17th Century Furniture

A highly important Japanese export lacquer cabinet with depiction of the Dutch East India Company tradepost Deshima and the annual Dutch delegation on its way to the Shogun in Edo Edo period, circa 1660-1680 H. 88 x W. 100.5 x D. 54 cm This cabinet includes a later European japanned stand, but also a modern powder-coated steel frame. The latter can be designed and added to your specific needs. The sides and front of the rectangular two-door cabinet are embellished in gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e on a black roiro lacquer ground with a continuous design. The two doors depict a long procession of numerous figures travelling on foot and horseback along buildings and a pagoda into a mountainous landscape. This is the annual court journey, Hofreis, of the Dutch from Nagasaki to the Shogun’s court in Edo. Three horseback riders are dressed as Dutch merchants and a fourth figure, probably het Opperhoofd, is seen inside a palanquin, norimon. Just about to cross the bridge, two men are carrying a cabinet like the present one. Many Japanese figures on either side of the procession are engaged in various activities; some play musical instruments on board of small boats, others are fishing; figures inside buildings are depicted playing go, and farmers are tending to their rice paddocks. The upper part of the right door shows a large mansion, probably the local daimyo’s castle, with men kneeling before a man in the central courtyard. The court journey fits in with the foreign policy of the shogunate which accorded a role to the VOC alongside China, Korea, and the Ryukyu Islands who also had to pay tribute. However, the VOC employees were traders, having low status in Japan’s social hierarchy, and they were received with less deference than were the state embassies from Korea and the Ryukyu Islands. Nevertheless, the contacts with the Dutch were a welcome source of information to the Shogun about Europe and European science and technology. The left side of the cabinet depicts, in mirror image, a rare view of the artificial fan-shaped Deshima Island, the trading post for the Dutch in Japan. The island, where the Dutch flag flies, is surrounded by small Japanese boats and an anchored three-masted fluyt (cargo ship), flying Dutch flags, with on the stern the VOC monogram. On the bottom right a busy street of Nagasaki is shown, bordered by shops and leading up to the stone bridge. On the island the trees are beautifully painted, two cows can be seen, and the flagpole, all in very fine detail. Dutchmen and enslaved Malay are visible outside the buildings and two Japanese figures, probably guards, sit in a small hut in the centre. A maximum of fifteen to twenty Dutchmen lived on the island at any time and soldiers or women were not allowed. Restrictions on Deshima were tight, and the merchants were only allowed to leave the island by special permission. The Opperhoofd had to be replaced every year, and each new Opperhoofd had to make a court journey to pay tribute, present gifts, and to obtain permission to Margaret Barclay eep on trading. In the distance, many birds fly above the hills and a four-story pagoda can be seen. The right side of the cabinet is painted with other horse riders and their retinue journeying through mountains. The pair of doors to the front open to reveal ten rectangular drawers. The drawers are decorated with scenes of birds in flight and landscapes with trees and plants. The reverse of the left door with two thatched buildings, one with a ladder, underneath a camelia tree with large blooms; the right door with a three-story pagoda nestled among trees and both doors with a flying phoenix, ho-oo bird. The cabinet, with elaborately engraved gilt copper mounts, hinges, lock plates and brass handles, is raised on an 18th-century English japanned wood stand. A pair of large cabinets...

The China Chair is the only pure wooden chair in Fritz Hansen's collection. It was inspired by the design of the "Quan Yi" chair from 18th century China and has been in production si...

Probably Sri Lanka, 2nd half 17th century H. 55 x W. 40.5 x D. 40.5 cm Seat height 27.5 cm The chair is overall densely carved with a scrolling flower motif on four connected turne...

A Chinese 16-17th century Ming stone table carved from a solid piece of stone. This table has a traditional scalloped apron and legs ending in scrolled feet. In well-preserved origi...

Small Wine Table This table is made in the "inserted shoulder joint" style of construction in which the legs join the aprons with flush mitered joints. The edges of the legs and the...

Available from Shogun's Gallery in Portland, Oregon for over 40 years specializing in Asian Arts & Antiques. This is a very rare 350 year old antique Japanese...

This is a very old and rare Japanese tooling storage tansu. It was made early Edo period of Japanese cedar and its handle was made of iron. Its ultimate...

Chinese dry lacquer table with gold designs depicting floral arrangements and accoutrements.

This book stand is all original without any replacement pieces. The piece has very clean lines and a simple form typical of the Ming style which emphasizes purity of form. The two ...

A Chinese Huanghuali document box with baitong mounts Late Ming/Early Qing dynasty, 17th/18th century H. 6 x W. 34.8 x D. 17.5 cm Proven...

A Portuguese-colonial Japanese Namban lacquer vargueno cabinet Momoyama period, circa 1600 H. 43 x W. 64.5 x D. 36 cm Wood, black lacquered and deco...

Gorgeous Flemish Tapestry large bench.

17th century canted oak livery cupboard, with plain cup & cover supports with ionic capitals.

A good 17th century oak chair with carved back and original patina of a lovely attained gloss , the chair glows of age with beauty. The Chair ...

A fine Japanese pictoral style lacquer cabinet with gilt-metal mounts Kyoto, Edo period, 1670-1690 Decorated in Japanese relief lacquer work, black lacquer ground decorated...

An unusual Indian half-relief carved ebony armchair Coromandel coast, 1680-1700 ? Throughout carved with floral and vine motifs, the back rail with a central peony and ...

A rolled-up scroll or treasured root pot may have once been among the treasured objects stored in this 19th century book chest. Expertly constructed in China'...

An Indonesian ebony centre table with marble top Jakarta (Batavia) or Coromandel coast, 1650-1680 With shallow carvings of flowers and vi...

A MOLUCCAN RED EBONY CENTRE TABLE WITH MARBLE TOP The Moluccas/Ambon, third quarter 17th century Carved in low-relief with decoration of plant...

Seamlessly constructed and lacquered black, this pair of spectacular Ming-dynasty compound cabinets provided the perfect blank canvas for painted scen...

Created over 400 years ago, this low table from the late Ming/early Qing dynasty was carved by hand from a single block of limestone. The table has aprons carved with interlocking rings...

An elegant and graceful cabriole legged, high waisted altar table with scrolling apron, set upon a waisted platform. The top featuring a floating center panel of finely figured nanmu...

This stone table was carved over 400 years ago from a solid piece of limestone. With time, the stone develops particular undeniable characteristics: beautiful wear, patina, and oxida...