A small lacquer incense chest (kodansu)

MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY), SIGNED ZESHIN (SHIBATA ZESHIN; 1807-1891)

Details

A small lacquer incense chest (kodansu)
Meiji period (late 19th century), signed Zeshin (Shibata Zeshin; 1807-1891)
The small rectangular chest with hinged door, the exterior, interior and the faces of the three drawers decorated in black, gold and silver hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, kirikane and inlaid mother-of-pearl with namichidori (plovers above waves), seashells and rocks on a subtly textured lacquer simulating the patina of bronze, elaborately fitted with solid gold mounts; signature on base
3 7/8 x 2 ¾ x 3 3/8 in. (9.8 x 7 x 8.6 cm.)
With double boxes, the original inner box titled Isochidori kodansu (incense chest with plovers) and signed Tairyukyo Zeshin and sealed on reverse side of lid, the outer box affixed with paper label sealed Chikusokyo in (collection seal of Chikusokyo), and accompanied with a paper certificate signed and sealed by Shoji Chikushin (1854-1936), a pupil of Zeshin, and with a receipt of the Tokyo Bijutsu Club

Provenance

Chikusokyo (Motoyama Toyozane) Collection

Literature

Tokyo Bijutsu Club, Chikusokyo zohin nyusatsu (The auction preview of the Chikusokyo collection) (Tokyo: Tokyo Bijutsu Club, 1939), no. 167

Exhibited

Tokyo Bijutsu Club, "Chikusokyo zohin nyusatsu" (The auction preview of the Chikusokyo Collection), Feb 3-5, 1939.

Lot Essay

This type of lacquer incense chest by Zeshin is extremely rare. No other examples are known. This work may be a special commission.

The former owner, Motoyama Toyozane (1877-?) was a powerful art dealer in the late Taisho to early Showa periods and was originally from Niigata Prefecture. He specialized in Japanese antiques and owned a gallery called Yukodo in Shiba, Tokyo.

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