An armorer's tsuba, with very slightly raised rim on the strong, flat iron plate. Pierced decoration of a shrimp with pleasing, subtle swell along the antennae and legs (mostly on the ura.) Small, irregular brass inlays for the eyes (missing from one eye - not conspicuous.) The kogai-ana plugged with a copper rich alloy. Oval form about 2 7/8" (7.3 cm) by 2 3/4" (6.985 cm). Thickness at rim about 5/32" (.39 cm). Late 16th century to early 17th century - perhaps Momoyama period. Or possibly earlier with hitsu-ana added (though old). Good condition with varieagated hues in the dark, lustrous patina likely with extant lacquer adhering and accounting for some of the black color (note that the tsuba has an overall dark, mottled patina which our lighting doesn't adequately portray). Subtle tekkotsu evident - some old, worn pitting with the surface now smooth, almost soapy to the touch.

A 19th century American folk art painting. Oil on canvas. Table top still life of bountiful agricultural harvest and a pineapple likely from port trade (pineapples were popular import produce in 19th century port cities and much can be read of pineapples in American tradition and design - most notably relating to hospitality.) Relined - otherwise good, clean and bright condition. Stretcher dimensions 30 1/2 inches x 25 1/4 inches. We acquired this in the late 90s from a long time Georgetown period furniture dealer (and Trocadero member) who had this in his own dining room for years. We have, also, enjoyed it in ours since but it is now time to lighten up as we prepare for a distant move.

An unusual and dramatic firescreen abattant. It reminds me of some of the smaller, New York classical parlor furniture I've seen in Southern house tours with late Federal drawing and music rooms furnished with pieces imported by successful merchants - almost, but not quite, over the top in their design yet direct in their function. So an argument could be made for high, New York city style. And the inlaid oval in the center, with pie crimped edge, is reminiscent of some New England work. The passive function is that of a firescreen and explains the distress to the side with inlay which likely faced the fireplace (rather than the upholstered side.) The "surprise" is the enclosed work area with the hinged top dropping to provide a writing surface (abattant [fr], "put horizontal") below the interior fitted with letter or document slots (only the back one of three dividing slats remaining - evidence of two more, and three segments which would have divided at least one of two lateral slots into three sections.) Perhaps because of the narrow profile, there appears to be no secondary wood under or behind any of the solid mahogany. Condition is quite good considering the likely heat exposure as a firescreen and probable stress to the hinged top which relies upon the case as a counter-stop. We had distress to the inlaid surface evened out, filled and finished - disturbing old finish as less as possible - to make it presentable for the decorator yet acceptable to the collector. We left the old upholstery (possibly original) alone for the next steward to decide. Our restorer (specializing in period furniture) had also never before encountered this design. Our photographs illustrate the character of the old, now serviceable inlaid surface. Ca 1800 - 1810. Height, about 42 3/4 inches. Width, about 21 5/8 inches (about 22 1/4 inches wide at the trestle base).

This firescreen abattant may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

Federal Mahogany swell front chest of drawers. Yellow pine and poplar secondary woods. Maryland, probably Baltimore, 1790 to 1810. This chest is similar in ways to an example in "Furniture in Maryland, 1740-1940", Weidman, 1984, item #77, page 123. On both, the top conforms to the bow front case, projecting a bit beyond the case. And both have nicely formed French feet, inlaid banding on the drawers and above the skirt, and inlaid chevrons centering the escutcheons. In fact, the present chest came from the estate of Dr. Harvey William Cushing (1869-1939) while the chest illustrated in the cited volume (in the collection of the Maryland Historical Society) came from a descendant of the Cushing family - with Baltimore roots going back to at least the 1770s. More history regarding the Cushing family can be found in the volume and later history in a letter we obtained from the dealer who sold the chest to us (which also mentions how they acquired the chest.) Unlike the published chest, the inlaid bands on the present chest are along the drawer edges, with oval stringing on the drawer faces, and a single top drawer atop three more graduated drawers. In good, presentable condition, it appears the chest may have had restorative work to the top and likely a later refinish, pulls appear to be replacements. One drawer pull is loose on one side and some distress to inlaid banding. Height, about 42 1/4 inches. Depth about 23 1/16 inches. Height 36 3/4 inches. We are offering American furniture from our personal collection while lightening up in preparation for a far move - reasonable offers entertained. Provenance: Dr. Harvey William Cushing, an unnamed Baltimore dealer, a Frederick Md dealer (disclosed to purchaser), ourselves.

