Browse Items (178 total)

This is a Japanese figurine purchased in Kobe, Japan and brought to Atlanta in 1894. The name of the artist and city of origin are unknown, but the craftsmanship of the object suggests the artist was not of high rank; this is also seen in the lack of…

A small sculpture of five monkeys. One wears an eboshi (court cap), another a white jacket.

Zushi (small portable shrine) of the female deity Benzaiten (originally the Hindu deity Saraswati), one of the Seven Lucky Deities. The exterior is covered with red paint or lacquer. Many of the objects originally carried in the deity's hands are…

A lacquer box and lid, decorated with a tree in gold. A kisen (Japanese pipe for smoking tobacco.) Two brass pieces, one in the shape of a lotus leaf.

Large wooden percussion instrument carved in the shape of a bell, painted red, gold and black, typically used in Buddhist rituals.

Small zushi (portable altar box) of a Buddhist deity, probably 11-Faced Kannon (Sanskrit: Avalokitesvara). The deity's right hand is extended in the "welcome" (Varada) mudra. Its left hand is broken. Several faces appear on its head. The deity is…

This is a Feng Shui compass dating back to as early as the 19th century. The region and the maker of the object is labeled on the back, indicating that the object originates from Xiuning County in Anhui province, China. This was one of many produced…

A disc-shaped object with a compass in the center, used in feng shui calculations. The eight trigrams circle the center; the surface of the disc is covered with minute lines and inscriptions in red and black.

A red-painted plaque inscribed in gold with the characters 天官賜福 (tianguan cifu: The Heavenly Official Bestows Happiness). A charm used for good luck in China.

A small statue of the male deity Daikokuten (Sanskrit: Mahakala) standing on a pair of rice sacks. His skin is black; he wears a mustache. In his left hand he holds a bag; his right hand is empty (he is normally depicted holding a mallet--this may be…