The Zentner Collection - Antique Tansu, Furniture & Fine Asian Art

The bonsho is one of the most resonant objects in Japanese Buddhist tradition.

Cast in bronze and struck from the outside with a wooden beam, these hanging temple bells summoned monks to prayer and marked the hours of the day. The handle typically features two dragon heads (Ryuzu) guarding a sacred jewel, while the raised protrusions called chi or nyu sharpen the bell's tone and carry its sound across remarkable distances.

The Zentner Collection carries a curated selection of antique Japanese bonsho, from smaller temple bells to monumental examples with inscribed sutras and regional foundry markings.