/Collection
  • Santō Kyōden (山東 京伝, September 13, 1761 Edo – October 27, 1816) was a Japanese poet, writer and artist in the Edo period. He studied ukiyo-e under master Kitao Shigemasa (北尾 重政) [see SVJP-0006], and began illustrating kibyōshi under the pseudonym of Kitao Masanobu (北尾 政寅).

    Signed: Masunobu ga.

    "Parody of the Nō Play Chōryō" (elsewhere) or "Parody of Huáng Shigōng and Zhāng Liáng" (David Waterhouse, The Harunobu Decade, Hotei Publishing, 2013, v. 2, №651). "The story [...] is about an encounter between the Chinese government minister Chôryô (Zhāng Liáng) and the legendary elder Kôsekikô (Huáng Shigōng) in the 3rd century BC. While riding a mule across a bridge, Kôsekikô dropped his sandal. Chôryô returned it to him. As a reward, Kôsekikô gave Chôryô a book of military strategy. Later, Chôryô helped to establish the Han Dynasty (207 BC-AD 220)." [The Walters Art Museum]

    References:

    Waterhouse, The Harunobu Decade (2013), #651; Ukiyo-e shûka supp. 2 (1982), pl. 625; Pins, The Japanese Pillar Print (1982), #274/p.145;  J. Kurth, Die Geschichte..., vol. II, Leipzig, 1928; S. Kikuchi, Ukiyo-e, 1966.

  • Katsukawa Shun'ei. Signed: Shun'ei ga (春英画). Vertical Ōban. No reference whatsoever. Unidentified play, actors, roles, year, theatre. SOLD  
  • Katsukawa Shun'ei (勝川 春英; 1762 – 1819).
    TITLE: Sawamura Sôjûrô III as Kakogawa Honzô.
    SERIES: Kanadehon Chūshingura (Kana practice book: Treasury of the loyal retainers").
    DATE: 1795
    Signed: Shun'ei ga (春英画). Publisher: Iwatoya Kisaburō, Marks 173/p.169. Vertical Ōban:  14.75 x 9.625 inch
    On 4th lunar month of 1795 Sôjûrô plays the roles of En'ya Hangan and Kakogawa Honzô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura" at Miyakoza theater in Edo.
  • Kitagawa Tsukimaro (Kikumaro): 喜多川 月麿, fl. c. 1794–1836.

    Mother is playing with her child: they left playing with shadow lantern for freeing a turtle (Hojo-e, or "Rite for the Release of Living Beings").

    Signed: Tsukimaro hitsu (月麿筆); Publisher's mark; censor's seal: Kiwame + Yamaguchiya Tôbei gyōji seal (1811-14).

     
  • Tsuba of oval form decorated with vines, tendrils, and leaves on trellis in brass inlay with details carved in kebori, and pierced with six family crests (mon) with two, three and four pointing stars in openwork, each outlined with brass wire and carved in kebori. Original hitsu-ana outlined with brass wire was probably enlarged later. Copper sekigane.

    Momoyama to early Edo period (end of the 16th - beginning of the 17th century). Dimensions: 68.3 x 64.5 x 3.4 mm.
  • Iron tsuba of 14-petal chrysanthemoid form (kikka-gata) with alternating solid and openwork petals, the latter outlined with brass wire (sen-zōgan) and the former decorated with brass dots (ten-zōgan), on both sides. Seppa-dai is outlined with brass wire. Small hitsu-ana probably cut later. Late Muromachi period (Ca. 1514-1573). Ōnin school. Unsigned. Dimensions: 87.0 x 87.8 x 3.2 mm. Similar tsuba in this collection: TSU-0420.2022 Other similar specimens can be found at: Henri L. Joly and Kumasaku Tomita, Japanese art and handicraft, "Swords and sword fittings" section, sub-section “Inlays of Ōnin, Kyoto, Fushimi-Yoshiro, and Kaga Province”, Plate CX, #128: Iron, chrysanthemoid, thin guard with alternate petals covered with brass spots. Ōnin style. 16th century.

    Japanese art and handicraft, Plate CX, #128.

    Compton Collection, Part I, #7: The iron plate is of flowerhead shape with each of the fourteen petals alternating between solid and openwork. The apertures are outlined in inlaid brass as is the seppa-dai and hitsu-ana. The remainder of the plate is similarly inlaid with plum flowers, birds, dots of dew, Genji mon and sambiki mon. 87 mm x 85 mm x 3.5 mm.

