Category Archives: Fine Art

Introduction Isoda Koryusai (c.1735-90) originally a samurai became, after the death of his master, the lord of Tsuchiya, a so-called ronin (a lordless knight) and a ‘floating man’. Most of these ‘floating people’ ended up in low water but Koryusai chose to be a painter and a designer of woodblock prints. At first he was […]

Many people who write me asking how one should get started in the bail enforcement industry often include their martial arts backgrounds as a lead in to the question at hand. I often chuckle at that but one rent email did pose the question, “How will my martial arts background apply to bounty hunting?” Bounty […]

Pre 1891- Items imported to the U.S. did not have to be marked with the country of their origin. Most Japanese ceramics were not stamped with any backstamp or they were marked with the Artist’s or Manufacture’s name in Japanese. 1891 – 1921 – Starting in March, 1891, after enactment of the McKinley Tariff Act, […]

The property you are considering buying has the potential to make you a lot of money. Only it has one major problem, and this problem is the reason you are able to buy this property at such a bargain. The problem is odor, odor left behind by a host of pets. Should you seal or […]

OK! It happened. In spite of your best intentions you wore buttons or belt loops into your hammock, and broke one or more of the strings. What do you do now? In this article we will cover the repairs of three of the most common mishaps that can befall the Mayan hammock. Mishap number one, […]

Collecting vintage posters has become very popular, and the reason for this is because there are only a very few genuine vintage posters available in today’s market. Many vintage posters come with a very expensive price tag while others you can find at a reasonably low price, depending on popularity and the genre. Here are […]

Transitional interiors have the best of both worlds: traditional and contemporary.Staying within the familiar realm of tradition but making it perky with fresh new ideas. Traditional architecture and designs carry a beautiful appeal and when freshened up they stand out as even more classic. An updated historic home carries its character yet the contemporary furnishings […]

A netsuke (net-skeh) is a miniature sculpture developed in Japan over a period of more than three hundred years. The kimono, the traditional form of Japanese dress, had no pockets. Men suspended pouches (inro) on a silk cord from their sash (obi). To stop the cord from slipping through the “obi”, a small toggle is […]

Vanilla is on the list of powerful ingredients that all of us use on a regular basis. However, most of us just take it for granted. In fact, it’s so popular that it’s an important part of all types of recipes. Although vanilla is ubiquitous, we don’t know about the origin of it for sure. […]

Japanese tattoos are cool. But if a personal translator is out of your league how can you avoid becoming a kanji fashion victim and get stuck with a tattoo you will really regret? 1. Know the difference – hiragana, katakana and kanji Before you talk to your tattoo artist, make sure you know what you […]