1   Peony                                                    Edo             56” x 62”   $1500
Admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.      

3   Phoenix & paulownia                       Edo            75” x 60”      $1400
According to Chinese legend, the mythical phoenix, bird of immortality, only alights on the branches of the paulownia tree. 

4   Falcon feather fan in a circle family crest, floral border                                                                Meiji            45” x 52”      $500
High military officers used this shape of fan to direct their troops in battle, and in time the fans took on a religious dimensions, as they came to be regarded as one of the special possessions of Marishiten, the God of War, thus becoming an auspicious symbol.  The samurai class admired falcons for their spirit.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.

5   Zabuton cover w/ calligraphy      Meiji            63” x 62”      $800
The middle column of writing is the name of a store: Matsuyi Shoten, the right column says Buko Temple and the left has the date: March Meiji 45^th year (1912).  The owner of the shop took this fabric to the temple to get a blessing for his newly opened store.

6  Falcon feather fan in a circle family crest, floral border                                                                    Meiji            51” x 50”      $800
High military officers used this shape of fan to direct their troops in battle, and in time the fans took on a religious dimensions, as they came to be regarded as one of the special possessions of Marishiten, the God of War, thus becoming an auspicious symbol.   The samurai class admired falcons for their spirit.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.

7  Flower diamond in circle family crest, with auspicious items                                                                     Meiji            50” x 50”      $750
The flower diamond is a cross between the diamond pattern and the China flower pattern, a symbol of elegance and aristocracy.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.  The auspicious items are a rain hat and coat, drum, coins, peony, plum blossom and chrysanthemum flowers, flaming pearl of wisdom.

8  Two tone peony                                     Meiji            59” x 45”      $750
Admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

9    Butterfly family crest & peacock, peony   Meiji    58” x 50”      $1200
The butterfly was popular with Japanese aristocrats as early as the Nara period, favored for its elegance and peaceful nature.   The peony was admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

10   Shochikubai with pine family crest in a circle.                                                                            Edo            36” x 47”      $1200
The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.    This is a popular decorative motif, found on fabrics, furniture, ceramics, bronze-ware and more.  The pine is also a symbol of long life, and the circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.

11   Flowers tied with noshi decoration   Meiji            55” x 49”      $900 A noshi is a decorative tied wrapping which has a happy connotations possibly based on a pun on the word noshi meaning to expand or extend, or to prosper.

12    Falcon feather fan in a circle family crest, with peonies                                                                Meiji            55” x 56”      $1200
High military officers used this shape of fan to direct their troops in battle, and in time the fans took on a religious dimensions, as they came to be regarded as one of the special possessions of Marishiten, the God of War, thus becoming an auspicious symbol.   The samurai class admired falcons for their spirit.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.  The peony is admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

13   Peony and butterfly                            Edo            48” x 55”      $750   
The butterfly was popular with Japanese aristocrats as early as the Nara period, favored for its elegance and peaceful nature. The peony was admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

14   Peony                                                  Edo            48” x 62”      $1100
Admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

15  Cranes and plum blossom family crest    Edo      56” x 55”      $1400
Cranes symbolize 1,000 years of life, and mythical sages rode cranes to heaven.  The plum blossom is on of the shochikubai (pine, plum blossom, bamboo, see #10), symbolic of beauty.

16   Peony                                            Edo            57” x 66”      $750 Admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

17  Shochikubai                                     Edo            61” x 49”      $1200
The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.    This is a popular decorative motif, found on fabrics, furniture, ceramics, bronze-ware and more.  The pine is also a symbol of long life, and the circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.

18   Peony                                              Edo            57” x 48”      $1800
Admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

19   Paulownia family crest, origami crane, pine   Meiji   38” x 52”   $750
According to Chinese legend, the mythical phoenix, bird of immortality, only alights on the branches of the paulownia tree.  The paulownia is one of the most popular family crests, ranking just behind the chrysanthemum as an imperial crest.  The pine tree is a symbol of long life and resiliency, and the origami crane is a symbol of health and long life.

20   Butterfly family crest                    Edo            42” x 43”      $400
The butterfly was popular with Japanese aristocrats as early as the Nara period, favored for its elegance and peaceful nature.

