A collaboration piece between the famed poet/ nun of the late Edo period Rengetsu and her younger protege Tessai, this scroll depicts a frightened cricket making his way to the top of a stalk of grass on a windy day. Set in the fall season, the viewer can imagine a message of frailty, loneliness, and possibly the feeling of trepidation that accompanies the turning of the seasons towards the colder months. Melancholy though it may seem at first glance, there is the deeper, more hopeful message of renewal that is sure to arrive with the spring thaws.

Signed by the 13th Iemoto (tea master) of Omotesenke, Sokuchusai (1901-1979) this exceptional tea bowl bears the poetic name Asahi or “Morning Sun.” Brilliant ochre and ash hues highlight molten swirls and dynamic features. This bowl has exceptional keshiki, or “ceramic landscape.“ [Sold]

Paint on canvas. This signed and sealed painting by Ono Bakufu depicts two Japanese Koi floating in a tranquil pond. Bakufu is best known for his print series of colorful fish entitled Dai-nippon Gyorui Gashu or “Fish of Japan.” Published in 1937, the series includes 72 detailed prints, many of which were adapted from sketches or paintings like the one featured here. Expertly framed in a handmade blue/black lacquer frame, this piece is quite attractive. [Sold]

Before styles such as Raku, Hagi, Karatsu, etc came into fashion for use in the tearoom in early Edo, it was commonplace in cultured society to use tea-ware imported from China. In fact, some pottery styles uniquely Japanese (such as Shino) are thought to have been born out of unsuccessful attempts to emulate these extremely high-quality and refined ceramics. The number of such pieces imported was so great that today it is not uncommon for Chinese collectors to visit Japan in search of authentic porcelains from the Song Dynasty and later.[Sold]