DESCRIPTION: Three rare Edo Period (c. 1790 – 1810), festival banners, hand woven of hemp and decorated with colored zodiac animals dyed in the freehand paste resist technique, tsutsugaki. To remain straight and highly visible in parade processions, these tall banners would have been mounted on poles from the top and along one side using a series of fabric tabs attached to the banner.

These striking banners are dist... Click for details

DESCRIPTION: A fine pair of large Japanese Emperor and Empress dolls, or kokin-bina, presented in formal court dress. The empress’ attire is quite elaborate, using fine brocade silks with hand embroidered flowers. In her hands she holds a painted fan and is crowned with an elaborate headdress representing a bird with long hanging beads attached. Both dolls have gofun faces and hands, which are in excellent condition. The accessories include the empress’ crown and tasseled fan, and the empero... Click for details

DESCRIPTION: This large, gorgeous Japanese tray is crafted from a beautifully undulating piece of burl with curled edges that turn and overlap into the interior. The wood is a rich brown and twists in the most sumptuous patterns; the base is made from one flat slab of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. Striking and unique from any angle, it is a testament to the eye of the craftsman who saw its beauty and fashioned it for use. Excellent condition and dating from the Meiji period (1868 – 1912). DIMENSIONS... Click for details

DESCRIPTION: A pair of wonderful wood koma-inu dogs (also called Shishi or Fu dogs) covered overall in a dark brown lacquer with traces of gilt. Such dogs were always found in pairs, male and female, with huge stone examples placed at the entrances of Buddhist temples to protect against evil spirits. These smaller wood versions were used on either side of sacred shrines as part of the internal decoration. The name “Koma-inu” means dog of Koryo, after the medieval Korean dynasty from which they... Click for details

DESCRIPTION: A delightful and large carved wood figure of one of the seven Japanese gods of good fortune, Daikoku, the deity of prosperity. Here he is seen in his traditional pose, standing on two bales of rice with his wish-granting mallet in his right hand, and a bag of riches slung over his left shoulder. He is also venerated as the deity of the kitchen where such carvings were traditionally displayed, sometimes in the ceiling rafters for good luck. A wonderful mingei piece, his happy exp... Click for details

DESCRIPTION: A very special Japanese wood censer, carved in the form of a comical shi shi or foo dog, standing upright on four straight legs with knobby toes, and ending in a round hollowed body. The shi shi’s face has a priceless comical expression with pink lips and protruding tongue around an open, grinning mouth, and is attached to the body by a wooden hinge and can be positioned open or closed. When closed, the smoke from the burning incense wafts through his pierced eyes and mouth. This... Click for details