A finely worked Chinese export silver presentation casket, late nineteenth to early twentieth century, housed within a fitted, gold-decorated black lacquer case. The rectangular silver box combines closely spaced, diamond-shaped piercing with raised flowering prunus and bamboo decoration. Its substantial construction and sculptural ornament contrast with the delicacy of the open lattice. Gnarled prunus branches spread across the hinged lid around a polished rectangular plaque. Individually defined petals surround finely chased flower centers, with rounded buds emerging along textured stems. Related flowering branches decorate the short sides, while bamboo extends across the long panels in overlapping clusters of pointed leaves and jointed stalks. The raised ornament stands prominently above the pierced ground, allowing light and shadow to emphasize the depth of the silverwork. The central plaque bears the inscription “With Best Wishes From Fok Hon Fui” in shaded ornamental lettering. The underside is stamped “CANTON,” “HC,” a Chinese character mark, and “90,” indicating a stated silver fineness of 900/1000. The accompanying lacquer case has a fitted olive-green velvet interior and an inner lid decorated with five gold winged insects. An extensive landscape fills the exterior lid: figures gather beside a spreading tree, a boat crosses the water, and buildings stand among trees along the opposite shore. Birds fly above the scene, which is enclosed by finely patterned borders. Flowering branches, foliage, birds, and insects continue around the exterior sides. Brass hinges and lock fittings complete the case; a separate key is included. The silver casket shows light wear commensurate with age. The lacquer has localized chips and losses, including a patch below the front keyhole and losses along the lid edges, together with apparent fine cracking to the interior lid’s lacquer. The silver casket measures approximately 6.25" long × 4.25" wide × 3" high and weighs 614 grams (19.74 ozt.). The lacquer case measures approximately 10" long × 7.5" wide × 4.25" high. Auction Estimate: $1,500–$2,500.

A sculptural fragment of the Sikhote-Alin iron meteorite, a remnant of the dramatic meteorite shower that fell over the Russian Far East on February 12, 1947. Broad and relatively flat, the specimen has an irregular outline with raised ridges, shallow hollows, and overlapping, torn-looking edges. Silver-gray highlights catch its projecting contours, while darker recesses and small areas of brown coloration give depth to the rugged metallic surface. Its flattened profile and sharply textured features are consistent with the shrapnel-type fragments associated with this fall. These pieces bear the marks of violent fragmentation, their crumpled forms preserving something of the force with which a visitor from space arrived on Earth. The Sikhote-Alin event scattered iron meteorites across the forested mountains of Russia’s Maritime Territory, now Primorsky Krai. This fragment, small enough to rest in the hand, connects that witnessed moment in 1947 with the much longer history of its extraterrestrial material. Sikhote-Alin is classified as a Group IIAB iron meteorite, composed principally of iron and nickel, and structurally as a coarsest octahedrite. The latter term refers to its broad internal metallic crystal structure, which is not exposed on this unsectioned specimen. Accompanied by a printed identification label reading “SIKHOTE-ALIN – IRON / Coarsest Octahedrite / Fell February 1947 / Maritime Territory, USSR.” Measures approximately 3" × 2.25". Auction Estimate: $250–$350.

A Japanese cicada netsuke, Meiji or Edo period. The elongated form has a rounded head with protruding, applied black eyes, a banded thorax, and closely folded wings that taper to paired, rounded tips. Warm cream and amber tones vary across the polished surface. Deeply incised lines trace the branching veins of the overlapping wings, with dark staining emphasizing their angular patterns. Smooth passages across the head and thorax contrast with the densely worked wings, while the prominent, rounded eyes lend the insect an expressive appearance. The underside is detailed with folded legs, a long central mouthpart, and a segmented abdomen. An incised signature near the lower end possibly reads Yoshikawa (吉川); the maker has not been securely identified. Measures approximately 4" long × 1" wide. Auction Estimate: $250–$350.

