Page 203 - Christie's, NYC Important Chinese Works Of Art Sept. 22-23, 2022

PROPERTY FROM THE EHIME BUNKAKAN, JAPAN
Chinese Ceramics from the ⱷ901
A RARE LARGE CIZHOU SGRAFIATTO
VASE, MEIPING
Ehime Bunkakan SONG-JIN DYNASTY (AD 960-1234)
The tapering vase is carved through the creamy-
white slip to the pale-grey ground with a broad
band of sweeping peony scroll between geometric
bands and petal borders, all under a clear glaze.
日本愛媛文華館珍藏中國瓷器 16æ in. (42.5 cm.) high

(Lots 901–910) $60,000-80,000
PROVENANCE:
Ehime Bunkakan, Japan.
A comparable Cizhou meiping dated to the 11 -
th
th
Located beside the moat of Imabari castle where the of war. His foresight was proven right, as after the war the 12 century of slightly larger size (47 cm. high)
Hisamatsu family, a branch of the Tokugawa shogunate, had demands of timber reached a height as cities were rebuilt. His carved through a cream-colored glaze to a pale
resided since 1635 in present day Ehime prefecture, Ehime contributions to his hometown of Imabari were particularly grey ground was gifted by Mrs. Samuel T. Peters
Bunkakan was established in 1955 by Ninomiya Kaneichi generous, where he was subsequently elected a city council in 1926 to The Metropolitan Museum (acc. no.
(1898 – 1996). member. 26.292.56). The Metropolitan Museum vase
is carved with a broad central scroll band with
Kaneichi was a successful businessman who made his After the war, Kaneichi grew concerned that traditional values leaves similarly rendered to those on the present
fortune from forestry. When he was only eighteen years old, and cultural relics had lost their importance in society and vase but lacking the large peony blossoms.
he had an important role in his father’s modest workshop of began to collect Chinese and Japanese antiques. Shortly after,
wood products. Kaneichi eventually took over the business he joined the Japanese Ceramics Society, and his knowledge 日本愛媛文華館珍藏
and through skillful investments he introduced new machine became enriched by the top academics and long-standing
tools and started a modern sawmilling factory. Using a keen antique dealers in the society, such as Mayuyama & Co., 宋/金 白剔花纏枝蓮紋梅瓶
business acumen, Kaneichi’s strenuously bought forest leading to enriching his collection with top quality works. His 來源:
and mountains across Shikoku Island in the 1930s, sensing love of his hometown and his passion for art caused him to
the dramatic change that would happen in society in the open the Ehime Museum of Art, created initially to contribute 愛媛文華館, 日本
coming years when Japan would enter into a long period to the cultural landscape of the local community.

Ninomiya Kaneichi (1898-1996) Ehime Bunkakan, Ehime prefecture, Japan.
二宮兼一 (1898-1996) 愛媛文華館, 愛媛縣, 日本

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