Japanese scroll painting of skeletons, one dancing and one playing a shamisen. Strewn over the ground are skulls and a giant gourd filled with drink. The calligraphy on the top of the scroll states that even the great sage Boddhidaruma and the beautiful Onna no Komachi are Doitsu Byodo (the same as the rest of us) when their flesh is stripped away. Komachi, known for her musical accomplishments is represented by the shamisen-paying skeleton and the dancing skeleton has hands like Daruma's fly... Click for details

Scroll painting of a female ghost appearing out of the mist near a waterfall. Painted after the famous image by Maruyama Okyo, the ghost of Oyuki, a lovely woman who died young. Her hair hangs loose over her face and shoulders. She hovers near the roaring water with one hand tucked into her kimono. Oyuki is a subject in Nihok Sandai Kaidan (Japan's "Three Great Ghost Stories"). By the artist Kawata Kenden who is listed in the 1937 Kaitei Kokon Shoga Meika Ichiran hyo (list of great artists... Click for details

Antique Japanese long tanegashima matchlock rifle with silver inlay of a water dragon in the clouds. Bronze hardware decorations including a fu-dog and chrysanthemum blossoms. A silver moku-ka mon in two places is that of the Oda clan, a daimyo family which was a strong political force in unifying Japan during the mid 16th century.

Guns were first introduced to Japan during the Sengoku era through the Portuguese in 1543. From just a couple samples, Japanese metal smiths were able to... Click for details

Antique Japanese Tanegashima long matchlock rifle. The entirety length of cast iron barrel is decorated with mixed metal inlay of birds and flowers, an unusual motif for a rifle. The gold mon is of the Kobayakawa clan, a powerful samurai clan with close ties to the Mōri family.

Guns were first introduced to Japan during the Sengoku era through the Portuguese in 1543. From just a couple samples, Japanese metal smiths were able to copy and expand upon the matchlock rifle,... Click for details

Incredible pair of very large bronze Japanese shokodai candlesticks. Made of bronze with fine casting for an important Buddhist temple. With chrysanthemum base and bowl. Prickets for large candles. Dark original patina consistent with age. Overall very good condition. Rare chance to acquire such an example.

Age: Meiji Period

Dimensions: 40 1/2" high x 11" wide

An exceptional fine antique Japanese silver vase with a dragon coiled around it's tall neck. The round body of the vase has a large dragon and churning waves in high relief. The foliate rim and foot are incised with details of chrysanthemum blossoms. There is a 3 character signature on the bottom. The first two characters are the artist's name 政成 which could read Masanari in Japanese or Sino-Japanese Seisei. The 3rd character appears to be an alternate form of "carved by" or "etched... Click for details

Antique Japanese set of 7 lotus leaves and blossoms. Carved of wood and lacquered gold. Made for a Buddhist temple altar, these leaves and blossoms symbolize the stages of the path toward enlightenment. The individual parts of the lotus are carved separately then joined in an arrangement. Sold separately or together. Each comes fitted with a custom metal stand.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: range from 35 1/2" high (including stand) to 19 1/2" high.

Rare Japanese circular jingasa with a gradual domed top, made of iron and decorated with a dragon flying in raised, billowing clouds. The dragon's eyes are of inlaid gold, the rim of the jingasa is bronze and the dome's top has a copper ring tama buchi. The underside is lacquered red. The samurai class in feudal Japan, as well as their retainers and footsoldiers (ashigaru), used several types of jingasa made from iron, copper, wood, paper, bamboo, or leather.

Age: Edo Period... Click for details

Japanese rare and unusually beautiful short matchlock rifle. The wide iron barrel is inlaid with a dragon in silver with raised golden eyes. The handle is lacquered black and decorated with gold lacquer kuyo (nine-star) mon crest, which was used by more than one family including the Katakura and Matsukura samurai clans. This mon appears again inlaid in silver around the mouth of the rifle. Made by one of the Kunitomo, specialized gunsmiths to the samurai.
A long kanji inscription on the... Click for details

High level Antique Japanese bronze vase with a water dragon coiled revealing itself around foliated neck. The vase has a squat body and elongated, fluted neck with open foliated mouth, revealing excellent original condition and beautiful patina. Dramatic lifelike waves crash on the vases shoulders just below the dragon, spraying outward. Highly detailed and signed.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 14 1/2" high x 8 1/4" wide