KATON, JAPAN, 1860-1930

Details

A VERY RARE JAPANESE EMBELLISHED-IVORY BOTTLE
Katon, Japan, 1860-1930
Of high-shouldered tapering vase form, the blackened material inlaid with mother-of-pearl, gilt and coral, with a design of lotus flowers, buds, and leaves with a dragonfly hovering above, the matching stopper with a gilt floral scroll, original stained ivory stand
2 13/16in. (7.2cm.) high

Special notice

Notice Regarding the Sale of Ivory and Tortoiseshell Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing ivory or tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Lot Essay

One or two individual Japanese artists emerged from the anonymous producers of 'Chinese' snuff bottles from the 1860's onwards, mostly for the American market (see lot 103). They worked purely in Japanese style and proudly signed their names. Pre-eminent among them was Katon, who produced a range of wares in ivory and lacquer. Here he combines ivory, lacquer and embellishment in a vase-form snuff bottle which is echoed by three in the J & J Collection, illustrated by H. Moss, V. Graham, K.B. Tsang, The Art of the Chinese Snuff Bottle, New York, 1993, nos. 303-305.

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