    Compton Collection, Part I, #7.

    And at Jim Gilbert website: Onin ten zogan tsuba, mid Muromachi. Size: 7.7 cm T x 7.6 cm W x 0.3 cm. Iron plate with brass inlay. Kiku gata. The Ōnin ten zogan style is characterized by the decoration of small brass “nail heads” and wires on a thin iron plate.  The iron often has a soft, granular texture and seems to be prone to rust.  Unfortunately, this rust will undermine the brass inlay and result in the loss of some of the inlay.  This example is in reasonably good but far from perfect condition.  As is often the case, the backside is better preserved, with the wire around the seppa-dai and kozuka-ana, and all petals still intact.
  • Iron tsuba of round form decorated with dragonfly (tombo) and comma (comma-like swirl, tomoe) in openwork (sukashi) outlined with brass wire. The plate decorated with 5 concentric circular rows of brass dots in ten-zōgan. Center of the plate outlined with the inlaid circular brass wire (sen-zōgan). Ōnin school. Unsigned. Mid Muromachi period, middle of the 15th century. Dimensions: Diameter: 89.5 mm, thickness: 3.1 mm. Notes regarding design: "According to various sources, the dragonfly (tombo) is emblematic of martial success, as various names for the insect are homophones for words meaning "victory". The dragonfly is also auspicious because references in the Kojiki and Nihongi link it in both name and shape to the old kingdom of Yamato."  [Merrily Baird. Symbols of Japan. Thematic motifs in art and design. Rizzoli international publications, Inc., 2001, p. 108]. "The dragonfly (tonbo), was also called kachimushi in earlier times, and due to the auspicious literal meaning "victory bug" of the characters of this word it became a popular theme on sword fittings." [Iron tsuba. The works of the exhibition "Kurogane no hana", The Japanese Sword Museum, 2014, p. 13].   Helen C. Gunsaulus' description of the dragonfly emblem is as follows: "This motive, the dragon-fly  (akitsu), is generally accepted as a symbol of the kingdom of Japan, and the origin of the idea is traced to the legend recounted in the Kojiki and Nihongo of the Emperor Jimmu's view of the island from mountain top. He is said to have thought the kingdom looked like a dragon-fly touching its tail with its mouth. From this it received its name Akitsu-shima... etc."  
  • Pre-Columbian, South Coast of Peru, Nazca, ca. 22- BCE - 125 CE.Polychrome vessel of organic, phytomorphic form and thin walls finely painted with six slithering serpents and protruding floral motifs in hues of red, orange, cream, black, grey, and white.

    Chips of base and rim. Pressure fissures on and a bit above the base. Surface wear commensurate with age.

    Size: Diameter: 19 cm; Height: 16 cm; Mouth diameter: 8.5 cm.

     
  • Classical picklock bayonet switchblade knife with bolster release, fixed guard, cream handles (ivory?).

    Size: 123 mm x 20 mm (closed); 220 mm (opened); 130 mm blade.

    Tang is etched with: Havlin.
  • Pro-tech Walter Brend custom switchblade knife with solid 416 stainless steel frame, amber jigged bone inlays, mirror polished 154-CM blade.

    Size: 94 mm (closed); 168 mm (opned); 74 mm blade)

  • Classical picklock Italian stiletto switchblade knife with bolster release, fixed guard, Brazilian horn handle.

    Size: 112 mm (closed); 240 mm (opened); 90 mm blade.

    Tang is etched with: Latama, Italy. SOLD
  • Ulster Official Scout pocket knife with brown jigged bone plastic handles.

    Size: 93 mm (closed); 160 mm (opened); 70 mm blade.

    Tang is etched with: Ulster
  • Iron tsuba of round form decorated with eight roundels – circular emblems of flowers and/or family crests (mon) made of cast brass, pierced and chiseled in kebori, and with flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan) of vines or leaves all over the plate. Both hitsu-ana could have been trimmed with brass now lacking. Nakago-ana of triangular form, possibly enlarged, with copper sekigane. All typical emblems with bellflower, two variations on suhama theme, and 3, 4, 5, and 6-poinitng mon variations. A distinctive character of this tsuba is a mon at 12 hours depicting water plantain (omodaka).

