Page 56 - 2021 March 17th Japanese and Korean Art, Bonhams NYC New York

(alternate view)

PROPERTY OF VARIOUS OWNERS
606
NAKAGAWA JOEKI IX (1849–1911) AND TAKEYAMA MASAHIKO
(1842-1902)
A fine mixed-metal brush pot
Meiji era (1868-1912), dated 1883
The cylindrical vessel with a shibuichi body chiseled in openwork with
insects in a variety of spring and summer flowers, the highlights in gold and
copper takazogan and hirazogan, the silver rim above a band of clouds in
gold, the three lappet-form feet decorated with stylized dragons in nunome-
zogan, signed on the side Meiji jurokunen gogatsu hi Nakagawa Joeki
tsukuru (Made by Nakagawa Joeki in May 1883), and signed on the base
Masahiko with a kao, with a copper liner
4 1/4in (10.7cm) high
$12,000 - 18,000
Ninth head of a lineage of Kyoto artists who had specialized mainly in
making utensils for the tea ceremony, Nakagawa Joeki received the support
of the Mitsui family to compensate for the loss of traditional patronage
during the Meiji era and turned to creating highly accomplished ornamental
pieces such as this lot. A nearly identical joint work (but of slightly different
design), by the same two artists was sold in these Rooms, March 20, 2019,
lot 233. For Takeyama Masahiko, see also Robert Haynes, The Index of
Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Germany, Nihon Art
Publishers, 2001, no. H03766. Masahiko was a pupil of Wada Isshin (1814-
1882) and may also have studied under Goto Ichijo (1791-1876).

54 | BONHAMS