STYLE OF SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891) A Reddish-Brown Lacquer Large Rectangular...
STYLE OF SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891)
A Reddish-Brown Lacquer Large Rectangular Coffer Decorated with Sword Fittings
Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century
Of conventional form, applied with a total of 18 tsuba (hand guards) and six kozuka (knife handles) lacquered in gold, silver, and coloured takamaki-e and hiramaki-e imitating metalworking techniques, consisting of five tsuba and two kozuka scattered on the top surface of the lid, four tsuba and two kozuka at the front of the box, four tsuba and one kozuka on the reverse, three tsuba on the right side, and two tsuba and one kozuka on the left side, the whole mounted with elaborate gilt-copper floral-etched fittings, the interior lined with gold paper, with two gilt bronze large bracket handles; unsigned; with a yellow wrapping cloth. 38cm x 62cm x 42.2cm (15in x 24 3/8in x 16 5/8in). (3).
The simulated sword-fittings depicted on this lot are decorated with popular motifs including: Okame throwing beans at a fleeing oni (demon); suzume odori (sparrow dancers); oni no nenbutsu, a demon disguised as a priest and carrying a hogacho (temple donor list); Kanzan and Jittoku; Chokaro Sennin; a teamaster watching a teakettle morphing into a tanuki (raccoon dog); a bird and trap; cherry blossom; a monk with a fox's tail, signed Miboku (Hamano Shozui); Fukurokuju and a crane; Enma the Hell Judge and a woman; and Daruma. The kozuka depict subjects including: Shoki the Demon Queller and oni; a dancing man; a tanuki looking at the moon; and a sprig of lily.
Compare a very similar example modelled as an inro dansu (cabinet for inro), conventionally attributed to Shibata Zeshin, with sword fittings sharing some of the same subject matter and motifs as this coffer, see Joe Earle and Tadaomi Goke, Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, Masterpieces by Shibata Zeshin, London, Kibo Foundation, 1996, cat. no.72, signed Zeshin; and Oliver Impey and others, Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, Lacquer Part II, London, Kibo Foundation, 1995, cat. no.210; see also Barbra Teri Okada, A Sprinkling of Gold: The Lacquer Box Collection of Elaine Ehrenkranz, Newark N.J., Newark Museum, 1983, cat. nos.33, 34).
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STYLE OF SHIBATA ZESHIN (1807-1891)
A Reddish-Brown Lacquer Large Rectangular Coffer Decorated with Sword Fittings
Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century
Of conventional form, applied with a total of 18 tsuba (hand guards) and six kozuka (knife handles) lacquered in gold, silver, and coloured takamaki-e and hiramaki-e imitating metalworking techniques, consisting of five tsuba and two kozuka scattered on the top surface of the lid, four tsuba and two kozuka at the front of the box, four tsuba and one kozuka on the reverse, three tsuba on the right side, and two tsuba and one kozuka on the left side, the whole mounted with elaborate gilt-copper floral-etched fittings, the interior lined with gold paper, with two gilt bronze large bracket handles; unsigned; with a yellow wrapping cloth. 38cm x 62cm x 42.2cm (15in x 24 3/8in x 16 5/8in). (3).
The simulated sword-fittings depicted on this lot are decorated with popular motifs including: Okame throwing beans at a fleeing oni (demon); suzume odori (sparrow dancers); oni no nenbutsu, a demon disguised as a priest and carrying a hogacho (temple donor list); Kanzan and Jittoku; Chokaro Sennin; a teamaster watching a teakettle morphing into a tanuki (raccoon dog); a bird and trap; cherry blossom; a monk with a fox's tail, signed Miboku (Hamano Shozui); Fukurokuju and a crane; Enma the Hell Judge and a woman; and Daruma. The kozuka depict subjects including: Shoki the Demon Queller and oni; a dancing man; a tanuki looking at the moon; and a sprig of lily.
Compare a very similar example modelled as an inro dansu (cabinet for inro), conventionally attributed to Shibata Zeshin, with sword fittings sharing some of the same subject matter and motifs as this coffer, see Joe Earle and Tadaomi Goke, Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, Masterpieces by Shibata Zeshin, London, Kibo Foundation, 1996, cat. no.72, signed Zeshin; and Oliver Impey and others, Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, Lacquer Part II, London, Kibo Foundation, 1995, cat. no.210; see also Barbra Teri Okada, A Sprinkling of Gold: The Lacquer Box Collection of Elaine Ehrenkranz, Newark N.J., Newark Museum, 1983, cat. nos.33, 34).
