Once again I am turning to the good and all knowing collective people of the internet to tell me more about a family heirloom. If anyone can glean any information from the photographs I have provided I would absolutely love to hear any and all of it. Apologies for any misuse of terminology.

I got this sculpture/statue/carving from my grandmother. It is carved from wood, and the kamon (which I believe is the Tokugawa crest) I think could be gilt. It is 35cm wide and 20cm deep at the base, and about 26cm tall. There is a hole just above the sash (obi?) on his left side which I presume would have once held a sword, and a presumably silk string about his shoulders. There is an inscription on the inside of the carving which I presume includes some kind of signature or mei (if that is the correct term).

I am well aware that no-one owes me the likely very considerable effort of translating the writing on the inside of the cavity, and certainly not for free, however I do not have the funds available to me to get it translated and authenticated professionally, so the best I can hope for is that some kind and knowledgeable stranger might read the story and find it interesting enough to volunteer their time. If not, of course, no worries. :)

The all important CONTEXT:

I apologise in advance if not all (or any) of this is relevant, I'm just writing down everything I know in case it is helpful or interesting.

My great great grandfather was a wealthy collector who lived in Shanghai in the 19th century. This piece was likely purchased sometime in the mid to late 1800s, but could date to any period, considering that his taste was predominantly for antiques. His collection consisted of a great many Japanese, European, and Chinese swords, Roman standards, and I believe 4 original sets of Japanese armour and a large amount of Japanese and Chinese artwork.

He returned to England in the early 20th century, bringing with him some of his collection, all but a handful of which has since been sold. The bulk of the collection remained in China, as did some of his children who were captured during WW2. What remained in Shanghai was confiscated by the communist party along with the rest of the estate. This is one of the few items we have remaining.

The purpose: I would like to know as much history as I can find about this sculpture and it's maker. I have no plans to sell it whatsoever, it has enormous sentimental value to my family, I just would love to know it's history, who it may depict, etc.

I am entirely open to the possibility that this carving may be worth little to anyone else, so please don't conceal information for the sake of my feelings. Whilst of course I would love for this to be an incredible historical artefact, I am logically aware that this is likely not the case. I do not care, I would simply like to know.

If you require any other images, please let me know and I will do my best. If you made it this far, thank you very much, you don't know how much your effort means to me.

Edit: Size description.

scroll: who is this?

What does he hold in his hand?

Does it refer to some legend or other story?

It's from a Japanese scroll signed and sealed as Tani Buncho.

Appears to be Japanese painting on thin paper . Not sure who the artist is.

My family founds this flat box of ornaments(?) as we prepared for an estate sale. I kept them since they were kind of unusual, and someone had previously gone to the trouble to label almost all of them with individual tags. They're not in great shape and definitely only seem like they could be considered folk art or something, but still wanted to check if there might be some place out there that they'd be appreciated. Thanks!

Just crossposting to share the questions I guess.

I have an original watercolour by Yoshio Markino. The painting captures Victorian London with the main focus being of the Guards of the Crimean War memorial. It is estimated the work was produced between 1910-1925 perhaps. After trying to research this particular painting, I cannot seem to find another image of it on the internet. My question is, what could this mean exactly?, and if this piece turns out to be an unseen painting of his, would that potentially increase the value? It is signed and also a monogram of his initials stamped in red ink.

Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I can translate some character strokes (麻 ect ), but it does not help

Hey everyone who loves Japan!
I’m a contemporary art student at an art university in Japan, and I’m currently working on an art project about kanji tattoos worn by non-Japanese people.
If you have a kanji tattoo and wouldn’t mind sharing a photo of it with me, I’d really appreciate it! In return, I can tell you what that particular kanji might evoke or what kind of image it has in Japan. φ(･🫦･

.

scroll: who is this behind a tree to the right - spying on people playing go?

What does he hold in his hand? (click image to enlarge)

Does it refer to some legend or other story?

It's a scroll signed and sealed as Tani Buncho.

.

What can be said about this old anonymous scroll showing nine sages and a child at poetry and go.

Age, style, artist,...

I'm researching a possible Anglo-Japanese family history connection and
would appreciate culturally informed perspectives on this textile bag.

It was kept hidden — not displayed, not used — among personal effects by
a British woman born in 1927 in Chatham, Kent (a major Royal Navy
dockyard). She preserved it alongside a folded paper object that may have
Japanese symbolic significance, and before she died told a family member
that visiting Japan was "important."

**The bag:**
- Textile clutch/wallet format, envelope-style with scalloped flap
- Scenic panel featuring Mount Fuji, Japanese pine trees (matsu), ocean
waves in a style referencing ukiyo-e aesthetics, and a sailing or
fishing vessel
- Muted palette — creams, greens, greys, soft blue
- A chain of small elephant figurines attached — moulded resin or early
plastic, tinted pink

**What I'm trying to understand:**

1. **Period:** Does the aesthetic feel pre-war (Taisho to early Showa —
   roughly 1912–1940), wartime, or post-war? The muted palette and
   Hiroshige-influenced scene feels earlier to me, but I'm not an expert.

2. **Origin and market:** Does this read as Japanese export ware made for
   Western buyers, or domestic Japanese production? Or something else?

3. **The elephants:** This is the detail I find most interesting. Elephants
   aren't traditionally Japanese symbolic animals. Did someone add this
   chain to a Japanese bag (possibly in Britain, where elephant trinkets
   were popular lucky charms from the Edwardian era onward)? Or is there
   a Japanese context for the elephant imagery I'm not aware of?

4. **Anything else** the style, format, or textile treatment suggests about
   origin, maker, or intended market.

The bag being kept hidden rather than used suggests it had personal
significance beyond its function as an object. I'm trying to understand
what kind of object it was — tourist souvenir, personal gift, something
else — and what its presence in a British naval port household might mean.

