Page 137 - Bonhams May 2017 London Fine Japanese Art

210 Thomas B. Blow was an English dealer who lived in Japan at least
A CIRCULAR LOBED SATSUMA DISH from 1906 until 1914. He supplied many of the leading collectors in
By Takebe Shoko, Meji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century Europe with ceramics, metalwork, and other of the applied arts so
Decorated in enamels and gilt with a winding festival procession of keenly sought in the Britain and elsewhere. He was the main supplier
townspeople carrying symbols and holding banners associated with of Alfred Baur in Geneva until he introduced Baur to Tomita in 1923.
the 12 events of the 12 months, including: shishimai and takoage Blow’s connection to Shoko Takebe is not known, but this inscription,
during the New Year Festival in the first month; plum blossoms often with accompanying identification of the scene depicted, appears
associated with the advent of spring and banners from the Inari Shrine only on the work of Takebe. 1
representing the Hatsu’uma Festival in the second month; a paired
male and female representing Hinamatsuri (the Girl’s Festival) in the Notes:
third month; a man holding a pole attached with a carp, a stalk of iris 1. Oliver Impey and Malcolm Fairley, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection
and boy wearing a breastplate representing Boys’ Festival in the fifth of Japanese Art: Meiji no Takara, Treasures of Imperial Japan, vol.V,
month; people carrying mikoshi in the sixth month; a Chinese male Ceramics part II, London, The Kibo Foundation, 1995, no.146.
and female representing the Star Festival in the seventh month; Ebisu
holding a large tai (red bream) representing the tenth month known as
Kaminazuki (Godless month); signed on the base in a gilt seal Shoko
Takebe, inscribed above Thomas B. Blow in katakana and Junikagetsu
gyoji no zu (Picture of the Events in the Tweve Months) in kanji
beneath the seal.
21cm (8¼in) diam.

£3,000 - 4,000
JPY410,000 - 550,000
US$3,700 - 5,000

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot FINE JAPANESE ART | 135
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.