Extremely Japanese Rare Lacquer Plaque Depicting Russian St. Petersburg

An extremely fine and important Japanese lacquer cabinet with gilt-copper mounts for the European market Edo period, late 17th century The pictorial style decorated rectangular...

A Japanese Nagasaki export lacquer box with mother-of-pearl depiction of the Amsterdam ‘Trippenhuis’ Edo-period, circa 1830 H. 12.5 x W. 24 x D. 15 cm ? The house depicted on t...

Meiji period, circa 1873-1887 The black lacquered box decorated in maki-e and hiramaki-e gold, with on the lid a European style building complex and several Japanese and European figures walking along a street in the foreground. The sides are finely decorated with several insects and the inside with several compartments and nashiji decoration. H. 7.4 x W. 29 x D. 25.7 cm After the Americans forced Japan to open their harbours to the outside world and take part in international treaty and trade around the mid 19th century, the formerly feudal society rapidly changed. Japan was now focussing on an industrial future. One of the major international ports was Yokohama with its foreign embassies and warehouses - which attracted a great number of visitors of all sorts. For the higher society visiting Japan for the first time a new and ‘Western’ hotel had to be realised; hence the construction of The Grand Hotel on Kaigandori. The hotel was opened on August 16, 1873 (Meiji 6) and was soon considered the height of Western culture and elegance in Japan. The building probably depicted on this box, designed by American architect Richard P. Bridgens (リチャード・ブリジェンス, 1819 -1891), is the original hotel...

An important Japanese lacquer box with a view of The 'Nieuwe Stadsherberg Van Amsterdam Nagasaki, Edo-period, 1830-1840 The black lacquered wood box, decorated in gold and inla...

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...

Late Momoyama period, late 16th century The coffer is decorated in black lacquer, urushi, on cedar wood, decorated with gold dust and silver, maki-e, and nashiji, mother-of-pearl, r...

Japanese Nashiji lacquer tray with crane and wave design, this exquisite tray is a masterful example of multiple lacquer techniques using gold (including maki-e and takamaki-e). This...

Pair of stylish Chinoiserie panels in a lacquer finish, painted in gold, red & black with landscapes with village and people. The frame also decorat...

This 19th century Japanese Pharmacy sign advertises a popular stomach medicine, Aifu from the Juwa Co. in Osaka. The hand-painted registered trademark of the world looking through bi...

These elaborate and deeply carved panels are mid-20th century. The carving is very detailed and on a rather deep heavy wooden panel. All the raised areas are richly detailed and gild...

Russian playing cards "The Imperial playing cards Factory St. Petersburg" Russian playing cards by manufacture the Imperial playing cards Fact...

Fine quality contemporary Japanese hanging vase, black lacquer with inlaid mother-of-pearl. This piece is signed and comes with its original paul...