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Lot 275
275
A FINE SOMEN [FULL FACE MASK]
VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus bu… Read more
A FINE SOMEN [FULL FACE MASK]

SIGNED MIOCHIN SHIKIBU KI MUNESUKE AND DATED GENROKU 4TH YEAR KANOTO HITSUJI REKI NI GATSU KICHI JITSU [AN AUSPICIOUS DAY IN FEBRUARY OF THE 4TH YEAR OF GENROKU -1691]

Details
A FINE SOMEN [FULL FACE MASK]
Signed Miochin Shikibu ki Munesuke and Dated Genroku 4th Year Kanoto Hitsuji Reki ni Gatsu Kichi Jitsu [An Auspicious Day in February of the 4th Year of Genroku -1691]
A fine and crisp mask boldly modelled and made in three main pieces, a brow plate with bold crisp eyebrows and wrinkles hinged to the mask, the nose above a hair moustache attached with turning pins, chin and cheeks well defined, a long tube attached to the ase nagashi-no-ana [draining hole] beneath the chin, red lacquered interior, the yodarekake [throat defence] of gold lacquered iron hon kozane [true lamellae] and laced mainly in hi-odoshi [red lacing], the lower row of murasaki odoshi [purple lacing] in kebiki [close laced] style; the centre and corners of the lower plate with shakudo kanamono [soft metal mounts] decorated with chrysanthemums
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VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

Miochin Munesuke is considered to be the 24th master of the Miochin family. He was born in 1642 and died it is thought about 1735, which would make him 49-50 when he made this mask. He was a noted craftsman who excelled in repousee work.
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