  21   Shochikubai with chrysanthemum family crest                                                                Meiji            37” x 40”      $800
The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.    This is a popular decorative motif, found on fabrics, furniture, ceramics, bronze-ware and more.  The pine is also a symbol of long life, and the circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.  The chrysanthemum is symbolic of nobility and purity, it is one of the “four princes” among subjects of art along with plum blossom, bamboo and orchid, and is one of the most universal of ancient design motifs.  It is associated with long life, admired for its intrinsic beauty, and chrysanthemum-viewing parties were an annual event each autumn.  The design was used by the emperor in the 13^th century and found widespread use even outside the imperial family. 

22    Cranes, turtle, shochikubai          Edo            53” x 50”      $900
Cranes symbolize 1,000 years of life, the turtle 10,000.  The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.    This is a popular decorative motif, found on fabrics, furniture, ceramics, bronze-ware and more.   

23  Oak in circle family crest                Meiji            54” x 45”      $900
The oak is associated with offering to gods, and oak trees are regarded as the residences of the protective deities of the forest.  This design was popular with the Samurai class, especially devotees of Shinto.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.

24  Flower diamond in circle family crest   Meiji       51” x 52”      $1200
The flower diamond is a cross between the diamond pattern and the China flower pattern, a symbol of elegance and aristocracy.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.

25    Shochikubai                                    Meiji            60” x 48”      $1200
The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.    This is a popular decorative motif, found on fabrics, furniture, ceramics, bronze-ware and more.

26  Paulownia family crest with bamboo   Edo             53” x 58”      $750

According to Chinese legend, the mythical phoenix, bird of immortality, only alights on the branches of the paulownia tree.  The paulownia is one of the most popular family crests, ranking just behind the chrysanthemum as an imperial crest.   Bamboo is one of the shochikubai, symbolic of resiliency. 

30   Shochikubai, crane, turtle, bound cotton family crest                                                                    Edo            57” x 50”      $1400
The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.  The crane represents 1,000 years of life, the turtle 10,000.  Bound cotton was used as religious offerings and as felicitous gifts at marriage ceremonies.

31   Diamond in circle family crest, turtle, crane, shochikubai                                                             Edo            61” x 50”      $1200 
The diamond’s name is based on its resemblance to the water chestnut that members of both the court and Samurai societies used as a favorite decoration even before the adoption of formal family crests.  The circle represents perfection, completeness, harmony, integrity, and peace.  The shochikubai pattern is the trio of bamboo, pine and plum blossom.  The pine and bamboo stay green throughout the winter, and the plum blossoms is the first bloomer in the late winter, so these plants symbolize strength, resiliency, the steadfastness of true friendship, and the coming of springtime.  The crane represents 1,000 years of life, the turtle 10,000.

33  Peony                                         Edo            61” x 69”      $1500
Admired for its beauty and used in traditional medicine.  As a decorative pattern and family crest it ranks almost as high as chrysanthemum, paulownia and hollyhock.

34  Pine, feather fan family crest, origami crane  Meiji   61” x 56” $1100
The pine tree is a symbol of long life and resiliency, and the origami crane is a symbol of health and long life.
High military officers used this shape of fan to direct their troops in battle, and in time the fans took on a religious dimensions, as they came to be regarded as one of the special possessions of Marishiten, the God of War, thus becoming an auspicious symbol.   The samurai class admired falcons for their spirit. 

35   Phoenix, paulownia                    Edo            57” x 55”      $1500
According to Chinese legend, the mythical phoenix, bird of immortality, only alights on the branches of the paulownia tree.  The paulownia is one of the most popular family crests, ranking just behind the chrysanthemum as an imperial crest. 

36   Phoenix, paulownia                     Edo            56” x 46”      $1200 
According to Chinese legend, the mythical phoenix, bird of immortality, only alights on the branches of the paulownia tree.  The paulownia is one of the most popular family crests, ranking just behind the chrysanthemum as an imperial crest. 

38   Bellflower family crest on yogi (kimono shaped blanket)                     Meiji            60” x 72”      $750
Warriors first adopted the bellflower as a family crest around the 13^th century primarily because of its beauty.

40   Phoenix on a paulownia tree        Edo           36” x 59”      $1400
According to Chinese legend, the mythical phoenix, bird of immortality, only alights on the branches of the paulownia tree.

43   Chrysanthemum futon cover        Meiji      57” x 72”      $450
The chrysanthemum is symbolic of nobility and purity, it is one of the “four princes” among subjects of art along with plum blossom, bamboo and orchid, and is one of the most universal of ancient design motifs.  It is associated with long life, admired for its intrinsic beauty, and chrysanthemum-viewing parties were an annual event each autumn.  The design was used by the emperor in the 13^th century and found widespread use even outside the imperial family.