late Meiji to Taisho period. Enigmatic Characters in cobalt strike firmly from the smooth alabaster surface. The bowl is 4-3/4 inches (12 cm) diameter, 3-1/2 inches (9 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Written on the side is Sho-Do Ki? Sue, Nyu Chyu? Ho-nari followed by the signature Tessai Gai-shi. It is signed on the base Kachu-tei Dohachi-Sei (Made by Dohachi of the Kachu Pavilion). Takahashi Dohachi was one in the line of great porcelain masters of Kyoto. The family began potting in the 18th century, and was brought to the forefront of porcelain by the second generation head of the family. From then it was known as one of the top three families in Kyoto for porcelain production. The fifth generation took control of the kiln in 1897. Tomioka Tessai was a scholar artist trained from age seven in the traditional Confucian manner. After the death of his father he was apprenticed to a Shinto shrine, and later moved to work under Otagaki Rengetsu, from whom he was heavily influenced. He held a number of important positions, culminating in being appointed the official painter of the Emperor and a member of the Imperial Art Academy; the highest honor in Japanese Art circles. He was known to have worked with Dohachi in porcelains, as well as Eiraku Zengoro. This piece comes in a wooden box simply titled Hai.

Variously colored momiji leaves in enamel blow past the under-glazed cobalt lattice of manjirushi on this large bowl by Takahashi Dohachi dating from the first half of the 20th century. The bowl is 21 cm (8-1/2 inches) diameter, 9.5 cm (4 inches) tall and in perfect condition, enclosed in a fine custom made kiri-wood box.
The Dohachi Kiln was established in Awataguchi by the retainer of Kameyama fief, Dohachi I around 1760, and the name Dohachi was brought to the forefront of porcelain by the second generation head of the family who attained an imperial following, and grew to be one of the most famous potters of the Later Edo period to come from Kyoto. He moved the kiln to the Gojo-zaka area (at the foot of Kiyomizu temple) in 1814 And was well known for research into and perfection of ancient Chinese and Korean forms long held in high esteem in Japan, and at the same time worked to expand the family reputation within tea circles. The fifth generation took head of the family in 1897 and was one of the top rated potters of his time, heavily influencing following generation including one of his top students, Ito Tozan. The importance of the Dohachi workshop may be determined by the pair of vases held by the V&A (London) purchased in the 1870s under the orders: that they should 'make an historical collection of porcelain and pottery from the earliest period until the present time, to be formed in such a way as to give fully the history of the art.'

A superbly detailed story Ranma carving, likely from an altar, in which five figures reside among golden maple and cherry blossoms. On the left a colorful figure dips water from the cascading blue waters of a steep fall, a man in priests robes behind him. Three other gentlemen in white robes watch from close at hand, a bundle of sticks, perhaps for making tea, perched in the foreground. Each figure is meticulously carved and painted, the entire scene gilded in gold. The carving comes enclosed in a vintage wooden box, and dates from the Meiji period (1868-1912). The piece, which has been fully cleaned and restored to new condition, measures 21-1/2 inches (54

Jurojin getting an earful; a humorous image by Suzuki Shonen showing the elderly god having his ear cleaned by his companion, the long lived crane. It comes enclosed in a double wooden box annotated by Konishi Fukunen (1887-1959) and bears a label from the Daimaru Department Store. Fukunen was one of Shonens most famous pupils. The ink and light color on paper image is bordered in a superb brocade mounting with solid ivory rollers. It measures 64 x 149 cm (25 x 59 inches) and is in fine condition.
Suzuki Shonen (1849-1918) studied under his father Suzuki Hyakunen and served as a professor at the Kyoto Municipal School of Painting. Born in Kyoto, he lived through the tumultuous early years of change in the Meiji era, when Japan was opened to outside influence for the first time in 3 centuries. Reflecting the times, he established his own unique style of painting which blended aspects of Nanga and the Shijo School, with influences from Otsu-e and Western Perspective. Much lauded in his lifetime, he was awarded a silver medal at the Paris World Exhibition in 1900. He is well known as the teacher of Uemura Shoen, one of the most important artists of the era. Works by this artist are held in the collection of the Victoria Albert Museum, British Museum, Ashmolean, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Seattle Art Museum among many many other important private and public collections.

