Catalog: Archives (589)

Pierce-work combined with over and under glaze decoration create the perfect picture of spring on this bowl by Takahashi Dohachi enclosed in the original wooden box signed Kachutei Dohachi and titled Kenzan Yo Tsubaki Bori Hachi (Kenzan style Camelia patterned Carved Bowl). It is 20 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition.
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.

An unusal tri-legged bronze incense burner with finialed dome pierced top signed on the underside. It is 6 inches (14.5 cm) diameter, 7 inches (18 cm) tall and in fine condition, dating circa 1935. Hori Joshin was a student of Oshima Joun and was active from the early to mid 20th century.

A complex landscape wraps around and climbs up this exquisite porcelain vase by Daimaru Hokuho dating from the early to mid 20th century. It is 13 inches (33 cm) tall and in excellent condition. There is no box.
Hokuho would have been rated in the top 10 porcelain artist of Kyoto, along with Suwa Sozan, Ito Suiko, Ito Tozan, Miyanaga Tozan, Takahashi Dohachi, Seifu Yohei, Kiyomizu Rokubei, Miura Chikusen and Kiyomizu Zoroku, all artists active from the Meiji through the early Showa eras. He is best remembered for his Chinese forms and Sencha thin tea ware. Born in Ishikawa in 1879, he was initially trained in the Kutani tradition before moving to Kyoto in 1899 to study porcelain throwing and decoration there. He also spent several years in China where he became adept at the aforementioned Sencha aesthetic. Daimaru Hokuho II (Tatsuo, b. 1926) studied under both his father and Kiyomizu Rokubei V and VI. He exhibited frequently with the Nitten National Exhibition, where he would serve as a judge.

Wild chrysanthemum rise along a brief poem on the cream-colored sides of these Tokkuri by Seifu Yohei enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Seizan Sakabin. They are 15 cm (just under six inches) tall and in excellent condition. There is a pre-firing imperfection in the rim of one of the Tokkuri.
Seifu Yohei I (1803-1861) founded the Seifu dynasty in Kyoto. He was born in powerful Kaga-kuni, modern day Kanazawa prefecture. After apprenticing with the second generation Dohachi, he established his own kiln in the Gojo-zaka pottery district of Kyoto. Seifu Yohei II (1844-1878) took over that world upon his father’s death and continued to elevate the family name. His work was presented at the Philadelphia Worlds Fair in 1876, that piece was purchased at the time by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. He held the reigns for only a short time, and died at the very young age of 34, leaving the kiln to brother in law, who would hurl the name of Seifu onto the annals of history recording the highest qualities of world porcelain artistry. For more on this illustrious lineage see the book Seifu Yohei by Seki Kazuo (2012).

A bizarre pottery mass of two tea bowls and a stand fused together after collapsing in the kiln some four hundred years ago. It is 17 x 13 x 11 cm (6-1/2 x 5 x 4-1/2 inches). There is something to be said here about best laid plans. All the potters craft and experience and yet nature intervenes, creating this vitrified sculpture for later generations to contemplate.

A Boro cover textile of sewn together bits of worn out Asa (Hemp) fabrics resist died with various patterns. 146 X 163 cm (57-1/2 x 64 inches).

