antiques

The Porcelain is Alright (Kids Too)…My Tale of the Big Japan Earthquake

Humour might not be appropriate right now, but sometimes it is all you’ve got. As I type this, another aftershock reverberates through the house, smaller that the 30 or so full-sized earthquake ones that continued yesterday afternoon and evening in the wake of the 8.9 epic earthquake off the coast of Sendai. I feel like I am in limbo. All here in Tokyo is well with my family and friends, but not so up along the north coast of Japan.

My personal experience was terrifying. When you have lived here as long as I have (almost 7 years now), you have experienced many earthquakes. They are always scary, but this one was different. All of my family was scattered, fairly far and wide. I had made a spur of the moment decision, about 40 minutes before the quake, to drive to the mall at Odaiba, an American style mall with a Toy “R” Us built on a small landfill island in Tokyo Bay. My cellphone battery was low so I didn’t call to tell anyone where I was going. I parked up on the 5th floor of the parking structure and went inside. Just as I got there, people began streaming out of the store, clutching their children. At first I thought something crazy was happening inside, but then quickly realized my mistake. We all fled from the building out to the roadway along the small beach while the quake finished. The ground shook so I could barely stand up or keep my balance. I felt that the sidewalk beneath my feet was made of shifting sand. As the daughter of a water/ground systems/structural engineer and I know that man-made land can basically liquefy in an earthquake. During the great Kobe earthquake of 1995, the landfill islands around Kobe sunk. And the noise! Everything even sightly unsecured joined in the cacaphony…

After the first earthquake, waves of others began coming. And then the tsunami alarms went off, advising people to seek higher ground. Well, there simply is no higher ground in Obaiba – it is about a mile square – surrounded by water on all sides. I did not know yet that the epicenter was in Sendai, I just knew that I was on the flattest, most vulnerable piece of land in all of Tokyo and that nobody knew I was there! I don’t know why dying alone seems so much scarier than dying with the people you love around you, but it does. Odaiba is linked by a giant suspension bridge (think Verrazano or Golden Gate) to the mainland and I could see that cars were still moving briskly across it. I couldn’t bear to stay where I was. They were not prohibiting people from re-entering the building, simply from using the elevators, so I ran up the five flights of stairs and tore down the ramp of the garage. I had met a Canadian man and his Japanese girlfriend while waiting and they wanted to go with me, so they jumped in the car and we drove across the bridge. Once we were on the other side, it was not even 10 minutes to home and I could have walked if necessary. I think if I had not left so quickly, I would have been stuck there all night!

Gathering my chicks was the next step, although I had been sustained through my ordeal by knowing they were in safer places than I. While cell phones were not working at all, the land lines at home were and I was finally able to speak with my husband, safe on the still swaying 25th floor of the brand new Marunouchi Trust Building. All new construction in Tokyo is built on rollers so that the buildings can move with an earthquake. My husband said looking out the window he could see all the buildings swaying, like trees in the wind. My younger daughter was on a playdate with a friend in the park when it happened and they quickly went home. But my older daughter was out at school, normally a 45 minute ride on the school bus. The quake had hit about 15 minutes before dismissal, and the school’s excellent emergency procedures clicked quickly into place. Around 4:30 they sent the buses out, driving on local roads, as the highways were all closed. The traffic was basically at a standstill and she did not get home until after 12:30, exhausted, but in good spirits.

Our damage at home was minimal. The fish tank overflowed everywhere, trashing my new Mac laptop, but worse (in the eyes of the children at least), sweeping our newest family member, the rainbow guppie named WW by our guests last week, to an early demise. Things were thrown around the house and quite a few regular dishes and glasses broke in the cupboards, but not a single piece of antique porcelain was broken. My beloved blanc de chine was toppled and tossed about, but is all intact.

Blue and white porcelain rattled to the edge, but did not go over…

For those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, you know it is a blog about stuff, and while it may seem silly to write about material goods which are not intrinsically important, they do bind us to our own histories and lives. I would have been crushed had the porcelain all been broken instead of the computer, although that having been said, a computer can contain an irreplaceable history of photographs and correspondence. In my case, it was new and relatively unused. For those most affected by the quake and tsunami, the loss of their belongings and connections must be devastating, even while they are grateful for their lives, as not all were so lucky. In that spirit, I encourage everyone to make a donation towards rebuilding. An easy way is to go online to the Red Cross and donate directly to the International Disaster Relief Fund. Personally, I am so thankful for the wishes and prayers that have poured in from friends, family and readers all over.

