This is a Japanese silk obi with a painting of men transporting lumber down the river. It is a scene that became obsolete as new technologies, such as trains, trucks and the creations of dams, developed. It is hand painted on silk with an artist’s signature and seal. We will bring more photos once the obi is flattened from the Nagoya style obi – currently, this obi is being worked on (hand sewn) by a professional.
This is an old Japanese silk obi. The style of the obi is called Chu-ya (day and night) obi – it’s made with two different fabrics sewn together. As the name suggests, two sides of the obi can be worn for totally different social functions. Both sides are absolutely beautiful on this obi.
The front side of this obi is subtle but quite tasteful. As for the black side, it is ‘Nyogen’ obi fabric from China; there ar ...click for details
This set of dolls was made for Japanese Boy’s Day. It comes from one of Japanese folklores, Peach Boy, Momotaro. Momo is translated to peach and Taro (ta-ro-o) is a common name for boys. Dates on the box shows that this was purchased in 1921. There is a good article about Peach Boy in Wikipedea under Momotaro: A song for Peach Boy, Momotaro was made in 1911 for Japanese children. This is a copy of the translation from Wikipedea. ...click for details
A set of old Japanese wooden combs with a cloth comb holder. These are hair styling combs used when most women had the hairdo of today’s geisha. Each comb had a different function which was basically to comb, style and clean the hair. The combs here are all hand cut and it appears that some were added later. All combs are cleaned.
The outside of the folder is covered with a fabric called sarasa. Sarasa is a Jap ...click for details
Elegant silver hairpin with gilded bird, possibly a nightingale on the branch of a plum tree. The plum blossoms are made out of small corals. 7 and 7/8” long, Meiji/Taisho.
Antique Japanese kanzashi, hair comb, hand carved on tortoiseshell with a rooster on a drum surrounded by auspicious flowers. The design comes from an ancient Chinese poem that describes the era that was ruled by Emperor Yao who was known for his wisdom and fairness. The poem reads, “The drum for raising alarms is now covered in deep moss, and the fowls are left undisturbed”. Emperor Yao is a legendary figure who supposedly set out a drum at the gate of his humble palace so people could voice ...click for details
