Catalog: Vintage Arts: Regional Art (166)

Japanese Arita porcelain vase with peonies, the flower of riches and honor. It symbolizes wealth, fortune and power as well as beauty in the highest form. It is signed 'Shuhou' on the bottom and the box. Hand painted with reddish brown (thick), gold and under-glaze blue-beautiful work. This is a large, solid vase, The actual weight 7 pounds without the box. Dimensions: 10 inches in diameter and 10 1/2 inches tall. Impressive Kiri wood (paulownia) box. Circa, mid Showa.

Newer Japanese bridal hair ornaments with roses and chrysanthemums. The butterflies on the chrysanthemums are attached with springs and are pretty flimsy; there are crawling snails on the rose leaves. Beautifully detailed as you can see. Your hair may look little too busy if you are to wear these all at once unless you have a huge dimensional hairdo as they used to (or they still do for the special occasions) back in Japan...

This is a good quality kasuri fabric; it has a body but is not stiff, medium in the thickness, 13 3/4" in width x 34 feet (408") long. White kasuri area is light blue color, not white as it appears in the photos. This will be sold by yards.

Quality, Japanese lacquered wood kimono hanger. The hanger comes in the box with the old tissue paper inside. The writings on the box and the tissues (old with lots of storage stains - appeared new in the photos) indicate that it was "Made by Wajima", pre WWII. Wajima lacquer has been know for the best for it's superior quality. Very light (kiri wood inside?). Taisho to early Showa, 1920 to 1940. The condition is new (stayed in the box without being used). 25" long, 5/8" in diameter...

Japanese farmer's folk art, clay doll from early Showa: 10 3/4"h x 6"w Artist's signature on her back, dated in the 15 years of Showa Period (1940). Excellent condition.

Japanese folk art, farmer's clay doll: Ooishi Kuranosuke, a historical hero as a leader of the 47 Ronin (samurai without their master) who avenged their master's death and then all committed Seppuku suicide. Artist signed and dated (in 1942) on the back. Measurements are: 12 3/4"h x 7 3/4"w at the widest

All the clay dolls are somehow originated from the Fushimi clay doll of the Kyoto area...

Japanese clay doll, Kabuki doll with a dragon. 13"h x 9 1/2" at the widest.

This type of clay dolls are somehow all originated from the Fushimi clay doll of the Kyoto area. Fushimi dolls were originally sold as souvenirs to the pilgrims on the road of Fushimi Kaidou from Kyoto to Fushimi Inari Shrine in the early Edo period (1600-1868). When the hina dolls were still very limited to a few wealthy people in early 1900s, these clay dolls were for the regular people...

This is a Japanese clay doll, Mingei folk art of Japan. Samurai Warrior doll in armor for the Japanese Boy's Day in May. 9 inches high and 6 inches wide. Signed at the bottom. Circa 1930 to 1950.

Japanese folk art, farmer's clay doll: 11 1/2"h x 5 3/4"w

All the clay dolls are somehow originated from the Fushimi clay doll of the Kyoto area. Fushimi dolls were originally sold as souvenirs to the pilgrims on the road of Fushimi Kaidou from Kyoto to Fushimi Inari Shrine in the early Edo period (1600-1868). By the end of 19th century, these dolls were made all over Japan...

Japanese folk art, farmer's clay doll: This man is Ninki Danjyo, the villain of the Kabuki play. The more awful the villain is, the lovelier the princess looks and the nice guy more angelic especially in Kabuki plays. Danjyo, with his magical power, is trying to transform himself into a rat...

Old Japanese clay doll, a lovely standing girl with a flower bouquet, 14" tall from early 1900s. This doll is signed and dated (the date that sold or given to) at the bottom, March of the third year.

This type of clay dolls are somehow all originated from the Fushimi clay doll of the Kyoto area. Fushimi dolls were originally sold as souvenirs to the pilgrims on the road of Fushimi Kaidou from Kyoto to Fushimi Inari Shrine in the early Edo period (1600-1868)...

