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Large Mashiko Folk Pottery Dish, Kaki Glaze
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Pre 1970 item# 351230 (stock# 2B-709)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$250
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This impressive heavily-potted Hamada style Japanese ceramic plate is skillfully decorated with a transparent wax resist design against a brown, black and traditional kaki glazed background. Mid-20th century. The kaki glaze drips over the edge of the lip onto the transparent glaze covering the back in places. The high foot ring is unglazed. Mashiko has been a major folk pottery center since the 1850’s producing primarily utilitarian table wares. Kaki (persimmon red) is one of the most popular Mashiko glazes used on the standard kitchen wares. In the early 1900’s, Shoji Hamada established his kiln there and became internationally famous. The traditional pottery concept was to not pursue artistry apart from everyday life but to create practical beauty as a part of the crafted items to be used in daily living. Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this plate is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is simple, humble and unassuming. Condition is excellent. Overall dimensions: 12” diameter, 2 ¼” high.
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Rare Full Set 24 Gosho Doll Woodblock Prints by Hasui
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Woodblock Prints:
Pre 1940 item# 321515 (stock# 7A-098)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$3,600 for Set of 24 Prints
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Complete boxed set of twenty-four original Japanese woodblock prints by Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) entitled “Ningyo Gashu” (“The Japanese Dolls Gosho-Ningyo”). Published by Meiji-Shobo Publisher of Tokyo in 1935, the series was printed in celebration of “Children’s Day” on May 5th and sold in sets. This set is complete with all 24 designs, each tipped in its original presentation folder and in the original folio box, along with title pages in Japanese and English and a cover sheet in Japanese. Each doll print is signed “Hasui” and sealed. Although prints of gosho ningyo (imperial palace dolls) form the majority, other types of traditional Japanese dolls such as isho ningyo (costume doll), doro ningyo (clay doll) and karako ningyo (a doll dressed in Chinese clothing) are also included. This charming doll series is a rare and curious item from a woodblock artist who was the foremost shin hanga (new print) landscape specialist of his day. Condition: Overall good impressions and color. Several of the prints employ the use of metallic pigments and other deluxe printing. The prints are lightly toned from their original folders, and there is light foxing on some of the images and folders. The spine of the folio box is worn in places. Due to space limitations, we have only pictured a sampling of the doll prints. If interested, please e-mail us for close-up images of all 24 prints. These prints are seldom encountered, particularly in complete sets. The dimensions of each “squarish” print, including the printed background, are approximately 9 3/8” by 8 3/8”, plus small margins, and the folio box measures approximately 13 ¼” by 11”.
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Japanese Karuta Cards: 100 Poets
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Pre 1950 item# 319782 (stock# 9-088)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$235
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This fascinating deck of Japanese karauta cards for a New Year’s card game comes in its original covered lacquered paper box and dates from the early to mid-20th century. Known as the “100 Poet Cards,” the 200 cards used in this game feature short Japanese compositions from “Ogura Hyaku-nin Isshu,” a classic anthology of 100 poems that was compiled in the 13th century. Each of the 100 poems, whose themes are love, the seasons and several other subjects, is by a different author. The deck consists of 100 “yomi-fuda” (“cards to be read”), each containing the full 31 syllables of the short Japanese poem above the portrait of a Japanese man and woman wearing traditional Heian period clothing. The personages pictured in each yomi-fuda card are the actual authors of the verses. The remaining 100 “tori-fuda” (“cards to be gotten”) have shorter and larger text and no picture and contain the last two 14-syllable verses of the matching poem. To play the game, tori-fuda are scattered randomly face up on the floor. A non-participant “reader” then picks one yomi-fuda and starts reading its text. The goal of the players is to quickly recognize the poem and grab the corresponding tori-fuda faster than anyone else. In order to win, players must memorize not only each full 31-syllable poem, but also the position of each scattered card on the floor. The best players are often able to tell the right card upon hearing just the first one or two syllables which are read. The 100 poems card games are so popular in Japan that competitions are held regularly, particularly at New Year’s. The covered red lacquered box, which is divided into two sections, is decorated with a gold lacquer origami crane. The cardboard cards are all in excellent condition, but one yomi-fuda card is missing. The storage box has wear and seam cracks consistent with age and usage. Dimensions: each card is 2 7/8” x 2 1/8”. The box is 6 ¾” x 5” x 3” high.