The comic-strip dog character Norakuro waves from the cockpit of this ceramic water-dropper (for grinding ink) in the shape of a war-plane. A waterdropper (suiteki) is filled with water and used to drip water onto a stone when grinding ink. This Suiteki has a wingspan of roughly 9.5 cm (just less than 4 inches). Norakuro is a black and white dog enlisted as a private in the “Mokenrentai” (Fierce Dog Brigade), an Imperial army of white dogs fighting in a war against the Monkey Army. In the West we might consider mortal enemies to be like cats and dogs, but in Japan it has always been monkeys and dogs (later the enemy would become pigs). This war-time comic first appeared in 1931 in Shonen Kurabu (Boy’s Club) magazine and was clearly based on the Japanese Imperial Army of the time. The creator, Tagawa Suiho, had served in the army and used his experience as a basis for the comic strip. The series, with its simple dialogue and poetic illustrations, was one of the most successful Japanese comics of the 1930s. Although it was highly successful the main character, blundering his way through the banalities and harrows of daily military life, was taken to be critical of the Imperial Army and was forcibly cancelled in 1941 by government censors.
Tagawa Suiho (Takamizawa Nakatarō, 1899-1989) was born in Tokyo, his mother died in birth, and he was raised by his father and an uncle, both of whom died while Tagawa was still young. He received a basic education, and grew up an orphan. He was conscripted into the Imperial Army in 1919, finishing in 1922. In 1925, he graduated from Nihon Bijutsu Gakkō Art School, and initially wrote Rakugo, then began producing manga comics in 1927. His character Norakuro was picked up by Shonen Kurabu in 1931, and was one of the magazines most popular features, with a ten year run before being cancelled by the authorities. He is recognized as one of the pioneers of the Japanese manga industry and was recipient of numerous awards including the Imperial Order of the Rising Sun. Post war Norakuro was reinvented in the 1980s briefly as a television series. His student Hasegawa Machiko, one of the first female manga artists, is the creator of Sazaesan. This series began in 1946, and ended publication in 1974. It was subsequently made into a television series and holds the World record as the longest running animated series on television.

The soft blur of blossoming plum, as if viewed in a dream, by Murashiam Yuichi. The evocative form, rising up in an arc to dominate the paper, seems powerful in comparison to the delicate petals clinging to new branches rising from the gnarled limbs. Ink on paper in green silk border, the scroll is 216 × 45cm (85 x 18 inches) and in overall excellent condition.
Murashima Yuichi (1897-1983 born Yuichiro) also known as Ho-o, was born in Toyama and graduated the Tokyo Bijutsu Gakko (Mod University of Art) under Yuki Somei. He exhibited with and was awarded several times at the Teiten/Bunten Nitten National Exhibitions. His Painting Horses in Pasture from 1942 is held in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art

A collection of six unique antique sake cups from various regions in Japan, each enclosed in an old wooden box.
1. A rice bale shaped Kosobe yaki bowl in thin bluish-white glaze stamped on the base, probably second or third generation (see below).
2. A Soma Yaki small bowl of pinched form with speckled green glaze from Fukushima. Soma Yaki has a four-hundred-year history.
3. A very rare Etchu Kosugi Yaki wangata cup in smooth blue green glaze with a hint of yellow at the rim.
4. Another very rare Garyuzan-yaki cup incised with white slip in basket style by Yokohagi Ikko (1850-1924) in a signed box.
5. A later Edo Korean style piece with gold repairs by Mizukoshi Yosobei bearing his five-sided seal impressed into the base (the kiln closed in 1860).
And last an anonymous celadon piece whose title I cannot read (appears to be Kyudai seiji).
The Kosobe kiln was established in Takatsuki, along the route between Osaka and Kyoto by Igarashi Shinbei sometime around 1790, The first generation (1750-1829) was known for Raku wares, Tea Utensils and Utsushi wares among more common household items. The second generation (Shinzo, 1791-1851) is remembered for Takatori, Karatsu, Korai and other continental styles. Shingoro, the third-generation head of the family (1833-1882) continued in that line, but secured a route to use Shigaraki clay and blended that with his local clays. He was known for Mishima and E-gorai styles. Into the Meiji period, the 4th generation head Yasojiro (1851-1918) saw the kiln close due to health problems of his successor Shinbei V, (Eitaro) in the late Meiji or early Taisho period.

A lovely hand formed bowl in the shape of an inverted mushroom with brush strokes (Kushi-me) defining the gills and the bulbous stipe laying like a handle to one side. A speckled yellow glaze (typical of Maiko) covers the sandy clay, with a drape of green and white seeping like milk from one side. It is roughly 21 cm (8 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, stamped on the base Mahiko (In traditional writing the character for Hi is interchangeable with the character for I as is Fu and U). It comes enclosed in an age blackened wooden box annotated by Yasuda Kenji. Inside the lid is written:
Maiko-yaki, Wafuken Saku (Made by Wafuken), Mattake kashiki (Mushroom shaped Sweets Dish) Created during the Tenpo era by Wafuken Takata Tsuchinosuke of Akashi Yamada Mura. Attested by: Yasuda Kenji , Head of the Osaka Toji Bunka Kenkyu Kai Ceramic Culture Research Group, and Governor of the Nihon Toji Kyokai National Ceramics Society.
It is said that Maiko yaki was begun in Yamada Mura Akashi-gun (modern day Hyogo prefecture) around 1790 by Kinugasa Sohei and was sold along the Maiko Beach, from where it derives its name. Upon the death of Sohei, the kiln passed to his son, but went out of business. Nearby in Oguradani Mikuni Kyuhachi opened a kiln around 1820, creating a characteristic iron speckled wood ash glaze (as seen on this piece). Takata Tsuchinosuke revived the kiln of Sohei in the Tenpo era (c. 1830) and was instrumental in carrying Maiko-yaki forward in the late Edo period. It slowly fell into disuse with the rise of industrial production from the Meiji to Taisho periods, and disappeared in the early 20th century.