Ironically, devastation is not limited to big events like these. While we are fine here, the very same day there was a huge fire up the street from us in our beloved beach town Ocean Grove, where we have been renovating and furnishing an 1880s Victorian that I have been chronicling on the blog. Our dearest friends there have lost their home, as have numerous others.

So my rebuilding efforts and my heart are split in two directions…

Photo of fire in Ocean Grove from Asbury Park Press, photo credit: James J. Connolly.

Mar 12, 2011 By tokyojinja in Earthquake, Expat Life, Kids, Porcelain and Pottery Tags: antiques, earthquake, Japan, Japan earthquake

Shop Talk…Discovering Antique Treasures in Nishi-Ogikubo

While not quite on par with Dixie Highway, relaxed Nishi-Ogikubo in Tokyo’s western suburbs has a grouping of 60+ antique and vintage shops gathered near the train station. Situated along the Chuo line, Nishi-Ogikubo (nicknamed Nishiogi) was a counterculture hotbed in the 1960s, then receded from notice, only to become popular in recent years as the “slow life” movement has gained steam in Japan. It seems like just the kind of place one would find a collection of quirky and individualistic antique shops.

Conveniently, a free map of the stores is available right in front of the koban (police box) on the left side of the station right outside the North Exit. The map seems fairly current but things can change overnight, so think of it only as a basic guide. Most stores do not open before 12p.m., they all seem to have variable hit-or-miss opening days, and there is not much spoken English to be had, but it is a lovely way to while away an afternoon. Hopefully this post will help steer you in the direction of the best shops!

Organized into four zones, NE, NW, SE and SW on the map, I’ll say right off the bat that the South side of the station has much less to offer than the North side, and can be skipped entirely when pressed for time. The NW zone is by far the best for traditional antiques, so I will start the tour headed in that direction, counter-clockwise around the rough rectangle the walking tour makes. The shops are numbered numerically on the listing pages, but do not always appear in numeric order on the map.

Actually the first few shops don’t even seem to be listed on the map. After peeking in grape, a small but charming vintage kimono shop with two other locations in the area, our first stop is not Japanese at all. Filled to the brim with lanterns, poufs, silvered mirrors and embroidered slippers, Morocco Marché is one-stop shopping for adding a bit of middle-eastern flair to your decor.

Weaving up and down the small side streets along the main road, we pass a few small shops, including Baby Doll (#60), which is not open, but full of antique and vintage toys and dolls. Moving back towards the main road we come to Les Yeux Noirs (#42), the unquestionable star of the tour, deserving its own individual post (coming tomorrow). Owner Haruko Hasegawa has one of the best eyes I have seen for choosing unusual and rare pieces of porcelain. We were very excited and spent a long time (and quite a bit of money) in her shop. If you are interested in porcelain, this is one of the main attractions and it is well worth the train ride for this store alone.

As we continue along the main road we pass mood (#45), full of groovy 60’s looking used goods. We try to stop into Quilt & Old Textiles (#44) way hidden in a back lane, but they are closed – perhaps to go to the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival. At the turn in the main road, we come to Kido Airku (#59), a great mixed shop full of smaller tansu, porcelain, textiles and odd and ends. Unusual things there include vintage spool threads, great for using as plant stands or display props. A collection of old iron tea kettles looks great on these.

Some modern shibori dyed textiles.

One of the most interesting finds for me personally were wood blocks, used to print patterns on textiles. I have been scouring eBay for Indian wood blocks for a DIY project I am planning this summer, but hadn’t considered using Japanese ones. Frankly, I hadn’t realized that in addition to all the stencils, tie-dying and resist techniques used here, that wood blocks are too. Definitely something to look into more.

Numbers 48,49 and 54 were all the same named shop, Antiques Jikoh, with mainly used modern furniture. The branch at the #49 location was full of heavy oak Victorian and Arts & Crafts era furniture.

My friend H spotted a gorgeous blue and white porcelain “umbrella stand” that she loved there. I was so sorry to have to let her know it was actually a late 19th century urinal. Needless to say, she could not look past its original use.

The next two shops were eureka! moments for me. I have been searching for the perfect vintage milk glass ceiling fixture for the bathroom in the beach house, passing up many individual pieces at shrine sales. Imagine my delight at stumbling across the Teardrop Club (#53). I’ll be dragging my patient husband back there soon. If you too are interested, please note they are open 12-6 and not on Wednesday. More photos here and here.