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Okinawan Tsuboya Ware Hip Flask
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Pre 1960 item# 317930 (stock# 2C-386)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$225
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This portable crescent-shaped ceramic sake container, called a “dachibin,” is one of the classic shapes of Tsuboyan pottery (tsuboya-yaki) and unique to Okinawa. Mid-20th century. The body is randomly covered with a buff colored glaze which exhibits the normal glaze crazing. The pottery biscuit shows through areas along the shoulder and side where the glaze did not spread. There are splashes of rich speckled copper green glaze around the spout and both lugs. The neck is finished in a rich brown glaze, and the unglazed base has the texture of fabric. This flask’s unique shape conforms to the curve of a person’s hip. The flask is filled through the neck in the center, and the inclined, tubular spout directs a stream of sake or water into one’s mouth when the flask is tipped. The flask’s two perforated lugs would accommodate a shoulder cord, so the flask would be handy for journeys or for festivals. Over the centuries, Okinawa has become quite well-known for its cultural heritage and art. One of Okinawa's most distinct and well-known art forms is pottery, and the center for the pottery movement for the past three hundred years has been Tsuboya. This flask is an example of “joyachi” tsuboya ware, which is glazed and often colorful. Throughout the 20th century, Tsuboya had to overcome many challenges, including World War II, but it still remains famous as the center of quality art form pottery on Okinawa. CONDITION is very good, with just a tiny nick in the unglazed corner beneath the spout. DIMENSIONS: 6” long, 2 ½” wide, 4” high.
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Mashiko Stoneware Sake Bottle, Hamada Style
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Pre 1980 item# 312154 (stock# 2C-383)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$395
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Crafted in the style of Hamada Shoji (1894-1978), this striking square Japanese ceramic sake bottle (“tokkuri”) is artfully decorated with a simple transparent wax resist design against a richly mottled turquoise glazed background. Mid-20th century. The front and back sides of this press-molded bottle are decorated with the wax resist design of a stylized leafy stalk with a white slip blossom. The transmutation effects from the kiln have left numerous random mottled spots of dark turquoise which are particularly attractive against the light turquoise ground. The thick square foot is unglazed. Hamada Shoji is modern Japan’s most renowned potter. After studying painting and ceramics and traveling abroad, he settled in the town of Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture, where he lived and worked for over fifty years. As the foremost proponent of the folk art movement, he embodied its values and believed that pots should be functional, utilitarian and traditional. Mashiko potters did not pursue artistry apart from everyday life, but tried instead to create practical beauty as a part of the items crafted to be used in daily living. Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this sake bottle is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is simple, humble and unassuming. Condition is perfect. Dimensions: 10” high, 4” square.
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Hand Painted Porcelain Shells: Tale of Genji
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Pre 1980 item# 308466 (stock# 2B-688)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$160
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This unusual pair of Japanese porcelain dishes in the form of clam shells has been beautifully hand painted with rich colors and gold pigments to replicate the actual matched clam shell halves used in the shell-matching game popular during the Edo period in Japan. They date to ca. 1980 and come with a marked kiri wood box. Each shell is handpainted in Tosa style with scenes of noblemen and women in conventional Heian court dress. Shell-matching (“kai-awase”) was a popular amusement of the Edo period, and its equipment was often included in the suite of lacquer furniture that was part of the bridal trousseau of a daimyo lady. Each half of a shell was decorated with an identical miniature painting based on a scene derived from Japanese classical literature. The “Tale of Genji” and other romances were the most common sources of imagery. A complete set comprised 360 shells. The game was basically a test of memory: one set of shell halves was placed face down on the floor, and as shells from the second set were removed face up from an octagonal shaped lacquer container (“kaioke” or “shell bucket”), competitors took turns inverting shells to see if images matched. Since each side of the bivalve shells will match properly with only its original mate, the game came to be associated with marital fidelity. (See “Edo: Art in Japan 1615-1868” by Robert T. Singer.) These lovely miniature paintings, which incorporate elements long associated with the Tosa school, are extremely decorative. Condition is perfect. Dimensions: Each shell is 4” x 3 ¼? X 1” high. Wood box is 9 ¼” x 5” x 1 ¾” high.
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Mashiko Stoneware Tokkuri, Hamada Style
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Stoneware:
Pre 1980 item# 300595 (stock# 2C-384)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$395
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Crafted in the style of Hamada Shoji (1894-1978), this handsome square Japanese ceramic sake bottle (“tokkuri”) is artfully decorated with a simple transparent wax resist design against a rich iron brown glazed background. Mid-20th century. The front and back sides of this press-molded bottle are covered with brown glaze upon which the wax resist design of a stylized leafy stalk with a mottled turquoise blossom has been painted. The brown glaze overlaps on the two undecorated sides of the bottle, which are covered in a transparent nuka glaze, leaving the effect of large stripes. The thick square foot is unglazed. Hamada Shoji is modern Japan’s most renowned potter. After studying painting and ceramics and traveling abroad, he settled in the town of Mashiko, Tochigi Prefecture, where he lived and worked for over fifty years. As the foremost proponent of the folk art movement, he embodied its values and believed that pots should be functional, utilitarian and traditional. Mashiko potters did not pursue artistry apart from everyday life, but tried instead to create practical beauty as a part of the items crafted to be used in daily living. Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this sake bottle is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is simple, humble and unassuming. Condition is perfect. Dimensions: 10” high, 4” square.