An exquisite old Japanese hair comb, lacquered on wood (kiri, boxwood?), practical yet ornamental with make design of wisteria like flowers. It is almost like new, never been used condition. The shape of this comb is unusual, irregular from one side to the other side. The shape is called Shin-bashi shape/style. Shinbashi is located in Minato-ku in Tokyo. The shape came out in early Showa period (end of 1928 to beginning of 1986). 4 1/2"

Finely hand carved Japanese Obidome in the shape of a Hannya Noh mask with horns and shiny metal eyes. A Hannya mask in Noh represents a mad woman who turns into a demon out of jealousy. She is vicious and haunts the “other woman” to death. The term, 'Hannya' is used today by a husband who happens to come home late without good enough excuses...

Beautiful peonies on a soft pure silk (sho-kinu, 100 percent silk) kimono roll. Hand dyed design (Yuzen zome) went through to the reverse side. The fabric (marked as Tango chirimen) is treated with some new chemical for easier maintenance, wrinkle free, washable (?), etc. Some designs are dyed to be matched for the wider width. Gentle, pale (smoky) purple color, 14 1/2 wide, full roll (enough to make a kimono).

Beautiful hand painted (dyed) iris on soft 100 percent silk. Some designs are dyed to be matched for the wider width. This is probably from mid Showa, 40 to 60 years old, no color loss. The spots and the design that run sideway are part of the woven design. Full roll and good quality silk. I will get the measurement.

Japanese Kyoto Nishijin silk obi roll. This is a soft, medium thick, high quality silk fabric with genuine high grade gold leaves woven in. Stamped Kyoto Nishijin and nishiki with a couple seals for passing quality checks. Some stains at the end (very left edge) - not likely to affect. The base silk is cream color. 28 1/2" x 163".

Orange Fukusa, Japanese gift cover from mid Showa, 1930 to 1960. Some color loss but in excellent condition otherwise, no damage, stains or tear. The photos shows it little newer than actual. 19 1/8" W x 20 3/4" L

Japanese Shoki (demon queller) doll for the Japanese Boy's Day. The story of Shoki came from ancient Chinese folklore. He was known to cure ailing emperor of the Tang Dynasty when he was plagued with nightmares. Shoki showed up in the emperor's dream and chased the demons away. This store was later adopted by the Japanese. Shoki became to be the only non-Japanese figure displayed in early Japanese Boy's Day festival since the Edo period (1603-1868)...

Japanese Shoki (demon queller) doll for the Japanese Boy's Day. The story of Shoki came from ancient Chinese folklore. He was known to cure ailing emperor of the Tang Dynasty when he was plagued with nightmares. Shoki showed up in the emperor's dream and chased the demons away. This store was later adopted by the Japanese. Shoki became to be the only non-Japanese figure displayed in early Japanese Boy's Day festival since the Edo period (1603-1868). Circa 1970 to 1990.

The doll is f...

This type of fukusa is a cover placed over a gift at the time of a gift-giving ceremony such as "Yui-noh" which is prior to a wedding. A pair of cranes on the rocks by an ocean may symbolize the couple's long journey together. This is a wonderful work of art, beatiful dye work is enhanced with embroideries that are so skillfully added. Taisho to early Showa, 1920 to 1940.

This beautiful shibori (tie-dye) is already cut to make a haori jacket. The skinny pieces under the arms are cut and attached by someone who knows what he is doing. It has not gone through Yunoshi, the process to stretch shibori using steam. The size of this gown is extremely small at this moment because a regular kimono roll (for short kimono) is used to make into shibori fabric. 36 inches x 16 1/2 inches long with 9 inches hemming tacked inside. The fabric is a good silk, an older sil...

This beautiful shibori (tie-dye) is already cut to make a haori jacket. The skinny pieces under the arms are cut and attached by someone who knows what he is doing. It has not gone through Yunoshi, the process to stretch shibori using steam. The size of this gown is extremely small at this moment because a regular haori (short jacket) roll is used to make into shibori fabric. 36 inches x 16 1/2 inches long with 9 inches hemming tacked inside. The fabric is a good silk, an older silk wit...

A wonderful cabinet or desk top wood box. It looks nice enough to place in your living room. New condition. Dimensions: 7 1/2 inches wide x 9 1/2 inches tall x 8 1/2 inches deep

This is an old Japanese man's obi sash (belt for a kimono) with designs on both side. Many of the sashes are found with some damages, so they are often cut out and used to remake something else. Top quality silk in new condition, no damages.