A Fine bronze by the modern master of the Japanese bronze tradition, world renowned Hasuda Shugoro, enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The modern form is belted in geometric patterns with a mottled olive and red patination, signed on the base Shu. It is 6 x 7 x 9-1/2 inches (17 x 15.5 x 23.5 cm) and weighs approximately 5.5 kg (12 lbs) in excellent condition.
Hasuda Shugoro was born in Kanazawa City in 1915. After graduating the Ishikawa Prefectural Industrial School he moved to the Tokyo School of Art. Much lauded his first award was at the 5th Nitten in 1949 and he received the Hokuto-sho there in 1953 among many further prizes. He participated in the founding of the Creative Crafts Association in 1961 and founded the Japan Metal Sculpture Institute in 1976. Decorated with the Order of Cultural Merit in 1991, Hasuda Shugoro stands as one of the leading modernist artists working in bronze during the Post-War Period. A vase by the artist sold at Christies in 2012 for 2,500 pounds (roughly 4,000 dollars). For more on this artist see Hasuda Shugoro Kinzoku Zokei (1981).

A pair of ceramic Cormorants by preeminent early 20th century Master Miyanaga Tozan enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The cormorant has a special place in Japanese art. Like the hawk is a bird used in hunting, the cormorant is a bird used in fishing. A rope would be tied around the long necks of any number of the birds, them then taken out into the water with huge torches burning on the prows of the fishing boats. When the birds dive for and down a fish, they cannot swallow it, and the fisherman pulls it from its mouth. This was a very popular scene in early 20th century painting as well. These birds are roughly 8 inches (21 cm) long each and in excellent condition. Miyanaga Tozan I (1868-1941) is one of the most important names in Kyoto ceramics. He was born in Ishikawa prefecture, and graduated from the (now) Tokyo University of Art. While a government employee, he represented Japan at Arts Expositions, and studied art in Europe before returning to Japan in 1902 to devote himself to the production of ceramics, with great emphasis on celadon, one of the most difficult of all ceramic wares. He was direct teacher or mentor to a number of prominent artists including Kitaoji Rosanjin and Arakawa Toyozo. His kiln is now in the third generation, run by his grandson.

This baluster form vase is quite large by Japanese standards at 14 inches (35 cm) tall and in perfect condition. Chrysanthemums decorate the sides in rich, dark blue. There is a slight yellow tinge to the white glaze. It is signed on the base Makuzu Kozan Sei. The name Kozan was granted by Prince Yasui-no-Miya in 1851 in honor of the tea ware produced during the later Edo for the imperial Court by the tenth generation head of the Kyoto pottery family Miyagawa Chozo. The Kozan kiln as we know it was established in Yokohama in 1871 by the 11th generation head of the family where he reinvented the family business. He immediately set out on a journey which would propel the Makuzu Kiln to International Celebrity status, and send his wares throughout the globe. The first son, Hanzan, succeeded as head of the kiln, in 1912, with the father officially retiring to spend more time on his own research and art. Kozan I dies in 1916. The kiln was run by Hanzan through the early Showa era, he officially taking the name Kozan II in 1917, after one year mourning for his fathers passing. Under Hanzan the kiln was commissioned for works to be presented to the Prince of Wales, the 25th wedding anniversary gift for the Taisho emperor and the Showa Emperors coronation gift. The kiln was completely destroyed in the bombing of Yokohama in 1945. For more on this illustrious family see Bridging East and West, Japanese Ceramics from the Kozan Studio by Kathleen Emerson-Dell.

An early snow covers the branches of a ragged pine, the clutches of autumn still evident in the red tinged leaves of ivy clinging tremulously to the limbs. This is a spectacular large Kyo-yaki work signed on the base Seifu and enclosed in a period wooden box. Dating from the late 19th to early 20th century, it is nearly 10 inches (25 cm) diameter, 5-1/2 inches (14 cm) to the top of the lid and in excellent condition. This is the work of Seifu Yohei I.