A richly detailed European oil on hammered copper depicting Susanna and the Elders, following the celebrated composition of Jacob Jordaens (Flemish, 1593–1678). Luminous figure painting, sumptuous crimson drapery and an elaborate garden setting bring the theatrical richness of the Flemish Baroque to this substantial copper, whose intricate passages invite close and sustained looking. Light falls across Susanna’s face and bare shoulders as she turns toward the elders crowding behind her, gathering her clothing against their intrusion. Her softly modeled flesh emerges from the surrounding darkness, set against the ruddy complexions and deeply worked beards of the men. Expressive fingers, curling strands of hair and carefully placed highlights animate the encounter. The central drama commands attention, while the smaller passages—feathers, folded cloth and ornate vessels—reward a closer view. The story, recounted in Daniel 13, concerns Susanna, the virtuous wife of Joachim, a wealthy resident of Babylon. Two elders secretly observe her bathing and threaten to accuse her of adultery unless she submits to their advances. She refuses, risking condemnation until Daniel exposes their contradictory testimony and secures her vindication. The subject captivated Renaissance and Baroque painters, bringing together steadfast virtue, threatened innocence and the sensual beauty of the human figure within the cultivated luxury of a private garden. Here, that garden is filled with telling details. A magnificent peacock stands beside a fountain surmounted by a winged Cupid, its long plumage sweeping down the left side of the composition. Cupid introduces erotic desire; the peacock, associated with Juno, protector of marriage, has been interpreted as an emblem of marital fidelity. A pale cloth held by an elder catches the light above Susanna’s crimson mantle, while an alert little dog and richly ornamented bathing vessels complete the foreground. These elements give the scene its distinctive blend of opulence, intimacy and unease. Jordaens returned repeatedly to this narrative. The present painting follows his late-1630s composition in the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels, itself informed by Rubens’s treatments of the subject, including the 1614 painting now in Stockholm. A related canvas measuring 171 × 149 cm, cataloged as Jordaens and workshop and accompanied by an opinion from Hans Vlieghe, realized €663,000 including buyer’s premium at Coronari Auctions in March 2023. The present copper preserves the same distinctive arrangement, with certain details corresponding more closely to the Brussels version—notably the bareheaded upper elder, who wears a red cap in the Coronari canvas. Vlieghe’s opinion applies to that larger canvas. Examination in person has confirmed the plate’s hammered construction. Shallow working impressions remain visible beneath a richly mottled brown patina on the reverse, where scattered abrasions reveal warmer copper tones. Such supports belong to the established tradition of European copper painting before rolled sheet became more prevalent in the later eighteenth century. The construction is consistent with a seventeenth- or eighteenth-century origin, without establishing a precise date. The circle designation is the auction house’s attribution and remains unverified; the painter’s identity and direct association with Jordaens have not been established. An indistinct cursive inscription and a separately scratched number, apparently “8340,” survive on the reverse. Neither has been securely connected to an artist or collection. A substantial gilt frame with scrolling foliate ornament complements the painting’s warm palette and gives the ensemble a commanding decorative presence. Visible condition includes scattered paint losses, fine cracking, scratches and uneven surface sheen, with localized raised or disrupted paint around the dog and adjoining dark passages. Examined under black light, the painting appears very original, with a few possible areas of historic inpainting. Copper plate approximately 24" × 18"; overall framed dimensions approximately 29" × 23.5". Auction Estimate: $6,000–$8,000.

An original oil on canvas by Alaska artist Ernest E. Robertson (b. 1939), signed and dated 1991, depicting Denali (Mount McKinley) as summer gives way to autumn in the foothills below. The mountain’s illuminated snowfields preside over a landscape in the midst of changing color, with the season’s warmth spreading across the ground beneath a cool, clouded sky. In the foreground, lingering summer greens mingle with vivid patches of burnt orange and russet. Robertson builds the foliage with small, broken strokes, weaving the colors around gray rocks and the bases of slender spruce trees. Their dark branches rise above the bright ground cover, silhouetted against a golden opening in the valley. Farther back, the rolling foothills carry the transition upward: green lower slopes begin to yellow along the rising mountainsides. Successive ridges recede through blue and violet, their softened outlines opening a considerable distance between the nearby vegetation and the summit. Denali holds the clearest light. A narrow edge of gold traces the peak, while broad faces of snow fall into cool blue shadow. The orange at ground level finds a quieter echo in these pale, sunlit expanses. That relationship gives the painting its particular seasonal character: autumn is advancing through the low country, while snow still commands the heights. The work continues the Alaskan landscape tradition associated with Sydney Laurence and Eustace Ziegler, whose mountain paintings helped establish Denali as an image of Alaska itself. Robertson brings that expansive subject into an intimate vertical composition, allowing the summit to dominate without losing the small details underfoot. Signed “Ernest Robertson” with a copyright symbol and the date “’91” at lower left. Presented in a gilt wooden frame with a linen liner and narrow gold-toned inner slip. Sight dimensions approximately 12" high × 9" wide; overall framed dimensions approximately 16.5" high × 13.5" wide. Auction Estimate: $1,000–$1,500.