This chest may be inspected at The Antique Center at Historic Savage Mill, Maryland

The Katchushi style of this tsuba gives it an earlier look and feel. But it is probably an Edo period work (might expect more wear on the seppa-dai or more conspicuous tekkotsu on an older example.) The thin body nonetheless resilient. Strong, sparse, decorative file marks on the vertical add to character. Adept use of the file, thin plate and slight taper toward the rim could support argument a swordsmith may have made the tsuba. Genji style mon and two five petal blossoms in fine open work (some iron detailing missing from one of the blossoms, the other with one of the open worked petals interrupting the rim.) Smaller kozuka-ana and kogai-ana flanking the seppa-dai. The surface smooth to the touch despite some old, light pitting. Possible scant old lacquer adhering closely to the surface (difficult to discern with certainty as some hard wax appears to have been applied to the surface.) Simple sukashi tsuba are considered by many to be closest to Samurai taste. Fine open work and subtle attention to detail such as the file work add to appeal. Length, 3 9/32 inches (8.33 cm). Width, 3 1/16 inches (7.78 cm). Thickness, about 3/32 inch (0.238 cm)

An Ao-Kutani palette porcelain deep dish in the Yoshidaya manner. Hydrangeas decoration in polychrome enamels including white, light blue-green, and dark green, blue, blue-green and aubergine in black line, all on yellow ground, a chocolate brown enamel on the otherwise unglazed biscuit rim. The number and subtlety of hues but consistent for palette is pleasing. The back with enamels including dark green on black line decoration of clouds. Kutani mark in black under yellow glaze inside the foot ring which appears to have been glazed but with the enamel rubbed along high points to the porcelain body. A couple of kiln kisses to the cloud decoration area on the back. The so called Yoshidaya type of 19th century Ao-Kutani wares is named for a merchant who revived production of a particular palette of Ko-Kutani production (of the 17th and early 18th century) adjacent to the original kilns. The current example certainly appears to be 19th century and could possibly be from the Yoshidaya kiln. Later Ao-Kutani palette production is often ambitiously ascribed to the Yoshidaya kiln which, in fact, operated only briefly from the 1820s to the early 1830s. One 3/16 inch flake (mostly to the enamel) under the rim. Otherwise good condition considering expected scratching and rubbing of the enamel. Presents well. Diameter, 11 7/8 inches (30.16 cm)

Rare "Buddha Asuka (B)" woodblock print by Kiyoshi Saito, 1955, number 40 of only 50 printed, signed in white ink and sealed in red ink both on the image area. Signed and sealed printed label "self-carved self printed" also included (attached to paper backing removed to inspect condition.)

We were not able to find a recent auction record for this image with data available. Another mid-century work by Saito (in color) titled Asuka (Kudara Kannon) [possibly confused by the artist with one of the Roku Kannon also of the Horyuji] was bestowed in 1959 by the artist to the Collection of The University of Michigan Museum of Art. It is noted that Saito was creating works in a series of early Nara sculptures around the time. A Saito subject similar to the present, muted work (but printed two years later in a run of 100) of another Nara sculpture, Miroku, was offered in Christies sale 8862, lot 306 together with a Winter in Aizu print.

The muted colors of the present work is a reflection of the somber lighting within the temples housing sculptures of this period.

