Page 163 - Fine Japanese Art November 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

139 | SHIBAYAMA YASUMASA:
A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE SHIBAYAMA TRAY
By Shibayamasa Yasumasa, signed Yasumasa
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)

The décor consists of an assortment of Japanese collectibles as
they would have been stored inside a curio or collector’s box. We
see three large tusba of various shapes, all inlaid with different
designs, an inro with its matching tsuishu lacquer Ojime and a
Netsuke, Eguchi no Kimi, finely carved of ivory and mother-of-pearl.
All of these collectibles are not only inlaid themselves, but the
whole assortment is surrounded by floral sprays amid their vines
and leaves, flying cranes and sparrows, all made of further finely
incised inlays. The octagonal tray stands on four feet, the underside
is entirely covered in gold lacquer nashiji, and the upside bears an
elegant silver frame.
Tsuishu lacquer cartouche to lower left with carved artist signature
Shibayama Yasumasa. Extremely fine inlays of ivory, mother-of-
pearl, tsuishu lacquer, horn, hardwood, tortoiseshell and coral, all
above a gold lacquer ground in hira- and taka-zogan with nashiji.
SIZE 34.1 cm x 23.6 cm
Condition: Superb and absolutely original and unrestored
condition. Very few microscopic losses, minor wear and traces of
use, mostly to feet at backside. The silver frame bent and loose at
one corner. An absolute rarity in this state of preservation.
Provenance: British collection.
For any collector of small fine objects like netsuke, inro and tsuba,
this is a must-have acquisition!
Shibayama Yasumasa was the grandson of the founder of the
Shibayama school, Senzo Shibayama. He won prizes at the
second and third Naikoku Kangyo Hakurankai (National Industrial
Exhibitions) in 1881 and 1890 (see Tadaomi Goke, Julia Hutt and
E. A. Wrangham, Meiji no Takara, Treasures of Imperial Japan:
Lacquer, London, Kibo Foundation, 1995, Part 1, p.32 and Part 2,
cat. nos.160,167).
Auction result comparison: Compare with a pair of vases by the
same artist, Shibayama Yasumasa, sold at Bonham’s London on
November 9th, 2017, lot 295, sold for £ 93.750, - .

Estimate EUR 15.000,-
Starting price EUR 7.500,-

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