An original watercolor by Byron Birdsall (1937–2016), signed and dated 1978, titled Mountain Fog. An empty highway sweeps into a mountain pass, its broad, pale surface narrowing toward a bend between dark timber and yellow-green brush. The road brings the viewer into the scene at ground level, offering a route through country that grows increasingly remote as it rises. Birdsall builds the landscape from distinctly shaped passages of color. Rounded masses of roadside foliage gather along the pavement, their ochre and olive tones set against the nearly black silhouettes of the evergreens. A tall stand of trees climbs the right-hand slope, while successive mountain faces recede through gray washes toward snowfields and faintly drawn summits. Fog takes form through the gradual loss of contrast, until the most distant peaks nearly share the color of the sky. The crisp edges and controlled washes give this early work a particularly graphic character. The broad sweep of the highway establishes the direction of travel; the broken outlines of brush, trees and ridgelines keep the surrounding landscape varied. There is a quiet anticipation in the bend of the road, with the journey continuing beyond what the painting reveals. Born in Arizona, Birdsall settled in Alaska in 1975, placing this watercolor within the first few years of his Alaska career. His admiration for the Japanese printmakers Hokusai and Hiroshige informed his approach to composition and graduated color. That interest offers a useful context for the clearly bounded shapes and measured tonal transitions seen here. Signed and dated “BYRON BIRDSALL 1978” at lower right. A label on the reverse reads “MOUNTAIN FOG,” and the backing bears the stamp of The Gallery, Anchorage. Presented with broad brown matting, a narrow light inner border and a slim silver-tone metal frame. Sight dimensions approximately 7.75" high × 16" wide; overall framed dimensions approximately 14.25" high × 22.5" wide. Auction Estimate: $800–$1,200.

A Japanese shunga painting in ink and color on silk, its intimate interior enlivened by richly patterned fabrics. Two lovers recline within a screened interior, surrounded by fabrics that fill the small composition with color: ochre stripes, pale green scrolls, white blossoms against rust orange, and large roundels across a rose-red coverlet. Fine outlines describe the figures, while broad passages of black in the hair and clothing give the scene its strongest accents. The painter sets the curved forms of the couple and gathered bedding against the measured geometry of sliding screens. Individual flowers, curling motifs and narrow garment borders remain carefully articulated, even where the fabrics overlap. The close grouping of faces and hands holds the eye at the center, while the surrounding patterns extend the scene’s intimate domestic setting to every edge. Executed in ink and color on silk. Unsigned, with an accompanying handwritten label assigning the date 1890. The subject and richly patterned garments follow the Japanese shunga tradition. Presented in an oversized cream mat under protective shrink-wrap. Scattered spotting and toning are visible, together with discoloration and handling wear to the mat. Sight dimensions approximately 8" × 11.5". Auction Estimate: $200–$300.

