Page 64 - Bonhams Royal Collection Fine Japanese Art London Nov. 2019

Lot 24 illustrated on page 61

24
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891)
INRŌ (MEDICINE CASE) WITH BUTTERBUR DESIGN
蕗薹図蒔絵印籠
Meiji era (1868–1912), circa 1877

With four interlocking cases and cover of wood covered in chadō-nuri, Exhibited:
the sides and top decorated with leaves, shoots, and flower of fuki Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 2017–2018
(butterbur or bog rhubarb), in gold, silver, and ishime-nuri takamaki-e,
the compartments and risers gold nashiji, the shoulders and rims gold Exhibited and Published:
fundame; the netsuke of lacquered wood in the form of a group of Nezu Bijutsukan (Nezu Museum) 2012, cat. no. 77
clams, one of them breathing out a cloud containing a Chinese palace
in gold, silver, and red takamaki-e with shell; gold-lacquered ojime with £25,000 - 35,000
flowers and butterflies; signed in scratched characters on the base JPY3,200,000 - 4,500,000
Zeshin 是真 US$30,000 - 42,000

Inrō: 7.6cm × 5.1cm × 2.1cm (3in × 2in × ¾in)
Netsuke: 3.5cm x 1.9cm (1⅜in x ¾in) Zeshin depicted the fuki plant, with its large leaves, in two panels
dating respectively from 1877 and 1882 (Nezu Bijutsukan 2012, cat.
With fitted wood storage box (2) no. 51 and Earle and Gōke 1996, cat. no. 27). The earlier of the two
panels uses techniques very similar to the present lot, suggesting that
Provenance: it may have been made around the same time. The season expressed
(Inrō:) in this design is spring, when the shoots of fuki can be fried as
Sotheby’s, London, 22–23 November 1990, lot 190 tempura or used to flavour miso paste.

(Inrō and netsuke:) The idea of the ‘Clam’s Dream’, seen on the netsuke, derives from a
Misumi Hisashi Collection Chinese chronicle of the first century B.C., where it is stated that when
三隅悠 旧蔵 a huge clam breathes on the surface of the sea it makes the shape of
Sold in these Rooms, 5 November 2014, lot 13 a city with buildings. The motif was popular from the late 18th century
after to its publication in an illustrated book (Toriyama 1781).

25
SHIBATA ZESHIN 柴田是真 (1807–1891)
ZANSAISAGE OR TONKOTSU (CONTAINER FOR FOOD
SCRAPS) WITH A STABLE AT NIGHT
夜の厩図蒔絵残菜提
Meiji era (1868–1912), 1880s

A zansaisage (container for food scraps) with dark green seidō-nuri This outstanding zansaisage was formerly in the collection of the
ground, decorated in gold and coloured hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, and businessman Baron Gō Seinosuke, best known in the art world for the
other techniques, and with mother-of-pearl; on one side, a horse collection of netsuke which he donated to Tokyo National Museum.
emerging from a broken-down stable to eat or drink from a wood pail Of senior samurai origin, he studied in Germany and on his return
hung from the branch of a willow tree, the tree continuing onto the built an industrial conglomerate based on mining, paper, and clothing.
reverse; the lid of plain wood; the interior with seidō-nuri ground; the He later served as Chairman of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and was
lacquered netsuke in the form of a broken-off piece of ink decorated appointed to the House of Peers in 1911. For another similar example,
in relief with musical instruments; the zansaisage and netsuke both see Link, 1979, cat. no. 64.
signed Zeshin 是真 in incised characters
A design similar to this, but with the horse already eating or drinking
Zansaisage: 5.1cm × 6.5cm × 3.4cm (2in × 2½in × 1⅛in) from the bucket, is included in a collection of surimono (privately
Netsuke: 3cm x 2.6cm x 1cm (1⅛in x 1in x ⅜in) commissioned prints) by Zeshin, entitled Zeshin ga sōsho (Collected
paintings by Zeshin) and dating from the Kaei era (1848–1854) to the
With unrelated wood storage box (2) Meiji era, in the National Diet Library (call number ゑ-258); a related
zansaisage or tonkotsu is in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
Provenance:
Baron Gō Seinosuke (1865–1942) Collection Zeshin was fond of depicting broken-down buildings in both painting
郷誠之助旧蔵 and lacquer, particularly in designs alluding to the penurious Chinese
Grace Tsumugi Fine Art, London 2013, cat. no. 22 scholar Shain (Chinese: Che Yin). For examples, see Izzard 2007,
cat. no. 40 and Earle and Gōke 1996, cat. no. 49).
Published:
Nihon Netsuke Kenkyūkai 2003

£60,000 - 80,000
JPY7,700,000 - 10,000,000
US$73,000 - 97,000

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