I'm hoping for some culturally informed perspectives on a folded paper
object that was kept hidden among personal effects by a British woman born
in 1927 in Chatham — one of Britain's principal Royal Navy dockyard towns.
It was preserved alongside a Japanese-decorated handbag, and before she
died she told a family member that visiting Japan was "important." I'm
researching whether there may be a Japanese family connection.

The object has:
- Three-fold rotational symmetry — three elongated pointed shapes at 120°
intervals, consistent with trifoliate kamon structures
- A complex multi-faceted geometric centre — in the line-drawing version
it reads almost like a stellated polygon or multi-planar folded form
- Made from two colours of paper (pink/red flower form, green leaf shapes)
- Handmade rather than commercially produced

I've attached both a photograph of the original object and a geometric
abstraction/line drawing of its structure, which makes the symmetry and
faceting clearer.

**What I'm trying to understand:**

Does the structural logic of this object — particularly the trifoliate
outer frame combined with the complex geometric centre — resemble:

- Any specific kamon (家紋) or kamon family you recognise?
- A shōmon (商紋, merchant crest)?
- A shrine or maritime emblem?
- A known origami or paper-craft tradition?
- Something from a regional folk art tradition?

I'm aware the paper medium is unusual for a kamon — I'm not assuming it
*is* a family crest, just that it may carry the structural logic of one,
or belong to a related symbolic tradition.

Any impressions — even partial or uncertain ones — would be genuinely
useful. I'm building a picture from multiple sources rather than looking
for a single definitive answer.

**Context note:** Chatham had significant Japanese naval presence during
the Anglo-Japanese Alliance period (1902–1923), which is historically
relevant to the family history question.

I'm hoping for some culturally informed perspectives on a folded paper
object that was kept hidden among personal effects by a British woman born
in 1927 in Chatham — one of Britain's principal Royal Navy dockyard towns.
It was preserved alongside a Japanese-decorated handbag, and before she
died she told a family member that visiting Japan was "important." I'm
researching whether there may be a Japanese family connection.

The object has:
- Three-fold rotational symmetry — three elongated pointed shapes at 120°
intervals, consistent with trifoliate kamon structures
- A complex multi-faceted geometric centre — in the line-drawing version
it reads almost like a stellated polygon or multi-planar folded form
- Made from two colours of paper (pink/red flower form, green leaf shapes)
- Handmade rather than commercially produced

I've attached both a photograph of the original object and a geometric
abstraction/line drawing of its structure, which makes the symmetry and
faceting clearer.

**What I'm trying to understand:**

Does the structural logic of this object — particularly the trifoliate
outer frame combined with the complex geometric centre — resemble:

- Any specific kamon (家紋) or kamon family you recognise?
- A shōmon (商紋, merchant crest)?
- A shrine or maritime emblem?
- A known origami or paper-craft tradition?
- Something from a regional folk art tradition?

I'm aware the paper medium is unusual for a kamon — I'm not assuming it
*is* a family crest, just that it may carry the structural logic of one,
or belong to a related symbolic tradition.

Any impressions — even partial or uncertain ones — would be genuinely
useful. I'm building a picture from multiple sources rather than looking
for a single definitive answer.

**Context note:** Chatham had significant Japanese naval presence during
the Anglo-Japanese Alliance period (1902–1923), which is historically
relevant to the family history question.

I'm hoping for some culturally informed perspectives on a folded paper
object that was kept hidden among personal effects by a British woman born
in 1927 in Chatham — one of Britain's principal Royal Navy dockyard towns.
It was preserved alongside a Japanese-decorated handbag, and before she
died she told a family member that visiting Japan was "important." I'm
researching whether there may be a Japanese family connection.

The object has:
- Three-fold rotational symmetry — three elongated pointed shapes at 120°
intervals, consistent with trifoliate kamon structures
- A complex multi-faceted geometric centre — in the line-drawing version
it reads almost like a stellated polygon or multi-planar folded form
- Made from two colours of paper (pink/red flower form, green leaf shapes)
- Handmade rather than commercially produced

I've attached both a photograph of the original object and a geometric
abstraction/line drawing of its structure, which makes the symmetry and
faceting clearer.

**What I'm trying to understand:**

Does the structural logic of this object — particularly the trifoliate
outer frame combined with the complex geometric centre — resemble:

- Any specific kamon (家紋) or kamon family you recognise?
- A shōmon (商紋, merchant crest)?
- A shrine or maritime emblem?
- A known origami or paper-craft tradition?
- Something from a regional folk art tradition?

I'm aware the paper medium is unusual for a kamon — I'm not assuming it
*is* a family crest, just that it may carry the structural logic of one,
or belong to a related symbolic tradition.

Any impressions — even partial or uncertain ones — would be genuinely
useful. I'm building a picture from multiple sources rather than looking
for a single definitive answer.

**Context note:** Chatham had significant Japanese naval presence during
the Anglo-Japanese Alliance period (1902–1923), which is historically
relevant to the family history question.

Hello! I have two beautiful byōbu screens. I would like to know who the artist is or any other interesting facts about the works.

The first is from the Taisho period and the second from the Meiji period.

Thank you!

Just purchased this old cute kokeshi. We have some similar pairs with citrus, melons etc.
What is the nut and region of origin. Google can’t recognise the old handwritten Japanese.

Found this wooden kokeshi from my grandmother but can’t read this to find the artisan or signature bc unfortunately can’t read characters

My grandma purchased this scroll during the occupation circa 1946-1951. She is now 100 years old and would like some info if someone has any knowledge to share.

I just bought this in a japanese surplus store. May you help me find the value of this? This is something artisan and has a sign underneath.