Rakuda (#51) which means camel, also had numerous vintage light fixtures in addition to ranma (transom) panels, old doors, stained glass and cut glass…

Turning the corner right after Rakuda completes the NW zone. The tour continues east, crossing a small river. Other than the charming Le Midi (#37) full of imports from the South of France, not much else was open. Any visit to Nishi-Ogikubo comes with that risk.

Continuing to the next major intersection the tour turns right to head south back to the station. Most of the shops along this NE section seem to specialize in vintage clothing and used goods. Perhaps because we were getting hungry, they didn’t hold our attention. In the grand tradition of antiquing outside of Tokyo, we ate Indian food for lunch at Ganesha Ghar, right near #31 and the bridge over the river on the map. As would be expected, it was packed! And following shortly thereafter was Amy’s Bakeshop, which billed itself as “NY Style Sweets & Things”. Of course we had to stop!

If you arrive hungry, it might be easiest to head the opposite direction (clockwise from the station) and eat first as shops don’t open until lunch time or afterwards.

We skimmed the shops listed on the map on the South side, but many were closed, perhaps permanently. None stood out this visit but perhaps they merit a second chance.

Nishi-Ogikubo is very easy to get to and quite close to central Tokyo. It is only 16 minutes from Shinjuku and 18 minutes from Yoyogi on the Sobu Chuo line. Taking the Toei Oedo line from Azabu Juban and changing at Yoyogi took a total of 32 minutes. I’d love to hear from anyone who goes, especially if you discover a gem I haven’t mentioned. Happy hunting!

Jan 23, 2011 By tokyojinja in Shop Talk Tags: antiques, baskets, folk art, furniture, imari, japanese antiques, kimono, lacquer, Nishi-Ogikubo, obi, porcelain, tansu, textiles, vintage

Sho-Chiku-Bai…The Three Friends of Winter: Pine, Bamboo and Plum

Sho-Chiku-Bai. If that name doesn’t sound Japanese to you, then you have a good ear, as it is actually the Chinese reading of the Kanji characters 松竹梅. In Japanese, they are read matsu (pine), take (bamboo) and ume (plum) and they form a threesome as one of the most popular decorative motifs the “Three Friends of Winter,” representing promise and good fortune. Together, they stand for the scholarly ideals of pure spirit (plum), longevity (pine) and flexibility (bamboo).

One of the most common places to find them is on Japanese porcelain, often in a very stylized form, so that you might not even notice they are there. This old Imari pattern is extremely common and at first glance there is no real sign of any botanical motifs.

When you look closely at the design in the round, the two trunks of the pine and the plum and the bamboo pole become visible. This central motif has been repeated on versions of this pattern for centuries and continues to be very collectible.

I’d say about a third of the traditional polychrome Imari patterns with a central roundel have our three friends in the center. Close-ups of the photos highlight the details and the difference between the blue underglaze and the enamel and gold overglaze.

So similar to the one above, yet oh so different!

Notice the different manner of painting the pine on this dish – the spiky needle style instead of the puffy bush style.

The Three Friends of Winter are also a common motif on Japanese transfer printed blue and white porcelain. Transfer printing was invented in England in 1756 and is commonly associated with the Staffordshire potteries and the classic “Blue Willow” pattern. This process was developed as an inexpensive way to recreate the characteristics of the hand painted underglaze blue ceramics of China and Japan. Ironically, transfer printing does not become popular in Japan until the late 19th century, but modern-day markets abound with transfer printed pieces that show it eventually did. Often very inexpensive, they are a great purchase as they have more character than modern blue and white. Patterns are often standardized (like this stylized Sho-Chiku-Bai dish) so collecting a particular one is easy – or they are fun to mix and match.

This small covered dish is also transfer printed, with the plum and bamboo encased in fans (a common design device) and the pine in snow, represented by the ruffled circle surrounding it.

This small dish has a naturalistic rendering.

The Three Friend of Winter are not limited to porcelain. They can be found on lacquer…

…and here is a set of three kashigata (sweets molds) in the motif.

This paste-resist dyed indigo cloth takes a different approach, blending the naturalistic pine and plum with the stylized kamon for bamboo. The process is called tsutsugaki (literally, tube drawing) as rice paste is squeezed from a tube to draw the design, much like a giant crayon. The cloth is subsequently dyed and then the rice paste is washed off. This antique futon cover dates to the late 19th century.