A golden full moon presides over a sheltered waterway in this original 1977 watercolor by Alaska artist Byron Birdsall (1937–2016). Suspended above a distant, snow-streaked ridge, its sharply defined disc casts a broad column of pale light across the blue water. Along the nearer shore, dark spruce rise above broken rock faces and lingering snow, while ochre passages bring a muted warmth to the cool evening palette. Birdsall builds the landscape through a deliberate balance of hard edges and softly diffused light. The foreground rocks fit together in angular planes of charcoal, slate gray and gold, with deep shadows gathering beneath their overhanging edges. A long sweep of snow descends from the wooded bank toward the water, carrying the eye into the distance. Across the inlet, a densely forested point answers the taller trees at left, enclosing the moonlit opening between them. The water gives the composition its stillness. Narrow, calligraphic ripples cross the surface, but much of the foreground remains an uninterrupted wash of blue through which the reflection gradually spreads and fades. The moon’s warm yellow finds an echo in the rocky shoreline, connecting sky and earth across the darker middle distance. Within the square format, the descending shore, upright trees and horizontal water each hold a distinct place; the open foreground gives the viewer the feeling of standing at the water’s edge. Born in Buckeye, Arizona, in 1937 and raised in California, Birdsall came to painting through a life of teaching and travel. He began selling his work professionally while living in Uganda, and an encounter with Japanese prints in Hong Kong deepened his admiration for Hokusai and Hiroshige. Their crisp silhouettes, selective detail and subtle gradations of color offered a visual language that would find a lasting place in his own landscapes. Birdsall settled in Alaska in 1975 and became one of the state’s best-known watercolorists, painting mountains, coastal communities, fishing boats, wildlife and scenes of historic Alaska. His work reached audiences through original paintings, illustrated books and widely collected limited-edition prints; he also designed the 1992 U.S. postage stamp commemorating the Alaska Highway. Dating just two years after his arrival, this watercolor belongs to the opening years of his Alaska career. The Japanese influence is especially apparent in the moon’s unbroken circle, the silhouetted branches and the graduated band of reflected light. Signed and dated “BYRON BIRDSALL · 1977” at lower right. Presented behind a broad slate-gray mat with a narrow cream inner border, in a slim, dark metal frame. Sight dimensions approximately 14" × 14"; overall framed dimensions approximately 20.5" × 20.5". Auction Estimate: $1,000–$1,500.

An original watercolor by Byron Birdsall (1937–2016), “Matanuska Isawa” presents a sweeping interpretation of Alaska’s Matanuska landscape, combining rugged terrain with the clarity and compositional elegance of Japanese woodblock prints. Viewed from an elevated perspective, fractured foreground rock opens onto a luminous expanse of water, its pale blue-green and golden washes framed by dark, overlapping ridges. Snow-covered peaks stretch across the distance beneath a narrow band of deep indigo sky. The vertical composition creates a striking progression from the immediate foreground to the distant mountains. Angular rock formations draw the eye inward, while successive bands of olive, brown and nearly black terrain establish depth through sharply defined silhouettes. Across the broad central passage, delicate transitions of color suggest reflected light and lend the scene a remarkable stillness. Pale blue shadows articulate the distant snowfields, balancing the warmth of the water with the coolness of the mountain skyline. The painting offers a particularly clear expression of Birdsall’s documented admiration for Japanese printmaking. During his travels in Hong Kong, he encountered the work of Hiroshige and Hokusai and began studying their techniques. Here, the elevated viewpoint, simplified contours and broad areas of color show how effectively he adapted that visual language to Alaskan scenery. The small red seal beside his signature further complements the composition’s Japanese character. The landscape suggests the upper Matanuska River valley, with an elevated perspective comparable to views around Glacier View and Lion’s Head. The precise vantage point has not been established. Born in Arizona and raised in California, Birdsall moved to Alaska in 1975 and became one of the state’s best-known watercolorists. His subjects ranged from dramatic mountain and coastal landscapes to wildlife, flowers and nostalgic views of Alaska’s communities. A largely self-taught painter, he developed a distinctive command of light and simplified form, while his widely distributed limited-edition prints introduced his work to a broad audience. Dated 1977, this painting belongs to the early years of his Alaska residence. Signed and dated “Byron Birdsall 1977” at lower left, beside a red seal. Presented in a silver-tone metal frame with a broad charcoal-gray mat and a narrow light inner border. Sight dimensions approximately 19" × 13.5"; overall framed dimensions approximately 26.25" × 20.25". Auction Estimate: $1,200–$1,800.