A lobed form by Nakajima Yasumi enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 12 inches (30.5 cm) tall and in fine condition. The name of Nakajima first came to notice in 1908, when the first generation Yasumi (1877-1950) 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 as well as the V&A and he served as mentor to a generation of young bronze artists. His son, Nakajima Yasumi II (1905-1988) took the family name in 1951. Yasumi II graduated from the National Craft Institute of Sendai and was first exhibited in 1933 at the Export Crafts exhibition organized by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. He exhibited several times abroad including Paris and Buenos Aires. He was also consistently accepted in the Nitten exhibitions, garnering the Hokutosho there in 1952. In 1969 he received an honor as a person of merit in Crafts from Osaka prefecture.

Scratches of ink form a precipitous landscape of jagged mountains on the paper surface of this scroll performed by Fujii Tatsukichi enclosed in a wooden box titled: Painted by the elder Tatsu, One Scroll, Mountain, Annotated by Eichi. It is framed in a silk border terminating in black lacquered rollers. It is 13-1/2 x 59 inches (34 x 149 cm) and is in excellent condition.
Kato Eichi (1899-1987) was a potter from Seto who trained under Tatsukichi. Several pieces by him formerly in the collection of Tatsukichi are now held in the Aichi Prefectural Museum.
Fujii Tatsukichi (1881-1964) could be considered the father of the Arts and Crafts Movement and the modern concept of design as an art form in Japan, and most certainly an artist not to be defined by one medium. He was born in Hekinan city, Aichi prefecture near Nagoya. He was, along with Kishida Ryusei, Saito Yori and Takamura Kotaro, a founding member of Hyuzan-kai in 1912, the first organization in Japan dedicated to Expressionism in all forms through all mediums. He was one of the most important reformers of the traditional arts in Japan and a pioneer of the modern craft world. His creativity touched nearly every area: embroidery, dyeing, weaving, lacquer, pottery, papermaking, metalwork, woodwork, Painting, calligraphy, woodblock carving and printing. In the 1920s he wrote articles on home crafts for Fujin no Tomo, one of the most widely read women’s magazines of the day. He also held the first professorship of design at the Imperial Art School (mod. Musashino Art University), and his influence was enormous. The museum of contemporary art in Tatsukichi’s birth place, Hekinan, is named after him. In 1932 he established a studio in Obara, where he headed the movement to reinvent the Japanese craft paper industry. That studio (Mufuan) has been moved and is now used as a tea house by Seto City. A major retrospective on his life work travelled japan in 1996 spearheaded by the Tokyo National Museum, “Fuji Tatsukichi, Pioneer of Modern Crafts”.

A rare opportunity to pick up a perfect condition Mingei pot from the former Yonezawa Clan's Narushima-kiln of Imaizumi on the border between Yamagata and Fukushima prefectures, one of the Edo period Daimyo feudal kilns, dating from the later 19th to opening years of the 20th century. It is 7-1/2 inches (19 cm) diameter, 6-1/2 inches (16 cm) tall and in fine condition with no chips, cracks or repairs. Very similar in appearance to nearby Tsutsumi-yaki of Sendai, the lesser lip between the glaze lines is indicative of Narushima-ware, and the clay is less brick-like in appearance. It is rare to see a functional piece like this in perfect condition. Narushima-yaki was established under the orders of Uesugi Yozan, one of the great leaders of the Yonezawa Uesugi clan, when he sent Sagara Kiyosaemon to study the techniques of nearby Soma-yaki and open in kiln in the first year of Tenmei (1781). The kiln flourished throughout the second half of the Edo, but, like most provincial kilns, began to flounder in the Meiji period with new technology making the old ways obsolete, and it closed in the early 20th century. It has since been revived in the post-war era.

