Japanese hirado ware porcelain figure of a puppy . The entire body is hand carved with realistic fur pattern, the body in white underglaze with the eyes left bare. The puppy's paws and toes are fully carved to the bottom of the piece, which is left bare from the white glaze. The bottom is pierced with an air hole from when it was originally fired in the kiln.

Meiji period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 7 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 5" H

Japanese hirado ware porcelain figure of a tiger. With fully hand-carved fur pattern, whiskers, a wide grin with front fangs exposed. The tiger is glazed in white with the pupils of the eyes left buff. The four paws of the tiger have been hand-sculpted with the toes and claws on the bottom of the figure. The bottom and nostrils of the tiger are pierced through for air to escape during firing.

Published in:
"Hirado Ware, by C. Philip Cardeiro, pg. 75, published by Art Asia... Click for details

Rare Japanese weight driven wall block with finished Keyaki wood frame, strait palisade case with three sided glazed movement, beneath rectangular brass dial with time display by going down weight, peony flower engraved brass, small drawer on bottom.

Meiji Period (1868-1912) circa 1880s

Dimensions: 2.5" x 2.5" x 15.25"

Maeda Toshinaga was a Japanese daimyo, who was the second head of the Kasa Domain. He was the eldest son of Maeda Toshiie and married one of Oda Nobunaga's daughters, Ei-Hime. He supported Tokugawa Ieyasu and, after receiving his brother Toshimasa's lands (Noto, 215,000 Koku), controlled a total of 1,250,000 Koku, an amount exceeded only by the Shogunate. Toshinaga built and resided in the Kanazawa Castle. He had no children and adopted his brother Toshitsune as his heir.

2-panel... Click for details

The pistol has an octagonal russet iron barrel with flat sighting plains on top and bore of 3/8". The dai stock is of a hardwood and brass jiita arquebus's firing mechanism, sakura ramrod intact. Good condition.

Dimensions: 16" L x 3" x 2"

The battle of Dan-no-ura was a major battle of the Genpei war, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the Southern tip of Honshu in the year 1185. One of the crucial factors that allowed the Minamoto to win the battle was that a Taira general Taguchi Shigeyoshi defected and attacked his Taira Clan from the rear. He also revealed to the Minamoto Clan which ship the 6 year-old Emperor Antoku was on. Their archers turned their attention to the helmsmen and rowers of the emperor's... Click for details

House-shaped box with copper hinged lids. Open frame design with copper hard mounts, handles, and Keyaki wood construction. The Kandouko compartments hold the copper rectangular brazier and a square copper water container with lid, spout and a handle. Fitted with the essentials of travel for a hot drink and food. The brazier has a vent hole in the Sakura motif. The brazier devise heats the water for warming the sake and it can also be used to grill food; The warmer has a spout to let out the... Click for details

Whimsical rendering of a high relief horse (uma) tied to a pine trunk. The horse is completely harnessed with its kura and abumi fittings. The finish is untouched showing signs of age and patina.

19th Century Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 19 7/8" x 15 1/2" x 1 3/4"

Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The city sits on the Uji River, which has its source in Lake Biwa. The document box lid is decorated with the Hiramaki-e technique in gold and silver sprays of the Uji bridge and a cascade of Sakura blossoms on to a copper based nashiji ground. It’s complete with a black lacquer interior tray decorated in a minor composition of a riverside scene, with copper sprinkles throughout. The box interior is black lacquered with copper... Click for details

The forked arrowhead (karimata) was named after its resemblance to the V-formation flight of wild geese. Such arrows of different sizes were highly prized on the battlefield and for hunting large game. The Japanese arrowheads, many resembling miniature spears, were made in hundreds of varied shapes of folded, tempered steel.
They were attached to the bamboo shafts by means of long, thin tangs (Nakago). The most common were narrow, roughly-filed, pointed arrowheads used to penetrate armor... Click for details