Page 26 - Bonhams May 16, 2019 London Japanese Art
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A COMPLETE SET OF LACQUER MINIATURE TWO-CASE Festival which marks the one day of the year when the Herd Boy and
INRO AND MATCHING HAKO NETSUKE REPRESENTING the Weaver Girl (the stars Altair and Vega) are allowed to meet, and a
THE TWELVE CALENDAR MONTHS bunch of kaji (paper mulberry) leaves wrapped in paper with decorative
By Kajikawa Bunryusai II, active Meiji era (1868-1912), bows on the other, the hako netsuke lacquered with two hozuki
late 19th/early 20th century (Chinese lanterns)
Comprising:
Eighth month: kinji (gold-lacquer), decorated in gold and silver
First month: kinji (gold-lacquer), decorated in coloured takamaki-e hiramaki-e and details in inlaid in shell with an usagi (rabbit) besides
and inlaid in shell with a hagoita (battledore) and hane (shuttlecock) a tsuki (moon), tokusa (scouring rush) beneath a tsuki (full moon)
on one side and an itomari (tasselled brocade ball) resting in front of standing for tsukimi (harvest-moon viewing) on one side and flowering
chrysanthemums in a bowl on the other, the hako netsuke lacquered autumn plants of kikyo (Chinese bellflowers), fujibakama (thoroughwort)
with a pair of origami cranes and tokusa (scouring rush) on the other, the hako netsuke lacquered
with a nasubi (aubergine) beside a cricket cage
Second month: roiro (black-lacquer), decorated in gold and silver
takamaki-e and inlaid in shell with a tsubame (swallow) flying beneath Ninth month: rogin-nuri, decorated in gold, silver and red takamaki-e
trailing branches of fuji (wisteria), both emblematic of mid or late spring, with a stalk of flowering kiku (chrysanthemums) lying over a hiogi
the hako netsuke lacquered with a bamboo oke (bucket) and fern (slatted court fan), and sakazuki (sake cup), celebrating the national
flower and emblem of autumn on one side and another stalk of
Third month: kinji (gold-lacquer), decorated in gold takamaki-e and flowering kiku besides a sakazuki on the other, the hako netsuke
discrete details inlaid in shell with two tatebina (paper dolls) one side and lacquered with a pair of flying geese
two inubariko (papier-mâché dogs) resting in front of stalks of flowering
cherry, standing for the Girls’ Festival on the third day of the month, the Tenth month: kinji (gold-lacquer), decorated in gold and silver
hako netsuke lacquered with a pair of awabi (alabone) shells hiramaki-e with details of e-nashiji and shell inlay with a tai (sea bream)
in a basket on one side and a hat lying against a tsurizao (fishing rod)
Fourth month: red-lacquer, decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e with on the other, attributes of Ebisu, whose deafness prevents him from
an image of Inari, the Fox Deity, and an ema (Shinto votive picture) on hearing the sound of the gong that summons all the other Shinto gods
one side and a stalk of plum and a wooden wand attached with gohei to the Grand Shrine at Izumo during this month, the hako-netsuke
(Shinto papers) on the other, representing the festival held at Kyoto’s Inari lacquered with a gourd and two cherry blossoms
Shrine and elsewhere on the 20th day of the month, the hako netsuke
lacquered with a plum blossom attached to a suzu (small bell) Eleventh month: brown-lacquer, decorated in gold, silver and shell
hiramaki-e with a mask of Okame or Otafuku, Goddess of Mirth on a
Fifth month: kinji (gold-lacquer), decorated in gold hiramaki-e, e-nashiji hiogi (slatted court fan) on one side and attributes of the Shichifukujin
and shell inlay with a shobugatana (toy sword) on one side and a noshi (Seven Gods of Good Fortune) on the other, items associated with the
(celebratory paper decoration) wrapped around a bunch of shobu no Tori-no-ichi fairs held at this time of year, the hako netsuke lacquered
ha (iris leaves), standing for the Boys’ Festival on the fifth day of the with a stalk of citrus fruits
month, the hako netsuke lacquered with a kusudama (decorative silk-
tasselled ball) Twelfth month: kinji, decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e with a
kine and usu (pestle and mortar), used to pound rice cakes for the
Sixth month: rogin (shibuichi) nuri, decorated in gold hiramaki-e New-Year celebrations on one side and ume (plum), kadomatsu (pine
and inlaid in shell with a large Botan (peony) blossom lying across a cuttings), and ebira (quiver), New-Year decorations on the other, the
straw hat on a hiogi (slatted court fan); compare the haikai poem by hako netsuke lacquered with a flowering stalk
Kobayashi Issa (1763-1828): Ogi nite / shaku o toritaru / botan kana
(On a courtier’s fan, measuring it right across, a huge peony!) on one Each inro signed on the base Bunryusai; with a tiered wood storage
side and a straw rope attached with bells, daruma dolls, a drum and box inscribed outside the lid Kajikawa saku junikagetsu maki-e soroe
a purse inscribed Hi no yojin (Beware of fires) on the other, the hako ko-inro (A set of maki-e small inro with design of twelve months made
netsuke lacquered with a sprig of peony by Kajikawa). Each inro approx. 3.9cm (1½in) high. (13).
Seventh month: roiro (black-lacquer), decorated in silver, gold and red £15,000 - 18,000
hiramaki-e and inlaid in shell with bamboo, tanzaku (poem slips) and
two itomaki (silk-winders) on one side, standing for the Tanabata JPY2,200,000 - 2,600,000
US$20,000 - 24,000
For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
24 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.