yamabiru

The top right button looking decoration/button thing, is based on a silver coin from the Tokugawa era. The mamegaita gin coins. The image is Daikoku, god of wealth.

Thank you all so much for your thoughtful and educated replies! I greatly appreciate the time you took to do so. I’m very happy to learn from you all and hope to have more questions for you in the near future. Thanks again!

Ok thanks, when you say tourist market, what do you mean?

My friend is selling these netsuke and needs to know what you all think. Is it possible to tell from pics if they’re ivory? And if possible approximate value. I’m not looking for exact figures but close assumptions. They were purchased in NY about 30 years ago and not cheaply he said. Guesses are welcome! Any info greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Nice c*ck, well it is still the year of the rooster so good timing Love tiny bronzes as they are affordable for me Would love to see pics of the cannon And Tanto54-san, imagine the casting of that piece?! Very nice.

Nice pieces gents, Love bronze also, have some tiny pieces. Possibly Kamakura jidai kakebutsu in rough shape but love it Edo bunchin paperweight Have a few more will post later, thanks for looking

Thank you so much gents!! Greatly appreciated!

Is this an oil lamp? It's copper,. Makers mark is yoshi. I think wick goes in center and side hole is air intake.? Any comments welcome, thanks again.

Thanks for the reply. Sorry if I sounded snippy.

It says there was trade with China and many merchant and foundries making metal and various objects as well as artists, but I don't gather where it says this is a Chinese ladle, correct me if I'm wrong. Sure it's possible , but if it was here in the middle ages, that's close enough for me.

<img src='https://i.imgur.com/1wq0USp.jpg'/> https://i.imgur.com/1wq0USp.jpg

http://museum.city.fukuoka.jp/archives/leaflet/233/index.html Mine is like this but in good cond, with a shorter handle stem, I'm trying to upload, sorry

Having trouble uploading my pics, what hosting site do you recommend?

Awesome replies, thank you gents! What I got ain't what u got I see that now. I found one example on the net in horrible condition, just says medieval miniature bronze ladle. I'm thinking mine must be for medicine or something else now , after seeing your pics.

Does anyone have any pics or links of PERIOD lead pouring ladles? I think I've come across one in bronze, but can't find any period Japanese examples. Thanks much, Yamabiru

Just an update. I did carry 10 kiseru into the US in my checked baggage on a flight from Japan with no problems. Was carrying printed documentation from the sources referenced above as well as the harmonized tariff code for antiques. None of the documents were "official" meaning some kind of certification of authenticity, but I think they would have sufficed. I plan on mailing some more in the near future and will update again after that. Thanks again for all the help here.

Thanks much guys for the regs and the hands on info, greatly appreciated!

I would like to send a few of my antique kiseru to the USA. Has anyone ever imported antique pipes into the states before? I'm naturally leery as they may be confused with paraphernalia. Pipes are clean and do not contain any residue, soot. Do not want any trouble. Any help to point me to rules and regs will be appreciated . Thanks much!

Thanks much gents! Took a few years of hard work. Tokyo Edo museum also confirms some of my pipes are 17 th C. https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/blog/exhibition-report/11854/地域展「掘り出された江戸の町－一橋高校遺跡出 The oldest kiseru is at the bottom , found in strata layer 4 of their excavation Next up also layer 4 both from approx before the time of great fire of 1657 Explanations of strata https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/assets/img/2016/06/syo201606_3.jpg https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/assets/img/2016/06/syo201606_2.jpg The two kiseru styles at the top are therefore post 1657.

Reposting this as it was lost in the problem So the Tobacco and Salt museum in Tokyo (JT) confirmed what I thought that kiseru started out around 1600 with large bowls , hizara, and then proceeded to shrink over the next two and a half centuries https://www.jti.co.jp/Culture/museum/collection/tobacco/t11/index.html ◆きせる（江戸初期〜幕末） My collection with oldest at top 17th century bronze!