Same for this one.

A more formal version can be found on this brocade fukusa. Popularized in the Edo period, a fukusa was used to “wrap” a formal or important gift by being draped over the box or tray on which it was presented. The Three Friends are a very common motif on fukusa as they represent such good wishes to the recipient as well as the New Year.

Speaking of important gifts, how about this set of watches from Vacheron Constantin? They have paired up with Zohiko, a 300+ year old lacquer maker in Kyoto to create these limited edition maki-e (literally, sprinkled picture) timepieces, embellished with Sho-Chiku-Bai. I am not sure what you do with three and at $335,000 for the set, I don’t think I’ll be getting them anytime soon. But interesting, desu ne (isn’t it)?

All of these example came from the Antique Jamboree held at Tokyo Big Sight the weekend of January 8-9th. And for more on the symbolism of these three friends, see Kadomatsu…A Traditional Welcome for the New Year.

Image credits: All images by Jacqueline Wein except Blue Willow platter: marks4antiques.com, and Vacheron Constantin watches: via House of Pens

Jan 18, 2011 By tokyojinja in Antique Shows, Design Motif, Lacquer, Porcelain and Pottery, Textiles Tags: antiques, bamboo, fukusa, imari, japanese antiques, matsu take ume, pine plum bamboo, porcelain, sho-chiku-bai, textiles, Three Friends of Winter, transfer printing, tsutsugaki, Vacheron Constantin

Shop Talk…Antiquing Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach

One of the charms of flea markets and shrine sales is the large number of vendors all grouped together in one place at one time. As it is always unlikely that any particular dealer will have just what you are looking for, there is great “synchronicity” in numbers. Antique stores, art galleries and car dealerships often subscribe to this rule – sometimes because they take over inexpensive real estate in fringe neighborhoods. Antique Row along Dixie Highway in South Florida is an outstanding example of this kind of antique synchronicity. Between Southern Boulevard in the south and running up to Belvedere in the north, about 50 antique stores and related services line both sides of the street. I can’t possibly mention them all, so I am only going to touch on my favorites and those that seem particularly significant.

Partially because I often use their parking lot, and also because they always have something interesting, one of my first stops is Wardall Antiques and Decorations. They have a diverse mix of European and American antiques representing a wide range of periods including furniture, artwork, great chandeliers, and decorative items. They can be relied on for trendy items – a fair amount of mirrored furniture there this visit – but also for basics. The big find this time? Three 1968 horse prints by master artist Tadashi Nakayama, for a great price at about $650 each. Someone should snag them!

The big man on the block is Lars Bolander, who has multiple shops and a design studio, in addition to his New York showroom. The store is full of his signature Swedish pieces, but also some quirkier Asian and industrial items too. On one hand, there was this gorgeous Swedish armoire with chicken wire panels and on the other, there was an enormous Buddha in the window.

Michael MacLean Antiques had its usual selection of small exquisite European pieces, with a few international touches thrown in like these Kuba cloth pillows. This is a trend that has been brewing – perhaps as a suzani replacement? – see Thomas Hamel’s project in House Beautiful this month for a beautiful use of African cloth pillows.

For serious museum quality antiques with provenance and 5 digit prices, head to N.P. Trent Antiques. Full of gorgeous 17th, 18th and 19th century European furniture and accessories, I like to play “imagine” with myself…as in imagine what I would take home if I could. Most interesting there today was this extraordinary Flight & Barr Worcester Imari partial dessert set, circa 1800. At first glance one might think it was Japanese, but in the center is an armorial crest with a stag’s head and the motto “Virtuti“, marking it (along with the incised marks on the reverse) as irrevocably European made.

New to the strip, although long in business, is Artmosphere, carrying rough-hewn furniture from Brazil and Bolivia, both antique and new. I can see these pieces feeling fresh in a Palm Beach Mediterranean.

Faustina Pace Antiques and Interiors had simple on-trend French pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries, like this antique Napoleon III settee covered in homespun, big industrial lights, and large-scale accessories like these huge demijohns for holding olive oil. Surprisingly, the bottles were remarkably similar to my Japanese bottles. Texture, in the form of baskets, rough painted pieces and homespun grain sacks, gave the store great character and style.