WEARABLE ART: This skirt is made out of an old Japanese man's obi belt, chrimen crepe silk with hand tie-dye "shibori". Freshly made out an obi from early 1900 to 1940. Medium size with elastic waist.

Old Japanese Kanzashi comb and hairpin set with lovely prunus and birds on a tortoiseshell. Late Edo to Meiji. One hairline shown in the last photo is very minor. We had more than one occasion that we had difficult times locating it. The comb is 3 1/4" x 1 5/16"; hairpin is 6 1/4" long and 11/16" wide at the ends.

This is a full set of quality Karuta game cards, traditionally played on New Year's day in Japan. It consists of 100 famous Waka poems from the Heian Period selected by FUJIWARA no Teike later in the 13th century. These poems are called Ogura Hyakunin (100 people) Isshu (one neck or head). The life and history of the old time is passed on to the new generations over the years through the beautiful waka poems in the karuta (origin "carta", Portuguese card) game.

The way that the game ...

This is a Rikyu doll, one of the Hakata clay doll made in the Fukuoka, Japan. Rikyu (Sen Rikyu) is a 16th century influential tea master who perfected the Cha-no-yu, way of tea. He served two historically powerful figures, Nobunaga (Oda) and Hideyoshi (Toyotomi), and eventually being forced to commit Seppuku by Hideyoshi. Sen Rikyu is a given name by the Emperor. 10 inches tall.

Beautiful thick Kasuri cloth almost in new condition. Hand sewn with four panels, little cotton stuffing on reverse side. Dimensions: 51 inches x 62 inches

Quality Japanese Hina Ningyo with unique faces. These Jyokan dolls are a part of the Hina doll set displayed for the Japanese Girls Day, Hina Matsuri Festival, also called the Peach Festival, held in every March. The peach blossoms are often associated with a woman’s beauty and inner strength. When the blossoms start to open by breaking through the snow from February to March, it is the announcement of the arrival of spring. Being a farming country until recently, it meant the beginning fo...

Japanese hair comb and Kogai hair pin in a Wakasa-nuri Lacquer finish on wood, circa early 1900s. Wakasa-nuri lacquer is a unique urushi lacquer technique that uses stones (coarse to soft) to scrape and reveal different layers of lacquer coatings which are painted on wood using many different colors. The dimensions of the comb are 1 1/4 inches and 3 1/4 inches, pin 5 3/4 inches long.

A stylish cloisonné beaker vase decorated with a yellow rose on a blue ground by Ando, a leading Japanese cloisonné maker since the beginning of Meiji period. Impressed Ando and 'jyun-gin' (pure silver) marks on the bottom rim, dated from 1950 to 1960. Original square black stand and pamphlet issued by Ando with some brief notes about the company and a photo of the famous enameled mirror discovered in Shoso-in. 11" tall (vase alone) and 7 1/2" in diameter at the opening. Absolutely no dam...

Beautiful Japanese Wajima lacquer stand with gold maki-e painting on a nashi-ji (pear skin) background. The designs are scrolling vines with stylized chrysanthemums and paulonias, which are the crests of the emperor and empress. The style of sparkling nashiji lacquer work and the theme were popular in the Taisho period (1912-1926) to the beginning of the Showa era, sometime after the return of the throne to the emperor.

The stand was made for a Tokonoma as a base for a flower arrangement...

This type of tissue holder is called Hakoseko. They are still being used for very special ceremonial occasions. The older one in this quality is now a collecter's item. Hakoseko will be placed between a kimono and an obi sash with the chains dangling from the chest area. Circa, early to mid 1900s. Dimensions: 4 1/2" x 2 3/4"

Japanese Wedding Gown with embroideries, some stains. There is no trace of being worn on this Uchikake wedding gown. The outer fabric is white (creamy, light tan) silk and the liner is also high quality silk which makes it very light in weight. There are some color migrations from the embroidery yarns. You can look at it as a bokashi (gradual shading), with the color change right around the embroideries. The one on the left shoulder is visible and the coloring spreads to the front shoulder...

New Condition, hand sewn. I don't have a close up photos here, but I think this is hand woven. The katazome (stencil dye) cloth for the liner in the shoulder area. (I will try to take some close up photos sometimes later). Dimensions: 45 1/2" sleeve to sleeve, 23" shoulder and 36" long.