Lot 40
40
A LARGE AND MAGNIFICENT SUZURIBAKO [writing box]
Buyers from within the EU: VAT payable at 17.5% o… Read more
A LARGE AND MAGNIFICENT SUZURIBAKO [writing box]

ATTRIBUTED TO THE IGARASHI SCHOOL, EDO PERIOD (LATE 17TH - EARLY 18TH CENTURY)

Details
A LARGE AND MAGNIFICENT SUZURIBAKO [writing box]
Attributed to the Igarashi school, Edo Period (Late 17th - early 18th Century)
The rectangular Kaga-makie suzuribako, with overhanging cover and slightly curved sides, a rich gyobu ground to the cover and sides, the cover depicting Saigyo Hoshi, his travelling hat on the ground beside him, contemplating the moon in silver heidatsu beyond a branch of an ancient plum tree in blossom, in gold and silver takamaki-e with lavish gold and silver kirikane and bold silver and gold uchikomi, the figure of Saigyo in gold takamaki-e with rows of small tampopo [dandelions] beside him, the bevelled edges of the cover in kin-fun and the rims of the box, cover and two brush trays in lead, the underside of the cover is decorated with ten varieties of birds, mostly in pairs, including the cuckoo, sparrow, owl, pheasant, ho-o, nightingale, swallow, wagtail, cormorant and grebe, the birds perched on rocks and tree-stumps, swimming on a river or swooping through the air around a silver-inlaid waterfall, the rocks, tree-stumps and shore enriched with gold and silver kirikane, the brush and ink trays decorated with further reaches of the stream, a pair of cormorants perched on a rock, the mizuire in the form of a Chinese inkstick in shakudo
27.1cm. long
Special notice
Buyers from within the EU: VAT payable at 17.5% on just the buyer's premium (NOT the hammer price) Buyers from outside the EU: VAT payable at 17.5% on hammer price and buyer's premium. If a buyer, having registered under a non-EU address, decides that an item is not to be exported from the EU, then he/she should advise Christie's to this effect immediately.

Lot Essay

For a footnote on the Igarashi School, see Lot 44. This suzuribako is possibly by the second or third Doho master, working in Kaga province. It is notable for the depiction of such numerous birds of so many distinct species. The style of the waves and the bold takamaki-e are typical of Kaga-makie.

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