Page 166 - Bonhams May 2017 London Fine Japanese Art

247* Not only did the poem provide the lacquer artist with romantic and
A MAGNIFICENT MATCHING SET OF LACQUERED appealing subject matter, it shares the same first line and other
SUZURIBAKO (BOX FOR WRITING UTENSILS) AND vocabulary with Japan’s national anthem, Kimi ga yo, which was
RYOSHIBAKO (DOCUMENT BOX) WITH DECORATION BASED gaining in prestige during the early decades of the twentieth century.
ON THE NO PLAY HAGOROMO (THE FEATHER MANTLE)
By Fujiwara Ogetsu (died 1938), Taisho (1912-1926) We know little of Fujiwara Ogetsu, the artist responsible for the
or Showa (1926-1989) era, circa 1912-1938 decoration of these boxes, but their superb quality attests to the high
Of standard rectangular form with rounded chiri-i (edges) and inrobuta level of lacquer (and metalwork) patronage and artistry in Kyoto during
(flush-fitting lids), entirely covered in black lacquer and decorated the early decades of the twentieth century; see Takao Yo, ‘Kinsei
mainly in gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, with many details maki-eshi meikan (Dictionary of Early-Modern and Modern Lacquerers’
executed in gold, silver, shakudo, shibuichi, and copper with shell, signatures)’, in Rokusho, 24 (March 2005), p.115, l.2.
gold foil (much of it in kirikane mosaic); the rims of silver, the bases of
dense nashiji, the decoration as follows: on the lid of the suzuribako Illustrated on pages 162 - 163.
a pine-clad seashore with an abandoned hagoromo robe hanging
from a branch, executed in the combination of metals described 248*
above and with the character Kimi (My lord) from the poem inscribed A SMALL BLACK-LACQUER ROUNDED RECTANGULAR
on the tomobako storage boxes (see below), on the interior of the TWO-TIERED KOBAKO (INCENSE BOX) AND COVER
lid a seashore with clouds, gulls, and shells; the interior of the box By Mitamura Jiho, Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era,
with similar decoration, fitted with a complete set of finest-quality early/mid 20th century
writing utensils finished in lacquer and metal, the metal suiteki (water- The lustrous roiro overlapping scallop-edged cover lacquered
dropper) in the form of two sailing boats; the exterior and interior of in e-nashiji, gold, silver and red takamaki-e with a bunch of
the ryoshibako with further seashore scenes including pines, sailing chrysanthemums and bush clovers wrapped within a noshi
boats, fishing equipment, huts, fishing boats, gulls, and Mount Fuji (celebratory paper decoration) lying across an ornate open fan,
in the distance, with further characters from the poem inlaid in shell; the long colourful strings of the noshi spreading over the sides,
each unsigned; each with a plain inner wood tomobako storage box the inside of the cover, box and en-suite removable tray finely
and a lacquered-wood outer storage box, the outer lids of both sets of embellished in gold togidashi maki-e with repeated motifs of
boxes inscribed respectively in gold lacquer outside Hagoromo maki-e chrysanthemum blossoms and foliage on a sparse nashiji ground,
on-ryoshi (Feather Robe maki-e document box) and Hagoromo maki-e the inside of the cover signed in gold lacquer Jiho saku, all the
on-suzuribako (Feather Robe maki-e lacquer writing box), the wood rims of silver; with two lacquer storage boxes, the inner box with
tomobako boxes inscribed respectively in ink inside with the two parts an inscription.
of poem number 299 from the Shui wakashu anthology (circa 1005): 6.2cm x 9cm x 7.2cm (2 3/8in x 3½in x 2 13/16in). (5).
Kimi ga yo wa ama no hagaromo mare ni kite and nazu to zo tsukinu
iwao nara namu (In this our Sovereign’s reign celestial feather mantles £3,000 - 4,000
seldom descend: caressed, the rock yet wears not away), JPY410,000 - 550,000
the tomobako for the suzukibako signed Heian Ogetsusai kore o saku US$3,700 - 5,000
(This was made by Ogetsu), with seal Fujiwara.
The ryoshibako 18cm x 36.4cm x 44.1cm For this artist please see the footnote to lot 250.
(7 1/8in x 14 3/8in x 17 3/8in),
the suzuribako 5.4cm x 23.8cm x 26.4cm
(2 1/8in x 9 3/8in x 10 3/8in). (16).

£30,000 - 40,000
JPY4,100,000 - 5,500,000
US$37,000 - 50,000

Provenance:
Mito Family.

The poem alluded to in the design (and quoted in full on the storage
boxes) was originally written before 1005 but reappears near the end
of the famous No play Hagoromo (The Feather Mantle). A localized
version of a story that appears in many cultures around the world,
Hagoromo tells of a fisherman who takes possession of a magical
feather-mantle, left behind by a celestial nymph, which he finds
hanging on a bough, as seen on the lid of the writing box. The nymph
demands its return and the fisherman agrees to give it back if she
will dance for him. At the end of the play, she gradually disappears
beyond Mount Fuji, as seen of the document box: ‘And so time runs,
the celestial feather mantle wind-borne billows down the shore; pine
barrens of Mio, Float Isle’s clouds, Mount Ashitaka, yes, and Fuji’s
towering peak fade out, mist-veiled into high Heaven she is lost
from view.’ For the English translations cited here, see Royall Tyler,
Pining Wind: A Cycle of No Plays, Ithaca NY, Cornell University, 1978,
accessible at http://jti.lib.virginia.edu/japanese/noh/TylHago.html.

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