19th Century Buddhist Prayer 'Mala' Beads, Japan

Chinese wood puppet head, 19th century, mounted on contemporary stand. Simple puppet head of a male figure, carved out of a single piece of wood, with tapering neck, lightly carv...

Antique gold/opium bamboo scale with built-in abacus, Chinese, 19th century Fitted into a bamboo case are a brass tray with bronze weights and a bone beam with measuring marks. Th...

19th century antique Japanese Meiji bronze floor lamp. This finely cast, well composed, pedestal lamp depicts mythical creatures on the base, cranes in high relief on the stem are...

Thai Dancer in a classic pose, balancing on a wooden base. Graceful and expertly executed. The losses of paint in some places lend to the beauty of the piece.  

Sashiko-stitched cotton Rodogi work coat, early 20th century, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan A full length coat composed of indigo-dyed cotton with vertical bands of sashiko stitching w...

High official's box for his seals (chops) from China. Qing Dynasty (18th/19th century) It is decorated with carved dragon handle, a fish and a Fu dog surrounded floral motifs. Measu...

A truly magnificent and special work - this beautiful and exceptionally long string of Japanese handcrafted natural wood (perhaps rosewood) Buddhist Juzu mala beads with four large square-like beads called shitenshu beads said to represent the Four Heavenly Kings: Jikko-Ten, Zocho-ten, Hiromoku-ten, and Tamon-ten (Since there are four square beads, the denomination is probably Tendai or Nichiren sect). These rosary-type prayer bead necklaces were used by Buddhist monks in temple prayers / rituals and worn by Samurai as amulets of protection. We have not come across another set of Juzu beads...

A truly magnificent and special work - this beautiful and exceptionally long string of Japanese hand-crafted natural wood (perhaps Rosewood) Buddhist Juzu mala beads. These rosary-type large prayer bead necklaces were used by Buddhist monks in temple prayers/rituals and worn by Samurai as amulets of protection. During the Edo period, Buddhist priests/monks and samurai warriors used to wrap the beads around their bodies and use the beads in their worshipping and meditation ceremonies. After reading the sutra once, one bead would be moved (some sects used them instead of wooden tally counters). It would take a tremendous amount of intense concentration and physical stamina to read the sutra while holding and counting/moving each individual prayer bead as well as a copious amount of time to move all the prayer beads to complete the sutra cycle. We have not come across another set of Juzu beads...

Rare find!: 24 feet long Zen monk Mala Prayer Bead String plus original wooden alms bowl with its original attached triangular shaped stone ojime. A huge...

Beautiful organic shaped Cypress root brush pot. This cypress root was carved out to hold the scholar’s calligraphy brushes. The aged natural patina enhan...

Beautiful organic shaped Cypress root brush pot. This cypress root was carved out to hold the scholar’s calligraphy brushes. The aged natural patina enhances the beautiful wood grain...

Beautiful organic shaped Cypress root brush pot. This cypress root was carved out to hold the scholar’s calligraphy brushes. The aged natural patina enhan...