Antique Japanese uma-jirushi, flag standard for battle. This uma-jirushi is a large inverted gourd surrounded by smaller gourds. The great daimyo, Hideyoshi Toyotomi (famous for being the second unifier of Japan) made the upside down gourd his uma-jirushi symbol. A large upside down gourd was placed on top of his flag pole and smaller gourds were added around it with each victory. Called "Sen nari hisago" or "thousand gourds". The gourd also symbolizes the 7 Lucky Gods, good luck, good... Click for details

Antique Chinese pair of porcelain figures of standing children, each holding a vase with lotus. Dressed in traditional baby clothes, the "heavenly twins" are delicately painted with enamel in a famille verte pallet. Impressed signatures on the bottoms.

Hehe Erxian, "two immortals of union and happiness", comes from the ancient story of two best friends, Hanshan and Shide, who were Buddhist monks. Joining the pantheon of Daoist immortals, they came to symbolize harmony and... Click for details

Antique Japanese bronze suiban with raised designs of dragons on the front and back. Swirling mist motifs decorate the sides of the suiban and continue on the four feet it stands on. A key motif runs along the edge of the rectangular container. Four character mark on the bottom. Suiban are intended for displaying flowers (with a kenzan) or for displaying suiseki scholar stones for viewing and contemplation. Some repair to the feet.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions:... Click for details

An antique Japanese Kyoto Todana Tansu made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Two large sliding doors open to a spacious storage area with a center shelf. Horizontal wooden slats on the doors and the sides allow for visual aesthetics and strength of the chest. Side swivel handles were used for transporting this chest by running a long wood pole through the handles allowing a group of helpers to easily carry this chest from location to location.

The Japanese philosophy... Click for details

An antique Japanese Mizuya Tansu (kitchen chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova), Hinoki (Cypress) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand made iron drawer pulls in the shape of a full moon with bow style back plates. Sliding doors feature Kakinoki (Persimmon) wood inlaid handles. Constructed using mortise and tenon joinery with horizontal side ribs for strength and durability. Abundant storage space behind both sets of sliding doors with additional space available in the four drawers.... Click for details

A rare antique Japanese Kasane (stacking chest on chest) Tansu made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Sugi (Cryptomeria) woods. Original Urushi lacquer finish and hand made iron hardware. Double side by side upper drawer design sometimes considered the matriarch pattern among Sendai Tansu collectors. Beautifully poised Shishi or Botan (Peony) motif on all of the lock plates with unusual scalloped cast framing surrounding each image. Warabite handles with incised Chrysanthemums along the bottoms of... Click for details

Antique Caucasian soumak saddle bag. Opened flat, finely woven of beautifully colored wool with symbols of protection and fertility.

Age: 19th century

Dimensions: 50" long x 42" wide

A wonderful original Japanese six panel byobu screen. Hand painted with natural mineral colors on gofun paper. Unusual low height for the full six panel length. Finely painted pheasant sitting central to the painting. A family of swallows swooping and dancing around in a playful fashion. Natural full wisteria branch rises up to create a perch for the pheasant.

Fun fact, pheasants are the national bird of Japan. In Japan the pheasant is a divine messenger for Amaterasu, the great... Click for details

Antique Japanese full length tanegashima rifle with working original matchlock mechanism. Made of burl keyaki hardwood with original lacquer finish. The hand forged iron barrel is inlaid with a 3/4 length silver dragon swirling through clouds. Original decorative brass fittings with auspicious animals such as fu-dogs, birds and flowers. Unusual silver inlaid stripes on the mouth of the barrel.

Comes with custom iron stand to aid in display. (In the group picture, this tanagashima is... Click for details

An antique Japanese full length tanegashima rifle with working original matchlock mechanism. Hand made of high figure burl keyaki hardwood with original translucent lacquer finish. The whole length of the hand forged iron barrel is inlaid with a swirling silver dragon in clouds and the crest of the noble Tokugawa clan with six character mark which reads: 松平三河守 Matsudaira Mikawa-no-kami. Matsudaira refers to the Matsudaira clan. Mikawa-no-kami is a title that was held by Tokugawa... Click for details