A rare set of three monumental traditional Japanese hand-turned wooden dolls, known as Kokeshi Dentō. Originating from the mountainous Tōhoku region in the north of the archipelago, these sculptures embody the very essence of the Mingei folk-art movement through their pure, restrained design.
Their presence is particularly remarkable here owing to their monumental format (over 60 cm in height), a rare scale for this type of artisanal work that elevates them into genuine objects of interior or architectural collection. Each piece is signed or stamped beneath the base by the master turner who shaped it.
Lot detail (from left to right):
1. Yajirō-style Kokeshi (H. 60 cm): This model is distinguished by the use of a wood with strikingly graphic, pronounced natural grain. The cylindrical body is adorned with stylised hand-painted camellia (tsubaki) motifs in green and red pigments, framed by the characteristic concentric lines. Calligraphic signature beneath the base.
2. Naruko-style Kokeshi (H. 61 cm): Displaying the cream tone of traditional wood, this piece presents a voluminous head assembled according to the traditional technique and an elegantly tapered silhouette. The painted floral decoration is complemented by broad bands of red pigment at the shoulders and base. Artisan's seal beneath the base.
3. Large Monumental Tōgatta-style Kokeshi (H. 62 cm): The masterpiece of the lot through its sheer presence. It features a powerful graphic design depicting a large radiating chrysanthemum painted in bold brushstrokes. On the reverse, the base bears a long honorific calligraphic inscription stating that it received the Japanese Ministry of Labour Prize, a highly prestigious official distinction rewarding the artisan's craftsmanship and quality.
Fine general condition for pieces of this size and period. The wood is sound, weighty and stable. The original colours and pigments have retained their warmth, complemented by a superb natural patina. Light marks, minor surface scratches and slight discolourations of use are entirely consistent with their age and authenticity.
A five-branch candelabrum in stoneware, an emblematic example of the Brutalist movement of the 1960s-70s. The piece is distinguished by its organic, sculptural character, evoking arboreal or primitive anthropomorphic forms.
The treatment of the material is remarkable: an earthy glaze in ochre-brown tones with a rough, scarified texture that catches the light. The circular base, pierced with almond-shaped openings, anchors the visual balance while reinforcing the architectural quality.
This work fits naturally within the tradition of La Borne ceramics or the practice of artists such as Robert Deblander and the Accolay workshop in its most raw productions. It bears witness to a return to source materials and the hand of the maker characteristic of the second half of the 20th century.
The base bears two felt-tip marks covering a 'Calsat' signature.
A pair of Satsuma vases with ovoid body and flared trumpet neck on a ring foot. Cream crackle-glazed stoneware, overglaze polychrome enamels and moriage, with gilt highlights.
Decoration organised in superimposed registers: principal faces animated with scenes of scholars and dignitaries in court robes within wooded gardens, the treatment of the faces of a quality superior to standard production. Associated symbolic motifs — peonies, chrysanthemums, pomegranates, pines — complemented by cartouches of lakeside landscapes on the shoulder and geometric brocade friezes as framing.
Handles in the round formed of dragons enamelled turquoise holding gilt rings.
Floral neck decoration in moriage enamels. Pair in perfect match.
Double red square cachet beneath both bases.
Very good display condition.
An elegant hexagonal porcelain vase with 'Blue and White' decoration, dating from the late Meiji period (circa 1890-1910).
This vase presents a rich, balanced naturalistic decoration depicting peonies in full bloom — symbol of prosperity and nobility — together with butterflies, treated with great graphic finesse. The drawing is distinguished by a lively line and gradations of deep cobalt blue characteristic of Japanese productions from the Seto region intended for export.
The upper and lower registers are emphasised by intricate friezes of foliate scrolls and stylised lotus flowers, bringing classical structure and great elegance to the whole.
The hexagonal form, rarer and more sought after than classical cylindrical shapes, offers interesting interplays of light on the facets, making it an ideal decorative object for a contemporary setting or a high-quality lamp mounting.
Fine general condition.
A large vase in blown and cut crystal, signed and dated beneath the base 'Boda 1947'. A piece from the Boda Glasbruk manufactory (Sweden), predating the Erik Höglund period and the merger of the manufactories that gave rise to Kosta Boda AB in 1976.
The vase presents a slender form with thick walls, structured by six vertical ribs cut into the mass of the crystal, creating a remarkable optical effect of an inner cylinder suspended within the material.
Colourless crystal of exceptional purity and clarity, of significant weight attesting to the high lead content characteristic of quality productions of this period. In 1947, Boda Glasbruk was still an independent manufactory, producing pieces in the great glassmaking tradition of Småland.
This pre-Höglund period is little documented and signed and dated pieces from it are rare. The formal vocabulary of this vase — architectural rigour, interplay of mass and transparency, geometric treatment of surfaces — fits squarely within the nascent Nordic Modernism of the post-Second World War era.
Good general condition for a piece of this age. A small chip on the base may be noted, as well as two minuscule nicks on one of the ridges, with no impact on the overall aesthetic legibility.
Engraved with the point beneath the base: Boda 1947
An important mantel garniture in Paris porcelain decorated with birds and flowers on a blue ground, comprising two cachepots and a jardinière. Wear to the gilding, a small chip at the base of the jardinière (see photo).
An exceptional pair of polychrome enamelled porcelain cachepots with continuous decoration in low relief of antique scenes, fountains, castles and rivers.
19th century. Manufacturer's mark beneath the base.
A very fine Far Eastern tiered food carrier in wood and pressed cardboard composed of four compartments, with figural decoration. Some minor losses to the marquetry that in no way diminish the beauty and poetry of the piece.
A very handsome silver-plate champagne bucket decorated with gadrooned friezes and lion-head handles.
A very fine 36-piece crystal glass service signed (engraving at the base of the glass "Artisanat de Lorraine") comprising 12 water glasses, 12 wine glasses and 12 champagne flutes in perfect condition.
These glasses display a refined design with a bowl engraved with a lattice/diamond motif in the upper section and 12 panels in the lower section. Fine quadrilobed stem.
Glasses engraved 'Artisanat de Lorraine' are considered quality pieces, generally produced by small workshops specialising in crystal work active in the Lorraine region. They date from the mid-20th century, a period when regional craftsmanship was strongly promoted.
Perfect condition.
A very fine glazed brown faience vase, of flattened circular form, decorated with a relief depicting a nude female figure in red-orange tones, accompanied by hand-painted enamelled floral motifs.
Typical of Art Nouveau, this elegant decorative piece illustrates the craftsmanship of late 19th-century workshops.
A fine painted tole jardinière dating from the 19th century, adorned with a hand-painted romantic scene depicting a female figure in a bucolic landscape, characteristic of early 19th-century taste. The whole enriched with refined details such as zoomorphic handles and paw-form feet, typical of Neoclassical and Romantic influences.
The jardinière is lined with a fixed zinc liner.
The piece shows wear and patina consistent with age.
Good general condition.