An appealing pair of antique leaded stained and hand-painted glass decorative panels, circa 1890–1910, depicting a haloed female saint and an angel bearing a crown. Executed in the Pre-Raphaelite and Arts and Crafts tradition, the panels combine expressive figure painting, silver-stain highlights and rich cathedral-glass tones with flowing robes and botanical ornament. The narrow rectangular panel presents a full-length figure with her head gently inclined and her hands resting one over the other before her. Long reddish-brown hair frames the softly modeled face, while a broad golden halo stands against a leafy surround. Deep green, burgundy and amber passages articulate the mantle and gown, their descending folds emphasizing the figure’s slender proportions. The pale face and hands provide points of quiet expression within the darker drapery, and a narrow border of colored glass encloses the composition. The saint’s identity has not been established. The second panel centers on a circular medallion containing a youthful, haloed angel holding an ornamented golden crown at chest height. Delicate painted lines describe the curling hair, eyes and slender fingers, while cream and ochre robes brighten the foreground. Red-brown and blue passages articulate the layered wings against a deep blue field. A patterned border encircles the figure, with two smaller radial rosettes extending from the upper and right edges to form the panel’s distinctive, asymmetrical outline. The crown-bearing gesture gives the composition a ceremonial character. Their idealized figures, botanical ornament and richly colored glass reflect the medieval revival aesthetic championed by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and contemporary English glass studios. In that revival, the window became both an architectural ornament and a vehicle for expressive figure painting. Here, painted contours and shading define the faces, hands and garments, while the lead cames organize the larger fields of color. No particular designer or workshop has been established. The shaped angel panel suggests an element from a larger decorative or tracery arrangement, although its original configuration and architectural setting are unknown. The rectangular panel is fitted with two upper hanging loops. An original relationship between the two panels has not been documented. Visible condition includes weathered leadwork, surface wear and localized losses to the painted decoration. The extent of previous restoration or replacement glass has not been established. The rectangular panel measures approximately 7.5" wide × 19.25" high. Auction Estimate: $800–$1,200.

Two framed paintings in ink and color on paper, presenting later interpretations of Japanese bijin-ga, or pictures of beautiful women. The smaller composition follows Kitagawa Utamaro’s portrait of Hanaōgi of the Ōgiya, a celebrated courtesan depicted in his 1794 series of fashionable beauties. The companion portrays a standing woman in layered robes. Both are painted against warm ochre grounds and bear vertical inscriptions with red seals. Utamaro’s design is recognizable in the seated woman’s fan-patterned kimono, elaborate arrangement of radiating hairpins and relaxed pose, with one hand raised beside her temple and the other holding a long kiseru smoking pipe. Here the robe has been rendered in cream and coral rather than the more densely patterned coloring of the documented print, while a black sash anchors the composition. The original printed title and Utamaro signature have been replaced by a different inscription. This is a painted adaptation of the design, not an original Utamaro woodblock impression. The taller companion provides a contrasting full-length silhouette. Her pale outer robe opens over blue-green garments patterned with circular flower motifs, with red lining at the neck and hem and a long, pale sash sweeping across the front. Fine dark outlines describe the face and clothing, while the white motifs retain visible, individually applied brushwork. The two works share a presentation and subject tradition, although common authorship has not been established. Presented with dark mats in coordinated reddish-brown wooden frames with decorative metal hanging fittings. Visible condition includes scattered spotting and uneven coloration of the grounds, with wear to the frame finishes. The works have not been examined out of their frames. The larger work measures approximately 14" wide × 26" high at the mat opening and 18.75" wide × 30.75" high overall, framed. Auction Estimate: $150–$250.

A large Japanese Imari porcelain charger, Meiji period (1868–1912), with a scalloped square rim and an elaborate combination of figures, birds, flowers and patterned reserves. At approximately 17.5" across, the dish gives unusually generous space to its asymmetrical central design: a roofed pavilion at left is balanced by flowering peony, bamboo, pine and a long-tailed bird at right. Beneath the gray-blue tiled roof, three robed figures appear against a gilt ground, one holding a circular drum and beater. Their small, carefully drawn faces and patterned garments contrast with the broad flowers and sweeping tail feathers beside them. Iron-red curtains, deep cobalt bands and a yellow honeycomb-patterned panel frame this scene, creating the effect of a picture within the larger composition. The precise narrative has not been established. The broad rim alternates bird-and-flower and landscape reserves with corner panels of flower baskets and butterflies. Green interlocking circles connect the reserves, while gilt floral scrolls brighten the iron-red grounds. Underglaze cobalt supplies both pale washes and dark structural accents; overglaze red, green and yellow enamels and gilding give the surface its additional colour and detail. The reverse is more restrained, with blue scrolling foliage and cloud-like ornaments beneath a pale gray-tinted glaze. A broad circular foot supports the square body; the base is unmarked. With wear to the gilding and painted decoration consistent with age. Measures approximately 17.5" wide × 17.5" deep × 3" high. Auction Estimate: $400–$600.