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Miniature Japanese Daimyo Gyoretsu Procession
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Dolls:
Pre 1970 item# 281889 (stock# 4-229)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$175
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This unusual tableau contains a large grouping of miniature Japanese dolls, called “keshi ningyo,” depicting a procession called a Daimyo Gyoretsu or seasonal pilgrimage. Mid-20th century. These tiny hand painted figures -- all less than one inch (2.5 cm) in height -- are made of plaster or clay which has been formed around a metal pin which has been inserted and glued into a silk covered base. There are 24 figures walking and 2 figures on horseback, 3 drummers, 4 flag bearers, and various other figures. The wooden stand becomes the bottom of a signed kiri wood box which serves as a protective lid when the tiny dolls are stored. (For two similar, albeit earlier, examples, see Figure 37 on pages 130-131 of JAPANESE ANTIQUE DOLLS by Jill and David Gribbin and the one on display in the Boone Collection in the Field Museum in Chicago.) Various kinds of miniature dolls (keshi) have been made for years in Japan, including miniatures derived from larger forms. In addition, there are some types of dolls that were exclusively produced to a very small scale, of which the most common are these little plaster figures molded around pins called keshi. Only averaging about a half an inch high, these figures were mounted in groups on oblong wooden stands to create tiny scenes, a favorite theme being the Kabuki play Chushingura. Miniature doll scenes are still made today, but older ones can be recognized by the authenticity of their materials. Old scenes are mounted on a stand of unfinished wood, and the pin-like legs of the dolls are inserted into padded silk. More modern versions are mounted on lacquered or plastic bases. The figures are in pristine condition, as the procession has been closed in its box and safely stored for a number of years. This piece would make a most unusual addition to any Japanese doll collection. Dimensions: Figures are all less than 1” high, box is 13 ¾” x 1 ¾” x 2” high.
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Ornate Old Japanese Kawara Roof Tile Decorations
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Pre 1930 item# 279180 (stock# 9-079)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$360 for Pair
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These wonderful early 20th century Japanese house roof terminal decorations, called "onigawara” or ridge end tiles, were once mounted at both ends of the clay ridge cap atop of the roof of an old Japanese house and were used for both decoration and as an amulet. (Enlargement photos 9 and 10 show examples of the way onigawara were attached to the roofs of traditional Japanese houses.) This pair has been molded from a type of clay material that has the look and feel of old worn granite, and the fronts of both pieces are decorated with swirling or rolling wave patterns called “hire.” The functional beauty of the elaborate designs on onigawara was made even more impressive given their striking location at the ends of the high roof ridge. The name “onigawara” means literally “demon tiles” because the early end tiles were traditionally molded in the shape of a demon’s head or face, much like a clay gargoyle with the same function, i.e., to ward off evil. Onigawara developed around the middle of the Edo period when the tile roofs became popular for houses, and they reflected the status of the family. These highly decorative and unusual Japanese architectural elements are very popular in Japan. They are not normally found in such wonderful condition, as they usually get broken up and discarded when old houses are demolished. It is also rare to find a pair of onigawara, especially in such a large size. Condition is excellent, with only some minor rubbing on the back of the larger onigawara where it rested against the clay ridge cap tile. There is also a small crack above the hole on the back of the larger piece, either from the kiln or from taking if from the ridge cap tile; however, there is no danger of further fracture in the crack. This is an exceptional pair of very decorative and unique Japanese antiques that will display well anywhere in the home or garden. Dimensions: the larger onigawara measures 11" high by 17 3/4" wide by 3 3/8" thick and weighs approximately 12 pounds. The smaller onigawara measures 9 ¼” high by 10 ½” wide by 4" thick and weighs approximately 7 pounds.
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Mashiko Pottery Dish, Wax Resist Design
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Regional Art:
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Pre 1980 item# 172392 (stock# 2B-613)
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B & C ANTIQUES
203-929-7312
$165
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This thickly-potted Japanese ceramic plate is decorated with a transparent wax resist design against a rich brown glazed background. Mid-20th century. The brown glaze drips over the edge of the lip onto the transparent glaze covering the back. The high foot ring is unglazed, and there is an impressed mark stamped in a small circle on the glazed base. Mashiko has been a major folk pottery center since the 1850’s producing primarily utilitarian table wares. In the early 1900’s, Shoji Hamada established his kiln there and became internationally famous. The traditional pottery concept was to not pursue artistry apart from everyday life but to create practical beauty as a part of the crafted items to be used in daily living. Folk-craft products or “mingei,” of which this plate is representative, are objects used by common people. These commonplace, functional artifacts are endowed with a beauty directly connected with their utility – a beauty that is simple, humble and unassuming. Condition is perfect. Overall dimensions: 10 7/8” diameter, 1 7/8” high.
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