    “Omodaka was also called shōgunsō (victorious army grass); because of this martial connotation, it was a design favored for the crests of samurai families” [Family crests of Japan, Stone Bridge Press, Berkeley, California]. Yoshirō school (Kaga-Yoshirō). The Momoyama or early Edo period, beginning of 17th century. Size: Height: 81.4 mm; width: 81.2; thickness 3.8 mm at seppa-dai.
  • Mikhail Belomlinsky. Born 1934, Russia. Helicopter. Watercolor painting on paper from Chukotka expedition, 1975. Size: 36 x 48 cm.
  • Mikhail Belomlinsky. Born 1934, Russia. Village, dogs. Watercolor painting on paper from Chukotka expedition, 1975. Size: 36 x 48 cm.
  • Mikhail Belomlinsky. Born 1934, Russia. Vadim Krolin, hypnosis session. Watercolor painting on paper from Chukotka expedition, ca. 1970s. Size: 36 x 48 cm.
  • Seller provided description:
    "Finely painted via the red-figure technique, an elegant pelike vessel of a classic globular form with a cylindrical neck rising to a flared rim, and twin fluted handles, all upon a raised, concave, disc foot.
    Side A depicts a winged Eros who stands in contrapposto facing toward the left, in the nude save sandals, bracelets, a beaded sash, and a stephane (wreath) holding a situla (pail) in his left hand and gesturing toward the seated maenad before him. Though with her breasts exposed, the maenad does wear a lower garment, and is bedecked with a stephane, multiple bracelets, and strands of pearls around her neck - all delineated in fugitive white and yellow pigment. She holds a mirror in her left upraised hand and leans upon a tambourine with her right elbow. Above and to the right is a maker's mark of a circular format with a central X that is further adorned by nested wedges and dot motifs. Side B presents two opposing standing draped male figures, the gent on the left leaning upon a walking stick. Complementing the figural program, is a lovely decorative program adorning both sides of the vessel, with bands of laurel leaves above and a repeating Greek key/meander below. An outstanding example, masterfully wheel thrown, so that we see absolutely no signs of any jogs in the transitions between the different elements of the vase. Moreover, it presents ideal proportions perfect for presenting the superb painted iconographic/decorative program. The painting was executed with the utmost skill and artistry - the red-figure technique enabling the artist to delineate the figures' musculature, facial details, as well as the cascading drapery folds with extensive fugitive paint embellishments.
    Expected surface wear with some scuffs and pigment losses commensurate with age, but the painted program is generally very well preserved. Area of repair/restoration to cloak of male on right (Side B). Minute nick to left of male on left (Side B). Nice root marks throughout and areas of encrustation. Thermoluminescence (TL) report: the piece has been found to be ancient and of the period stated. Equivalent age: 2400 +/- 300 years. Certificate of Authenticity from Artemis Gallery. Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection. Greece, Southern Italy, Apulia, ca. 330 BCE.
    Size: 6.75" in diameter x 9.875" H (17.1 cm x 25.1 cm)
    Polina de Mauny, being both attentive and knowledgeable, was the first who noticed a possible mistake in the description above. It is highly probable that the woman on side A is not a maenad but Aphrodite herself, holding a mirror and leaning on a shield. Maenads were "often portrayed as inspired by Dionysus into a state of ecstatic frenzy through a combination of dancing and intoxication". The situla, held by Eros, unequivocally alludes to Dionysian ritual, which has to do as much with maenads as with Aphrodite. The nature of two men on side B remain unclear.
  • Iron tsuba of round form decorated with eight roundels – circular emblems of flowers and/or family crests (mon) made of cast brass, pierced and chiselled in kebori, and with flat brass inlay (hira-zōgan) of vines or leaves all over the plate. Both hitsu-ana trimmed with brass. Nakago-ana of trapezoidal form. A distinctive character of this tsuba is a mon at 6 hours depicting tomoe (comma). Yoshirō school (Kaga-Yoshirō). Attributed to Koike Yoshirō Naomasa himself. Unsigned. The Momoyama or early Edo period, end of the 16th to the first half of the 17th century (1574-1650). Size: Diameter 82.0 mm, thickness 3.8 mm at seppa-dai, 3.4 mm at rim.