A signed, editioned bronze female nude by John Henry Waddell (American, 1921–2019), numbered 28/35. The figure stands with her feet firmly apart, her torso arched and head lifted, one hand placed behind the head while the other arm crosses the lower abdomen. The open triangle beneath the raised arm and the broad stance give the compact sculpture a clear, animated silhouette. The bronze preserves a markedly worked surface, with small ridges and depressions defining the shoulders, ribcage and limbs rather than smoothing them into a continuous skin. A dark brown patina is relieved by warmer tones on the projecting forms. From the side and reverse, the rotation of the shoulders and curve of the back become particularly apparent, making this a work intended to be seen in the round. The figure stands on an integral, irregularly shaped base inscribed “Waddell 28/35.” Waddell devoted much of his career to the expressive possibilities of the human figure, in intimate bronzes as well as monumental groups. His twelve-figure composition Dance, completed in 1974, reflects that sustained interest in the body in motion. This smaller sculpture brings the same concern with gesture and balance to a tabletop scale; it is not identified as a study for that public work. With light surface wear, particularly to the base, and four green felt pads underneath. Measures approximately 7.75" wide × 3.5" deep × 11.25" high. Auction Estimate: $600–$800.

A bronze and polychrome champlevé enamel vase, probably Japanese, Meiji period (1868–1912), adapting the pear-shaped outline and mask ornament of Chinese archaic bronzes. Its broad body rises through a narrowing shoulder to a flared mouth, with horned beast heads projecting from either side of the neck. Long, downward-curving loops issue from the creatures' mouths and terminate in small inward scrolls. The principal enamel panels contain symmetrical, wide-eyed masks surrounded by tightly interlocking scrollwork. Turquoise, cobalt, cream, green and russet colours fill recesses divided by broad bronze outlines—the characteristic structure of champlevé decoration. A smaller band of paired bird-like forms circles the neck above the larger mask panel. These densely coloured passages alternate with exposed metal patterned in a fine hexagonal diaper, while vertical bronze strips carry the design down either side of the body. Six pale, rounded insets punctuate the patterned bronze: four around the shoulder and one on each side of the lower body. Their glossy surfaces have prominent dark crack lines, adding a distinct material contrast to the matte, dark-brown metal. Small cast masks provide further relief ornament between the enamel panels. A three-character mark is cast within a rectangular reserve beneath the base. The decoration deliberately recalls ancient Chinese ritual vessels, but this is a later decorative interpretation, not an ancient bronze. Its combination of archaistic masks, champlevé panels, patterned metal and sculptural handles is consistent with Japanese metalwork of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Visible condition includes rubbing and scratches to the metal, scattered pitting and wear to the enamel, cracked pale insets, and patches of loss to the dark interior surface finish. Measures approximately 10" at the widest point × 14.25" high. Auction Estimate: $400–$600.

A large Chinese famille rose porcelain figure of Lu Xing, probably early twentieth century, depicting the auspicious deity associated with prosperity and official advancement. Standing approximately 26" high without its fitted wooden base, he wears a gilded official's cap and an intricately enamelled dragon robe, with a ruyi scepter held upright in his left hand. Green dragons coil across the iron-red robe on both front and reverse, their individual scales drawn in black against close ranks of small, cloud-like strokes. Scattered blossoms, gilt accents and blue floral borders relieve this densely patterned ground. At the chest, a raised green-and-gold ornament interrupts the painted surface; below, the fingers rest against a projecting cobalt-blue belt decorated with small floral and shaped reserves. The ruyi's curved handle continues into a long blue shaft and gilded, lobed head. The lower robe is particularly elaborate. Paired dragons flank a small pavilion-like motif above bands of curling waves and diagonally rising, multicoloured stripes, recalling the lishui water patterns of Chinese court dress. Black shoes emerge beneath the hem. Delicately drawn brows, flushed cheeks and a black moustache and pointed beard give the face a more restrained treatment than the brilliant costume. The porcelain has small circular openings at the cap and in several areas of the robe; the underside is unglazed around a larger central aperture and bears an impressed oval seal and separate handwritten ink characters. Lu Xing belongs to the auspicious trio Fu, Lu and Shou, associated with good fortune, prosperity and longevity. His courtly appearance relates specifically to rank and the rewards of official service. Here, the ruyi scepter and formal dress support that identification, while the richly embellished costume makes the figure a substantial decorative expression of those wishes. Accompanied by a dark-stained wooden stand with a shaped recess fitted to the figure's base; a handwritten label reads “Wealth in Red Dress.” Visible condition includes a small chip exposing the white body at the upper edge of the blue belt, wear to gilding and enamels, and wear and soiling around the lower edge. The stand shows scratches, finish losses along the recess and several splits. The porcelain figure measures approximately 8.5" wide × 6.5" deep × 26" high, excluding the stand. Auction Estimate: $400–$600.

