Lot 125
125
THREE MIXED-METAL-INLAID SILVER AND SHIBUICHI VASES BY THE OZEKI COMPANY
THREE MIXED-METAL-INLAID SILVER AND SHIBUICHI VASES BY THE OZEKI COMPANY
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THE PROPERTY OF A EUROPEAN LADY
THREE MIXED-METAL-INLAID SILVER AND SHIBUICHI VASES BY THE OZEKI COMPANY

EACH SEALED ON BASE OZEKI SEI, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)

Details
THREE MIXED-METAL-INLAID SILVER AND SHIBUICHI VASES BY THE OZEKI COMPANY
EACH SEALED ON BASE OZEKI SEI, MEIJI PERIOD (LATE 19TH CENTURY)
Each vase with shibuichi body and long, tapering silver neck and applied with high-relief inlays in various metals including gold, silver, copper, and shakudo, the first and second also with various coloured enamel inlays;

the first with lobed neck and shaped foot, the body depicting carpenters building a large sculpture of Enma-daio (Great King Enma), signed Toto Uguisudani ju Ito Masami kore (o) kizamu and an inlaid seal Masami sei

the second with lobed neck, the body depicting a painter and his assistant surprised to see the apparition of characters from his painting, stylised flowers and scrolls under the rim, a meander band to the foot, signed Bokusuihen Seiryoken Katsuhira sui and kao (Hagiya Katsuhira, 1804-1886) to the body

the third with a bird perched in a blossoming cherry branches above a stream, the neck with stylised and elongated petals, a meander band to the mouth rim, signed Kogyokusai and an inlaid pot seal Kazuhisa (Kogyokusai Kazuhisa) to the body, sealed Ozeki sei in a double gourd in gold and copper inlays to the base
25.8 cm., 24.3 cm. and 24.3 cm. high respectively

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Lot Essay

The artist of the first, Hagiya Katsuhira (1804-1886), was born in Mito. Among his students were Unno Shomin (1844-1915) and Kano Natsuo (1828-1898). The latter part of his career saw many foreigners visiting Japan and Katsuhira's work appealed to Victorian taste. For this reason there are many fine examples of Katsuhira's work in Europe and America.
For an example by Kogyokusai Kazuhisa, the artist of the second, see Oliver Impey and Malcolm Fairley eds., Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan, The Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Japanese Art, Metalwork Part I, (London, 1995), cat. no. 63.
A vase by Ito Masami, the artist of the third, sold in Christie’s New York, 23rd March 2011, sale 2426, lot 761.

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