White Robed Kannon by Zen Wako (also Chon Fua Fan/Chow Wha Whang), Oil on panel, 22 x 27,5 cm (9 x 11 inches) in the original frame.
Zen Wako was born in Pyongan (modern day North Korea) in 1909, while that country was under Japanese Influence, and one year before it was officially annexed by Japan. He was first recognized in 1929 when his work was accepted into the Korean national Art Exhibition. In 1933 he came under the influence of Nishida Tenko (1872-1968), a spiritual figure in Japan who founded the Ittoen (Garden of One Light) Society. He began studies under Suda Kunitaro in 1945, and came to exhibit with the Kohdo Art Organization, taking top prize there in 1948. He would help to establish an art organization for Korean peoples living in Japan (Zai Nichi Chossen Bijutsukai) in 1953, and would serve as head of the Kansai area branch. His work would be exhibited in Europe, Japan and Korea. It currently is held in the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Gwangju Museum of Art, and a Painting of Kannon in the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto. He died in 1994. Unfortunately, due to the lack of consensus on how to spell Korean names in English, his name can be written Chon Fua Fan or Chow Wha Whang or any combination thereof.

Dusk puddles and drips among the thick textures of this mid-century oil by Yamada Eiji titled on back “Mori” (Forest). Oil on canvas, it is 18 x 24 inches (46 x 61 cm) and is in excellent condition, wrapped in a simple raw wood storage frame.
Yamada Eiji (1912-1985) was born in Fukuoka on the Southern main island of Kyushu and was accepted into the Nikkakai Ten exhibition in 1933 for the first time. The following year he was also accepted into the Dokuritsu Tenrankai for unaffiliated artists. He was awarded the Dokuritsu Sho Prize there in 1938. From 1953 to 1957 he lived and studied in Paris. Upon returning to Japan his entry into the Dokuritsu-ten won Special acclaim, and he began exhibiting more widely. In 1973 he once again went to France, where he also began holding exhibitions which would continue to his death in ’85. In 1986 a posthumous exhibition of his life work was held at the Fukuoka Municipal Museum.

A carved wooden box with removable lid revealing a container for matches and tobacco slotted in the side to carry a Kiseru pipe. Exquisitely crafted by a man who both understood design and wood grains, it is likely from the arts and crafts era. It is 5-1/2 x 3-1/2 x 5 inches (14 x 9 x 13 cm) and is in overall fine condition, with wear to the base attesting to age.

