Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (227)

This kind of Kanzashi is called Gin (silver in Japanese) Kanzashi. The body is usually made out the stronger mixed metal as this one. The darkened metal flowers are tarnished silver, I believe. The bira bira Kanzashi started to become fashionable in late 18th century, Edo Period and this set is from late Meiji to Taisho period, early 1900s. The chains are very light weight so you can wear as a set if you like...

Japanese antique nobori banner, hand painted on cotton, a tiger in bamboo grove. The style of the painting is derived from ancient Korean paintings of tigers. It is a style that became popular in Japan from the 16th century and you will see many screens and scrolls of tigers painted in this manner. The popularity of these paintings in this style continued throughout the Edo period(1608-1868) and into the Meiji era...

Thick antique cotton futon fabric, Aizome Japanese indigo dye and the design is drawn in Tsutsugaki paste regist. Color Loss. 49" wide x 61" long.

Three Japanese Jyokan (ladies-in-waiting) hina dolls are a part of the hina doll set displayed for the Hina Matsuri Festival, Japanese Girls Day in March, also called the Peach Festival. This day is reserved for the girls of the family wishing for their well-being for the coming year. Late Meiji to Taisho period, early 1900’s.

When the peach blossoms start to open by breaking through the snow from February to March, it is the announcement of the arrival of spring...

The Zuishin dolls are a part of the Hina Ningyo doll set for Hina Matsuri, the Girl’s Day Festival in Japan. Though they are commonly called Daijin minister dolls, they are the figures of Toneri, the imperial guardsmen and escorts from the Heian period (794-1185).

It was said that the Zuishin dolls were already seen (created and added to the Imperial Hina couple) in Kyoto during the Meiwa era (1764-1772) while the musician dolls were created in Edo (current Tokyo) at the same time...

Japanese nobori banner, hand painted (dyed) with samurai Yoshinaka (Kiso no) and Tomoe Gozen, a woman warrior. Dimensions: 15 3/4" wide and 147 1/2" long. Hand woven soft cotton with hand spun yarn. Early 1900s. Excellent condition but please expect some minor stains because of the age. It may hang better without the side handles on the wall.

Yoshinaka is a member of the Minamoto family (Genji) from the late Heian period (794-1185)...

The carps and nobori Japanese banners, warrior's Yoroi and Kabuto helmets, samurai dolls and swords are all a part of the display used for Boy's Day (renamed Children's Day) on May 5th in Japan. They reflect the parent's wish to inspire their boys in manliness, discipline, bravery and the honor codes which are associated with them.

Originally, Nobori was used in the battle field to identify the troops, some were to show the warriors where their taisho (general) was...

Takeda dolls are modeled after the characters from 17th to 19th century Japanese theater. They are known for exaggerated postures and often with a vivid facial expression of the Kabuki actors or Jyoruri puppets on stage from the period.

This doll is holding up a "takafuda" bulletin board in one hand and a brush in the other. "takafuda" was an official bulletin board for Tokugawa government (1603-1868) to announce any regulations, or changes etc...

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...

Antique Fukusa, a Japanese gift cover with a pair of cranes and pine Tree. This type of silk fukusa was used as a gift cover at the time of a gift-giving ceremony held prior to a wedding. This was one of the rare occasions that the recipients were expected to keep the fukusa as a gift since any return associated with a wedding was considered a bad omen...

Japanese antique gift cover, fukusa, with the design of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune (Shichi Fuku Jin), tsuzure-ri tapestry weave with wide borders (1 3/4"). The liner is made of chirimen crepe silk, Meiji period (1868-1912), 26 1/4" W x 29 1/2"L

This is a beautiful fukusa even with obvious stains. It shows the quality and professional workmanship everywhere. This fukusa is woven in tsuzure-ori. With tsuzure-ori, the weaver weaves over the drawing with their finger nails that ar...

A pair of Japanese lacquered iron abumi (stirrups) decorated with gold lacquer on a roiro ground. It has butterfly family crests (mon) in the center of a scrolling leaf and flower border, the interior in red lacquer.

The butterfly design was a favorite among the aristocrats and was seen in their belongings, ox-carts and attire during the Heian period (794-1192). They were also seen in armor of the Heike (Taira family) before power was shifted to the Genji (Minamoto family) samurai. It ...

A fine embroidered purse, probably made to hold tissues at a tea ceremony. The exterior is embroidered with Sagara embroidery (Peking knot), and has a sarasa design of stylized butterflies, birds and flowers. The sarasa (Indian Chintz), first came to Japan through the Nanban trading in the late 16th century and was tremendously favored by the tea masters and some daimyo (regional lords) during the Edo period. The colorful and exotic fabric originated in India (spread to Java, other parts o...

Exceptionally beautiful Japanese lacquer box with a small doll, mame (pea sized) Ichimatsu nigyo (doll) inside - she actually is 4 ½” tall. This must have been some girl's (or woman’s) treasure box years ago. It may have been a gift from her mother or grandmother. The lacquer box is decorated with auspicious designs; a long tailed turtle emerging from a stream, pine, bamboo and rocks on the bank with a crane flying above. The combination of pines, bamboos and plums (painted in inside) ...

The theme on this fukusa (Japanese gift cover) is “Kin ki Sho ga”, four accomplishments of noblemen. For a man to be well balanced and eventually become a good leader, practicing (and become good at) of “Kin ki Sho ga” was encouraged during their leisure time; ‘Kin’ (Jp. Koto, string music instrument), ‘ki’ (jp. ‘Go’, Chinese chess), ‘sho’ (calligraphy) and ‘ga’ (painting). This started in China and was brought back to Japan by traveling monks studying Buddhism...

This is a large antique fukusa, Japanese gift cover, 34 inches long and 26 inches wide, without including the tassels. The lid of the wooden box (hiro buta) that carried gifts was often placed upside down to display the gifts. The length of the Fukusa may have been adjusted for the tray.

The design of this Fukusa is based on the old Japanese folk tale, Yoro(Yohro) Waterfall. The waterfall was known as the Fountain of Youth and instead of water falling, Sake wine was falling. Whoever d...

Antique Japanese Fukusa (gift cover), an old Chinese koto player by a waterfall. Embroidered on silk satin, lined with soft crepe silk, circa 1800s. 27 1/2" x 30 1/2"

A large cloud moves in and stirs the air in the forest. Water falls to the river as if it were falling from the sky and ripples it to shore. The resonance of the koto breaks the silence of the forest. The design on this fukusa is likely to have come from one of the old Chinese poems. This Chinese man can be Lin Bu (967...

The pine, bamboo and plum blossoms are all auspicious motifs found in nature. The evergreen pine symbolizes the strength and devotion of men; plum blossoms are the purity, subtle beauty and inner strength of women. Bamboos are often used to describe the personality of men and women; for example, a person being as straight (honest) as bamboo, it could also mean flexible (bendable) to a large extent. When pine (matsu, SHO), bamboo (take, CHIKU) and plum blossoms (ume, BAI) are put together, they a...