A beautiful robins’-egg-blue gu-shaped vase with ring handles and engraved decoration by Ito Tozan with the original rosewood stand dating from the early 20th century (c. 1920). The pale blue bleeds to white over the high points of the decoration, the florals raised about the bulbous center and highlighting the rim and edges of the beast head handles. Meanwhile pools of dark shadow the fretwork emanating up and down the body. The vase is 12-1/2 inches (31 cm) tall plus the base and is in excellent condition. There is no box however one could be made if desired. Ito Tozan I (1846-1920) began his artistic career studying painting in the Shijo manner under Koizumi Togaku before moving to the plastic arts under a number of teachers, including Takahashi Dohachi. He began using the name Tozan in 1895, and later received a number of prizes from the Imperial family, as well as being internationally acclaimed in the Paris, Chicago and Amsterdam Exhibitions. He was named a member of the prestigious Imperial Art Academy in 1917, three years before his death. He worked very closely with his adopted son, Ito Tozan II (1871-1937). He too began life as a painter, but his talent was seen by Tozan I, who adopted him and converted him to pottery, where he both succeeded and excelled as a member of one of Kyotos most well known pottery families. The line unfortunately died with the third Tozan in 1970.

An Art-Deco Revival vase by Nakajima Yasumi II enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Jundo Homan Kabin dated 1959. It is 8-1/2 inches (22 cm) tall and in fine condition.
The name of Nakajima first came to notice in 1908, when the first generation Yasumi (1877-1951) was awarded at the Senkatsu Kinen Exhibition. He was a consistent exhibitor with the Teiten-Nitten national exhibitions and was also quite active abroad, being prized at the 1931 Belgian Exposition and serving as juror for the Japanese submissions to the Paris Exposition in 1925 where he was subsequently prized. His work is held in the collection of the Imperial Household Agency and he served as mentor to a generation of young bronze artists. His son, Nakajima Yasumi II (1905-1986) created this piece in 1959.

A colorful and impressive scroll featuring a bushy tailed neko-tora, or cat tiger from the late Edo period. The neko-tora is a by-product of the Japanese closed border policy, rigorously enforced during the Edo period, which eliminated outside trade and influence. Therefore, Japanese artists were forced to come up with their own ideas of what a fearsome tiger looked like based upon older paintings and skins. This is one of the most imaginative and detailed I have yet seen, with each standing hair individually painted. The cat, stopping to drink from a stream, stands before a crooked pine, caught at the moment it sights an enemy, its bulbous green eyes staring past twitching whiskers, ears flattened against its head. The sinewy creature is well depicted as is the Kano style lines in the background plants trees and waterfall. The scene is framed in dark, purple silk embellished with fan shapes, and ebony rollers. Despite some creasing, the scroll is still very presentable and would be an eye-catching hanging. It measures 29-3/4 by 69-1/4 inches (75.5 by 176 cm)

Mother of pearl is inset into the silver powder dusted lattice set between red lacquered pillars forming this art-deco era lacquer vase enclosed in the original signed wooden box by Iwamura Sadao (1912-1944). A brass insert which rests perfectly between the four corners allows for flowers. The strong geometric patterning embodies the Art Deco style so popular in Japan in the 1930s. It is 6-1/4 inches (16cm) square, 15-1/2 inches (39.5 cm) tall and in overall fine condition. The design is similar in theme to the cabinet by this artist in the Spencer Art Museum.

A superb Sajigawa stone of deep olive patina, completely natural, on a carved rosewood base and enclosed in a fine old straight grain wood box. Notice the entirely natural arch growing between the two spires. This is incredibly rare and a fine prize. This would be considered a house shaped stone, reminiscent of a farm-house and its adjoining out-building, a covered passage between. Saji stones come from the Saji river in Tottori prefecture. This is 3 x 4-1/2 x 3-1/2 inches (8 x 12 x 9.5 cm) and is in excellent condition, the base signed by the carver.