Kannon (Guanyin) the bodhisattva of compassion, is depicted by two of the most famous painters of the early Showa period on this pair of presentation cloths by Hashimoto Kansetsu and Tomita Keisen. Keisen’s loosely brushed image of a cherubic Kannon sits in the center of an Enso Zen circle. The calligraphy on the left reads "Entsu", a Buddhist term combining the kanji for circle and authority, loosely meaning knowledge of the circle of Buddhist Doctrine, the cycle of life and of all things eternal. Kansetsu, on the other hand, creates a more severe image of Kannon seated in a lotus petal floating in tumultuous seas. The back of this features a long inscription and is dated Showa 7 (1932). The date coincides with the peak of Tomita Keisens popularity, shortly before his untimely death. It is also the year Kansetsu lost his wife, and this may explain the difference in perception of the Compassionate figure. He subsequently created a temple (Gesshinji) in her honor. Both come wrapped around pillows in a red lacquered wooden box signed by Keisen. Each is 34.5 x 36.5 cm (13-1/2 x 14-1/2 inches) and both are in fine condition.
Hashimoto Kansetsu (1883–1945) was born in Kobe, son of painter Hashimoto Kaikan from whom he gained a love of Chinese culture. He studied at Chikujokai under Takeuchi Seiho (1864-1942), but eventually withdrew due to differences of opinion. He visited Europe in 1921 and after that spent part of almost every year in China. His early years were heavily influenced by ancient Chinese painting, a passion for which he made frequent trips to the continent. Many of his paintings were inspired by Chinese scenery or Chinese classical literature. His former residence in Kyoto is now a museum of his work called the Hakusasonso. He exhibited consistently at the Bunten, and was a member of the Imperial Art Academy. Works by him are held in the Kyoto National Museum, Tokyo National Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, and the Boston Museum of Fine Art, as well as almost every major collection.
Tomita Keisen (1879-1936) was born in Fukuoka on the southern Island of Kyushu into a family of restaurateurs, however fascinated with the arts, he began studying painting at the age of 12 in the Kano school tradition with Kinugasa Morimasa (1852-1912), the official painter for the Kuroda clan. In 1896, he went to Kyōto to continue his education in the Shijo manner with Tsuji Kako, and exhibited with the Japan Painting Association as well as with the Bunten/Teiten National Exhibitions among many others. Keisen also sought inspiration in Buddhist paintings from the Nara and Heian periods which he studied on frequent trips to Nara, the ancient capital. In the 1920s, he would delve into the concepts of the Nanga tradition of literati painting, and his unorthodox use of color and dramatic sense of proportion would propel him to great fame. Religion fascinated Keisen, and much of his work centers around these ideals. His works also show the influence of literati artists Tomioka Tessai and eccentric Buddhist Sengai Gibon. He developed a hybrid of these which has proven extremely popular, even with contemporary audiences and his work is still highly prized. In 1935 he was made a member of the Japan Art Academy. He died the following year at the age of 58. Works by him are held in Tokyo National Museum of Modern art and Kyoto Natioanl Museum of Modern Art, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, The Kyoto City (Kyocera) Museum, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Rijksmuseum, Fukuoka Art Museum, Tokyo Fuji Art Museum and many others. For more on this artist see Kyōto no Nihonga 1910–1930. National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto, 1986

A refined set of 5 later Edo Sake cups in a hybrid E-gorai style from the Kosobe kiln of Igarashi Shinbei decorated with pale blue designs (gnarled plum trees?) under thick cream colored glaze on very thinly potted clay blended with shiseki for great effect. This is likely the work of the second or third generation Shinbei, both known for their Korai-Utsushi (Korean style) wares. Each cup is 2-1/2 inches (6.5 cm) diameter. They are in surprisingly good condition, with no cracks. There are a few losses to glaze at the rims typical of sake cups (Kampai!) and one has a chip in the foot visible when the cup is upside down. Finding such a delicate set in such good condition from the Edo period is exceedingly rare.
The Kosobe kiln was established in Takatsuki, along the route between Osaka and Kyoto by Igarashi Shinbei sometime around 1790, The first generation (1750-1829) was known for Raku wares, Tea Utensils and Utsushi wares among more common household items. The second generations (Shinzo, 1791-1851) is remembered for Takatori, Karatsu, Korai and other continental styles. Shingoro, the third-generation head of the family (1833-1882) continued in that line, but secured a route to use Shigaraki clay and blended that with his local clays. He was known for Mishima and E-gorai styles. Into the Meiji period, the 4th generation head Yasojiro (1851-1918) saw the kiln close due to health problems of his successor Shinbei V, (Eitaro) in the late Meiji or early Taisho period.

A stunning delicate cup made from a hollowed egg-shell. Inside is matte-black with patches of gold gilding, while outside the silhouettes of pines and a soaring Hototogisu (cuckoo) are deftly brushed with shiny black lacquer. The imagery instantly calls to mind Japanese poetry, which extols the song of the cuckoo, a harbinger of Spring and warmer weather. There is also something melancholy about the cuckoo call, as they are always deep in the forest, out of sight and alone. This is simply a phenomenal piece, and comes in an old custom-made wooden box dating from the Meiji period. It is It is 4.5 cm (just under 2 inches) tall and in perfect condition.