Two Japanese bird netsuke, late nineteenth to early twentieth century, contrasting a long-billed crane or egret with a compact, resting duck. Dark accents emphasize the plumage and small eyes. Their rounded bodies and tucked limbs follow the compact form of netsuke, the toggles traditionally used to secure suspended personal accessories at a kimono sash. The long-billed bird turns its head back over one wing, the slender neck curving around the shoulder and the pointed bill lying close against the body. Broad, descending wing feathers overlap a lower band of longer flight feathers, their shafts and diagonal barbs picked out with incised lines. The underside continues the modelling with folded legs and deeply recessed details; two circular cord openings sit near the tail. The back-turned neck keeps the silhouette contained while giving the bird a recognizable preening gesture. The duck holds its head forward above a slightly open, broad bill. Pointed feathers overlap along the wings, changing from small, closely set strokes near the shoulders to longer, deeply outlined forms toward the tail. Its webbed feet are detailed on the underside beside two unequal cord holes. Beneath the breast is a darkened two-character mark, 秀光, read as Hidemitsu. The crane is unsigned in the supplied views. Visible condition includes surface marks and discolouration, darker deposits in recessed areas, and a fine crack crossing the crane's wing feathers and continuing to the lower edge. The larger piece measures approximately 1.75" long × 1" wide × 1" high. Auction Estimate: $250–$350.

A Chinese porcelain bottle vase enamelled with fruiting peach branches and flying bats, bearing an iron-red four-character Juren Tang mark. The rounded body rises into a long, nearly cylindrical neck, allowing the decoration to climb from the foot through the shoulder and onto the neck against a glossy white ground. Probably twentieth century; an early-Republic manufacture date has not been established. Two twisting trunks anchor the design, their bark worked in ochre, grey-brown and black. Slender branches carry ripe peaches, pink-and-white blossoms and leaves in contrasting yellow-green and deeper blue-green tones. The fruit is shaded from pale cream and green into stippled pink and russet blushes, with fine outlines defining the central clefts. Branches continue around the body, opening into larger areas of white on the reverse where iron-red bats appear in flight. Further bats occur among the branches and close to the foot, rather than being confined to the two shown on the reverse. Peaches and bats form an auspicious combination in Chinese decorative art: peaches evoke longevity, while the word for bat, fu, echoes the word for good fortune. The vase's fruit-laden branches adapt this familiar decorative language to the rounded bottle form. The recessed glazed base bears the seal-script mark 居仁堂製, Juren Tang zhi, meaning “Made for the Hall of Dwelling in Benevolence.” The mark is recorded as present; it does not establish a commission for Yuan Shikai or manufacture during his lifetime. With light surface wear consistent with age. Measures approximately 5" in diameter × 8.25" high. Auction Estimate: $200–$300.

Two Japanese animal netsuke, late nineteenth to early twentieth century, one depicting a recumbent ox and the other a dragon-headed tortoise. The pairing contrasts the ox's broad, polished flanks with the mythical creature's dense pattern of scales, shell plates, whiskers and flowing hair. Both have paired cord openings on their undersides and two-character marks on the soles of their folded limbs. The ox rests with its legs bent close against the body, its head raised and turned toward the viewer. A rope halter crosses the muzzle and forehead, with a textured lead extending down the back and along one flank. Short horns, projecting ears, large outlined eyes and a slightly open mouth lend the animal an alert expression. Its tail curls around the haunch, while the underside reveals individually modelled legs and divided hooves. The mark is picked out in red on a hind leg. The second figure is specifically a dragon-turtle, rather than a coiled dragon. A domed carapace divided into polygonal scutes rises above four short, scale-covered legs; the underside is articulated as a tortoise's belly shell. Above it, the dragon's head turns back, with prominent brows, horns, an open mouth, curling whiskers and a long beard. A flowing mane descends behind the head, and the curved tail returns against the shell. Dark accents deepen the incised details, making this combination of tortoise anatomy and dragon features legible at miniature scale. Its underside mark is darkened rather than red. Visible condition includes scattered surface marks, small pits and darker material in the recesses. The ox has pronounced surface gloss, while the dragon-turtle's ridges and recessed ornament show a more varied finish. The larger piece measures approximately 1.75" long × 1" wide × 1.25" high. Auction Estimate: $250–$350.

