A VERY RARE IMPERIAL QIANGJIN AND TIANQI ‘DRAGON’ LACQUER INCENSE STAND

1 More

THE KAISENDO MUSEUM The Kaisendo Museum lies in Kaminoyama city in Yamagata prefecture, Japan and houses a collection of Chinese and Japanese art that was formed by Mr Kenzo Hasegawa (1886-1957), the owner of a large manufacturer of raw silk in Kaminoyama. Initially he began by collecting Japanese swords prior to World War II but under the advice of his brother (Mr Shouichi Inoue) and his nephew (Mr Shouhei Inoue) his attention soon turned to carved lacquer. His brother was a renowned collector of Chinese and Japanese ceramics who had established a museum of his own and this was almost certainly the inspiration for Mr Hasegawa to prepare for his own museum by setting up the foundation in 1951.The majority of the lacquer pieces in his collection were acquired between 1948 and 1950. Two very important figures in the formation of the collection were Mr Takushin Kushi, a scholar of Asian art and Mr Hirota Fukkosai (1897-1973), the founder of Kochukyo. Mr Fukkosai was one of the preeminent figures in the world of Chinese art of his time and his influence can clearly be seen in the collection in the wonderful and extensive selection of important examples of carved lacquers in the museum.The main focus of the Museum’s collection, therefore, lies in both Japanese sword fittings (which include some very important examples) and important carved lacquerware. Although the initial basis of the collection were the sword fittings, the lacquer also stands out as a world class collection in terms of the rarity and quality of the pieces that the collection encompasses. Six remarkable pieces from the collection were sold at Christie’s Hong Kong in 2007 and 2011, including an important Xuande-marked early-Ming cinnabar lacquer tray, sold on 29 May 2007, lot 1359, and an extremely rare polychrome lacquer box and cover from the Wanli period, sold on 1 June 2011, lot 3573.PROPERTY FROM THE KAISENDO MUSEUM COLLECTION

A VERY RARE IMPERIAL QIANGJIN AND TIANQI ‘DRAGON’ LACQUER INCENSE STAND

CHONGZHEN CYCLICAL DINGCHOU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1637 AND OF THE PERIOD

Details

A VERY RARE IMPERIAL QIANGJIN AND TIANQI ‘DRAGON’ LACQUER INCENSE STAND
CHONGZHEN CYCLICAL DINGCHOU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1637 AND OF THE PERIOD
The top is finely decorated with a sinuous five-clawed dragon in pursuit of a flaming pearl amid ruyi clouds against a chequered ground of wan emblems, enclosed within a raised edge above a constricted waist divided by five raised vertical ridges, all resting on a bombé apron continuing onto five cabriole legs terminating in upswept feet raised on a waisted pedestal base decorated with orchids on top. The underside near the top of one leg is incised and gilt with the reign mark, Da Ming Chongzhen dingchou nian zhi.
23 ¼ in. (61.5 cm.) high

Provenance

Kaisendo Museum, Yamagata, Japan

Brought to you by

Sibley Ngai

sngai@christies.com +852 2978 9955

Lot Essay

Only a handful of marked imperial lacquer works from the Chongzhen period have survived, and the present incense stand is even more remarkable for having preserved its pedestal base. A nearly identical incense stand bearing the same dated mark without the base, with the dragon facing the opposite direction, is illustrated in Chugoku no urushi kogei, Tokyo, 1970, p. 41, no. 58. Another, or possibly the same as the last, is illustrated by Lee Yu-kuan in Oriental Lacquer Art, Tokyo, 1972, p. 323.

Incense stands were commonly placed at the centre of the room where the perfumed smoke could spread, but were also sometimes used as display stands. Compare to a Jiajing-marked carved three-colour lacquer stand of similar form sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 841 and two later and larger qiangjin and tianqi decorated example of similar form from the Qing period, one illustrated in Hai-wai yi-chen: Chinese Art in Overseas Collections Lacquerware, Taipei, 1987, p. 190, no. 180, another dated Kangxi period with openwork panels on the waist, was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8 October 2014, lot 3795.

More from The Imperial Sale / Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art

View All