A Boro Futon cover textile of sewn together bits of worn out indigo dyed fabric 160 x 204 cm (63 x 80 inches ). Go-haba (five widths)

A serving tray made of Kozai (Jap. old material) from Todaiji Temple in Nara branded with the marks of the 7 great temples of Nara and enclosed in the original wooden storage box dated 1925. It is turned from keyaki, a hardwood in the elm family famed for durability and beautiful wood grain. On the bottom of the tray is a seal which reads Daibutsuden Kozai (Old Material from the great Hall). The tray is 33 cm (13 inches) diameter and in excellent condition. In order to fund temple repairs, often wooden objects such as trays, Robuchi (hearth frames) Haidai (cup stands) among others were made from the original parts of a temple, and given as gifts to those who supported reconstruction or as a way to thank parishioners for donations. The Todaiji temple complex underwent extensive restorations in the early 20th century, and these trays were made at that time from the old posts or beams replaced in the repairs. They have been branded (yaki-in) with marks from the seven great temples of Nara (Nanto Shichi Daiji) Todaiji, Saidaiji, Daianji, Horyuji, Kofukuji Gangoji and Yakushiji temples respectively. On the box lid is written the title: Nanto Shichi Daiji Yaki-in Maru-bon (Round tray branded by the 7 great temples of the Southern Capitol). Inside the lid is written: Made from the old material of the Great Buddha Hall of Todaiji Temple, at the bequest of the Nihon Bijutsuin (Japan Art Institute). A handwritten epitaph inside the box states it was received as a gift from the politician and business magnate Oya Shichibei (1865-1929) of Osaka after completion of repairs to the great hall on an auspicious day in May of 1925 as attested to by Hirai Kinjiro (sp?) followed by five red seals.

An antique Guardian mask used to ward off evil hand carved from a rough slab of hardwood. It is 14-1/2 inches (37 cm) tall and in fine condition. Usually hung under the eaves of a house, it shows weathering typical of age. Late 19th to early 20th century.

Antique Japanese Mingei Flat Pounding Board An exquisite patina covers this heavy pounding board from Northern Japan used for working rice into dough. It is 53.5 x 31 x 9 cm (21 x 12 x 3-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.

A pair of red and silver iron lotus flowers with long handles serving as Buddhist candle-stands, the light rising from within the sacred flower. Overall raw iron, the coloration of the flower petals is from silver and red lacquer. Each is 26.5 cm (10-1/2 inches) long and in excellent condition.

A rare set of five tiny Gosu cups for drinking Gyokuro steaped tea from the Shidehara kiln of Sanda in Hyogo prefecture dating from mid to later 19th century (Late Edo to Meiji). Fish circle the cups as they swim among water plants. Each cup is 2 inches (5 cm) diameter and in great condition.
Shidehara was a kiln established in the Sanda district of Hyogo prefecture in the mid 18th century. They created works based on continental styles of Gosu, Sometsuke, aka-e and later celadon. It is from this kiln that Sanda-yaki was born, to become a major production area for celadons and other pottery styles starting in the late 18th century.

A serene image of the Goddess of Mercy Kannon found in a natural black stone from the Seta River inset into a hand carved hard-wood base and enclosed in a kiri-wood collectors box titled simply Setagawa-ishi (Seta River Stone). 19.5 cm (7-3/4 inches) tall and in excellent condition.

Ame-yu graces the rough textured clay of this large Mingei platter from Aizu in the Northern reaches of Japan on the border between Fukushima and Yamagata. Often mistakenly identified as Tamba due to the similarity in the coloring of this particular glaze, the underlying granular white clay gives it away. About the rim is a ring of fire-colored tendrils trapped in a groove, an interesting added feature. It is 31.5 cm (12-1/2 inches) diameter and dates from the later 19th century. There are some old chips in the rim darkened with age, typical of use for a utilitarian piece like this, otherwise it is in fine condition.
The development of the Aizu Hongo pottery tradition dates back to the Sengoku period (1428-1573), when tiles were locally fired for the roof of Aizuwakamatsu castle. But it was during the Edo period when Lord of the Aizu clan Hoshina Masayuki oversaw the promote and patronize pottery production of what became Aizu Hongo Yaki ware, and it flourished under the supervision of the clan. This subsequently led to the making of everyday pieces of pottery for use by people at large by the closing years of the Shogunete. Fighting during the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and a devastating fire in the Taisho period (1912-1926) caused significant disruptions however; the industry recovered and is still thriving today. It has the distinction of being the oldest area where white porcelain is produced in the whole of northeastern Japan.

