Japanese Edo Period Wooden Raden Ware Ladle

**Originally Listed At $400**

East Asia, Japan, Edo Period, ca. 1603 to 1868 CE. A hand-carved wooden ladle with a lengthy handle used for serving and drinking liquids as well as for watering horses or other livestock. Both the handle and cylindrical scoop are first covered in crimson-hued lacquer (urushi) and then inlaid with hundreds of petite mother-of-pearl fragments in a decorative style known as raden. The handle houses a perforated suspension hole covered with brass caps. Traditional raden-ware carvings were inlaid with ivory or different shell types like abalone, however the abundance of mother-of-pearl meant that this was a plentiful and affordable option for embellishment. Size: 20.25" L x 4.7" W (51.4 cm x 11.9 cm)

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in December 2017; ex-private Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan collection

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#153801
Condition Report: Handle reattached to scoop body, with light adhesive residue along exterior break lines. Abrasions and nicks to scoop and handle, with chipping to some mother-of-pearl fragments, darkening and fading to some lacquered areas, and a few stable fissures within scoop basin. Nice patina throughout.