Unfortunately, Hampton Antiques, one of my favorite group shops at the corner of Dixie and Southern seems to have vanished (although I believe they are related to the huge Hamptons Antique Galleries in Stamford, CT). Last December I found a great pair of Napoleon III armchairs there. They were not even muslined, instead had only their original burlap.

Here is where the professional and geographic synchronicity went to work. I wanted these chairs, but would be leaving for Tokyo in a few days and not returning until the summer. They were of no use to me in the state they were in. Across the street is Parkers fabric store (better known as Silk Surplus, and related to the well-known one in NYC), which carries super discounted remnant bolts, discontinued designs as well as “to order” fabric from major fabric houses. In one of the sale bins I found a great Scalamandre check called Brompton Plaid for $9 a yard. (Shall we say that again? $9 a yard. Normally it retails for $125 a yard!) Around the corner was an upholsterer, used by many on the block. Chairs…check! Fabric…check! Upholsterer…check! Purchase completed….Take a look at the chairs in situ at the beach house!

If like me, you are a junkie for really good but threadbare Persian rugs and suzani scraps, my “secret” favorite shop that I have been patronizing for years is Joseph Malekan’s Antiques and Oriental Rugs on the corner at Roseland Drive. You never know what you will find scattered around his store, but I have a beautiful 19th century Tabriz and two small Lavar Kirman’s that I picked up there for very reasonable prices. This time he had a great pair of Moroccan stools, some beautiful framed fan coral in distressed vintage frames and a huge selection of copper lanterns. I love this faux boix console table too. Joseph can also now be found on 1stdibs !

There are too many shops to mention them all, but head to Dolce and Re Vue for eclectic Palm Beach and Hollywood Regency style, The Elephants’s Foot for English antique and reproduction furniture as well as a huge selection of antique silver, European porcelain and Imari, John Prinster for art deco and art moderne. Mecox Gardens has a big outpost on the row, right near Southern Boulevard.

There are a number of related services in the area in addition to the ones mentioned above, including more fabric stores and interior designers. There is a Sherwin Williams and a shop called The Paint Store which carries hard to find brands such as Farrow & Ball, Fine Paints of Europe, and Christopher Peacock Paints.

Antique Row no longer feels like an insiders secret like it did 15 years ago, at least at these core shops, and the prices reflect that. Off of the “official” Row, there are quite a few shops south of Southern Boulevard that I haven’t had time yet to explore. Next time!

For more information and some gossip on who shops there, take a look here and here. And for lunch, I recommend a great diner called Howley’s, on the east side of Dixie Highway, a few blocks south of Southern Boulevard.

Dec 28, 2010 By tokyojinja in Shop Talk Tags: Antique Row, antiques, Florida, Lars Bolander, Scalamandre, Silk Surplus, West Palm Beach

Shop Talk…Okura Oriental Art

For me, there are two perfect kinds of antique stores. The first is a carefully curated small shop, while the second is a large unorganized warehouse that you have to search through. Mizue Sasa’s Okura Oriental Art is the former and it is a jewel – my favorite in central Tokyo. She and her husband Yasuhiro Shimizu are celebrating their 10th anniversary of owning Okura this year.

In addition to wonderful tansu and porcelain, Sasa-san has a great mix of hard to find items such as altar candlesticks…

antique maps of Tokyo and Japan, both framed and unframed…

ikebana baskets…

and lanterns.

She is also the only dealer I have found who carries traditional copper rain chains, which are the “gutters” of Japan. These are not antique, but they patinate quickly and easily. An amazing sayonara or housewarming gift!

Sasa-san’s pick? This Meiji period tai (sea bream) jizaikagi yokogi (decoration on hanging hearth pole) is a great piece of folk art. Used over a traditional irori (open sunken hearth) it held the kettle above the flame.

My current pick? This hard to find small size step tansu. Often they are very large and very deep and can be impractical if you don’t have the perfect space.

Sasa-san has a fully detailed on-line catalogue and a loyal customer base that visits often from around the world. She handles on-line sales easily, speaks English and ships just about anywhere. She also has a decorating site with staged rooms – you can purchase a whole look if you like or just browse for ideas. Sasa-san will also help her customers arrange their items and improve their decorating in their home. She is not afraid to tell clients to get rid of stuff (which is unusual here). She will also track down specific items for you – just give her dimensions or good descriptions.

I love the juxtaposition of the poured concrete wall with the tansu and the giant porcelain plate that she shows in the photo below. Sasa-san is interested in mixing antiques with modern furniture, a trend that is just getting off the ground here in Japan.