A pair of Kinsai Tokkuri on red ground by Eiraku Zengoro from his Kutani kiln dating from the late 19th or early 20th centuries enclosed in the original signed wooden box. Complete with lids, they are 5 inches (13 cm) tall each and in excellent condition.

A bronze vase dating from the mid Showa period by Ono Tsuneo of Takaoka enclosed in the original signed wooden box. It is 26 cm (10 inches) tall and in perfect condition.

An exquisite sake cup from the Asakiri kiln of Akashi decorated with a verse and spray of bamboo enclosed in a period wooden box signed by Yamada Takeshi (descendant of Yamada Kikutaro, Edo period founder of the kiln). It is 5 cm (2 inches) diameter and in excellent condition, likely dating from the Meiji period.

A bronze bell dated Kanbun 10 (1670) which would have been suspended in front of a Shinto shrine worship hall, and struck with a knotted rope to awaken the gods to listen to one’s prayers. Inscribed in the surface around dials of lotus flowers is: An auspicious day in the 7th month of Kanbun 10, followed by the names Honda Yasutoki Ko and Hiramoto Sukeyuki opposite a dedication to the god of water the Hachidairyu-jin followed by a place name near Awazu in modern day Shiga prefecture. The Hachidairyu-O or eight headed dragon king (god) is a creature who controls water and is enshrined in the sacred place of Takachiho, in Kyushu, with branch shrines throughout Japan. Roughly 26 cm (10-1/2 inches) diameter and weighs 3.4 kg (7.5 pounds). There is a scratch in the backside, (see close-up photos) otherwise it is in excellent original condition with two casting flaws which have become pin holes in the upper back. The combination of Buddhist and Shinto Iconography is certainly a point of interest with Japanese religious ideology.

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.

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)

A celadon vase inlayed with Chrysanthemum designs by Teishitsu Gigei-In Suwa Sozan I enclosed in the original signed wooden box featuring the Imperial Art Academy Seal and titled Kiku-Zogan Hana-Ire. Tendrils of blossoming chrysanthemum climb up the sides in dark inlay on the slightly pitted celadon sueface, a perfect rendition of Korean style wares from an earlier era with the addition of the Japanese design motif. It is 10-1/4 inches (26 cm) tall and in excellent condition. Artists mark on base.
The box notes this as having come from “Rai-gamaâ€, a Korean style or perhaps Korean Kiln. It is possible that Sozan fired this on a study trip to Korea, as I have never seen another box bearing this kiln dedication. An extremely rare work certainly worthy of a museum collection.
Sozan I (1852-1922) was born in Kutani country, present day Ishikawa prefecture, where he initially studied before moving to Tokyo in 1875. Over the next 25 years he would gravitate between Tokyo and Kanazawa, working at various kilns and research facilities. He again relocated, this time to Kyoto in 1900 to manage the Kinkozan Studio before establishing his own. His name became synonymous with celadon and refined porcelain and was one of only five potters to be named Teishitsu Gigei-in. The Teishitsu Gigei-in were members of the Imperial Art Academy, Perhaps in modern terms one might call them the predecessors to the Living National Treasures. However unlike the LNT, there were only five Pottery artists ever named Teishitsu Gigei-in, Ito Tozan, Suwa Sozan, Itaya Hazan, Miyagawa Kozan, and Seifu Yohei III. He was succeeded by his adopted daughter upon his death. He is held in the Kyoto National Museum among many others.

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 incredible hand painted Taisho period bijin scroll signed Hakuho; so lifelike it looks to be a photograph. An angelic, Kimono clad beauty pauses to gaze out the garden window. One arm resting on the sill, she tranquilly stares past the hanging lantern and bamboo close at hand, her beautiful almond eyes fixed on the distance, she appears to be looking not at the garden, but at her own world. A colorful comb decorates her full hair while a pendant dangles from a kanzashi above her ear. A colorful obi holds her black kimono over the flower patterned under kimono. This arresting scene is intricately detailed, down to the tarnish on the lantern and individual threads running through the reed blind. The scene is mounted in creamy brocade embossed with vines, extended top and bottom in beige and ending in lacquered wooden rollers. The scroll has been meticulously restored and remounted and measures 21-1/2 inches (54cm) by 79 inches (2 m) and comes in a wooden box.