Condition of the present work is good, with some toning and with brown paper tape around the edges (covering up to about a half inch margin.) A penciled note (from the framer?) appears in the margin on the verso. Some ink bleed on the verso from the original printing not at all compromising the image. Not clear if this was the first framing, the print was nonetheless not removed for some time until we removed the backing to inspect condition (image included of verso before removing paper.) Sheet height about 33 inches, sheet width about 21 1/4 inches. Image height about 29 5/8 inches, image width about 16 inches.

A fine, modern footed dish with red, green and yellow overglaze and with cobalt blue and manganese underglaze decoration. The hexagonal, everted rim with red border defining a cloud band around conforming hexagonal cavetto with chidori (sparrows) alternating with polychrome squares - borders of decoration all picked out with manganese (giving an iron effect but fading nicely into the blue decoration rather than spoiling it with fade to brown. The splayed foot with a cloud pattern in modern interpretation of the Nabeshima tradition. As we describe this unusual object, it should become more apparent that it is rather substantial (though small, sturdy potting) and not commercial production. The dish - top and bottom - as well as the foot retains impressed decoration and texture in the porcelain over which the decoration was added with deference... the blue glaze, for example, lightly filling the recesses of, perhaps, a hemp impression over a more broadly ridged surface and leaving the highpoints almost white. The same molded and impressed texture can be felt top and bottom of the dish and the cloud pattern on the foot can also be felt when running one's finger along the decoration. The unglazed foot rim reveals a fine, white kaolin with smooth feel to the touch. Unfortunately, though the molded and impressed decoration rather nicely retained texture, a square impressed mark inside the foot did not and offers no legible mark. We are comfortable proposing an attribution to Hajime Kato (1900 - 1968) but can not make any definitive claim and estimate accordingly. Perfect condition. Diameter, point to point, 6 3/4 inches (17.145 cm). Height, 2 1/4 inches (5.715 cm)

A fine 19th century classical rosewood canterbury. The four compartments separated by three rail and stile partitions with handle, enclosed by openwork lyre sides and turned corner posts with finials, all over two drawer case raised on turned feet. Wonderfully appropriate for a period music room. The two drawers likely cost the patron a pretty penny in the period and are not commonly encountered. Secondary woods (exhibiting only hand rendered kerf marks) include red cedar and chamfered poplar for the drawers, and red cedar and knotty pine for the case. Note the darker oxidation (as expected) on the exposed lower drawer bottom. Probably American, inspired by Regency design. Compare with Neal's 2005 Winter Estates Auction lot 261 which lacked case and drawers. Very good condition save some rosewood veneer loss on one side lyre (see third enlargement - a minor consideration easily restored - we will not.) This will ship oversized or by special delivery service at buyer's expense. Length 20 1/2 inches (52cm), Height 18 inches (45.7cm), Depth 14 1/2 inches (36.8cm).

A substantial, Ayutthaya period (15th-16th century) Sawankhalok kilns alms bowl with stout, carved foot. Compare with the gift of Osborne and Gratia Hauge, and Victor and Takako Hauge to the Freer and Sackler Galleries of Asian art, Washington DC, object number S2005.280. A discovery from a Baltimore antiques center in the 90's - the present example is a bit more rustic than the museum example. The stoneware body of our smaller bowl (with somewhat less rounded sides) is burnt to an iron-orange color and the "white" glaze has a light blue-green robin's egg tinge (in contrast with the museum object's light bluish-grey tinged glaze with kiln fault.) Both exhibit the oxidized inclusions in the glaze and craze lines from the unglazed rim. Width about 5 3/4 inches (14.61cm), rim Diameter about 5 5/8 inches (14.29cm) and Height 4 1/8 inches (10.48cm)

Probably Echizen province, late 16th or 17th century. Bizen province artisans also took up Yoshiro zogan inlay work in the Kinai (ancient provinces and surrounds) manner. Brass (valuable in the period) and silver inlay flush with the iron surface was thought to have been introduced by an artisan named Yoshiro, for whom it is named. Slightly earlier, Heianjo school work tends to rest atop the surface into which it is inlaid. Late Muromachi or early Edo period. Length, about 12 inches. More pictures coming