Page 18 - Bonhams The Zuiun Collection NYC March 2017

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A LARGE BLACK-CORAL SCEPTER MATETSU 磨鉄 A REISHI-FUNGUS SCEPTER
Japan, Meiji era (1868–1912), late 19th A slender black-coral scepter Japan, Meiji Japan, Edo period (1615–1868) or Meiji
century era (1868–1912), late 19th century era (1868–1912), 19th century
Carved in umikaramatsu (black coral) as a Carved in umikaramatsu (black coral) as a A piece of natural reishi fungus with a
long, slender stem of reishi fungus with a branch of reishi fungus, the stem incised with delicate twisting stem, finished in lustrous
smaller stem sprouting to the side below the an inscription signed Chokunyū koji dai 直入 black lacquer
main head 21 3/4in (55.3cm) long 居士題 (Inscribed by Chokunyū the recluse), With a wooden tomobako storage box, the
and signed Matetsu tsukuru 磨鉄造 (Made by lid inscribed Reishi nyoi Suichikuan れいし如
US$1,800 - 2,500 Matetsu) for the carving 意 翠竹庵 (Reishi fungus scepter, Suichiku
With a modern Japanese wooden storage Hermitage)
box 12in (30.5cm) long
16 1/8in (40.8cm) long
US$800 - 1,200
US$2,000 - 3,000

Provenance
Tanomura Chokunyū 田能村直入 (1814–
1907)

The adopted son of Tanomura Chikuden
田能村竹田 (1777–1835), the long-lived
Tanomura Chokunyū occupied a prominent
role in the Kyoto art world and was the first
Director of the Kyōto-fu Gagakkō 京都府画学
校 (Kyoto Municipal School of Art). Steeped
in Chinese literary and pictorial culture, he
was a leading exponent of the literati painting
style throughout the Meiji era.

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