A large Japanese Imari porcelain charger, Meiji period (1868–1912), painted in underglaze cobalt blue, iron-red enamel and gilt with seven karako children and a boldly patterned shishi lion. The broad, shallow form gives the painter room to set an open landscape against a densely ornamented field of flowers, geometric panels and overlapping roundels. A dark-stained wooden display stand accompanies the charger. The children carry baskets and long-handled rakes among low-growing pines, their clothing picked out in fine red lines and small patterned details. Some turn toward their companions while others lean over their tools; the pale ground leaves these individual gestures unusually legible within the elaborate decoration. At the lower right, a cobalt-blue shishi lifts its head toward the group, its spotted body, curling mane and spreading tail traced with gilt. The figures are not simply repeated border ornaments: their varied poses and the lion's larger scale give the dish a distinct pictorial center. Around them, iron-red floral bands wind between octagonal diaper panels and blue roundels filled with interlocking circles. The outer cobalt border carries a fine gilt lattice. This extensive use of gold over a red-and-blue palette belongs to the decorative vocabulary commonly described as kinrande, or gold-brocade decoration. The broad underside is more freely painted with cobalt-blue leafy scrolls, while five firing-support scars remain within the circular foot. No maker's mark is visible. Scattered light wear, consistent with age. Dimensions: Approximately 18½ inches in diameter. Auction Estimate: $300–$500.

An Imperial Russian evening purse, circa 1900, decorated with multicolored floral ornament and a personalized Cyrillic dedication, accompanied by its apparently original fitted presentation case. The rigid rectangular body has gently rounded corners, a slender chain handle and an oval pinkish-red cabochon thumbpiece. The silver-colored body is made of non-precious metal. The front is richly ornamented with roses, smaller blossoms and scrolling foliage in contrasting yellow-gold, rose and muted green tones. Fine engraved details articulate the leaves and petals against a closely textured ground, while latticework fills the upper corners. Small dolphin-like heads emerge from the lower scroll terminals. An asymmetrical rocaille cartouche at the upper center encloses an elaborate interlocking monogram, its flourished lettering complementing the surrounding ornament. These shell-like curves, floral sprays and lattice panels give the design its Rococo Revival character. Engraved on the largely plain reverse is the dedication, “To dear Roza Arsenyevna, from her friends.” The inscription preserves a personal connection to the purse’s original recipient and identifies it as a collective presentation gift. Although the occasion and Roza’s identity remain unknown, the engraved dedication, monogram and fitted case give the piece a more individual history than an unpersonalized fashion accessory. The purse reflects the taste for elaborately decorated metal evening accessories around the turn of the twentieth century. Its contrasting metallic colors and cabochon-set clasp complement the practical hinged construction, which opens to a royal blue moiré-patterned fabric interior divided into three expanding compartments. Scalloped reinforcement finishes the upper edges of the dividers. The colored ornament’s composition and method of application have not been established, and the cabochon has not been identified. The apparently original presentation case has a dark blue velvet-covered exterior, a cream-colored lid lining and a fitted recess accommodating the purse. Its survival preserves the formal presentation of the gift as well as providing a display setting for the decorated face. Condition includes tarnish, surface scratches and edge wear, with greenish deposits around portions of the frame and clasp setting. The interior lining shows wear, staining and localized fraying; the presentation case also shows wear and discoloration. Small struck marks have not established a maker or metal standard. Measures approximately 7.5" wide × 1" deep × 3" high, with a 7.5" handle drop. Auction Estimate: $300–$500.