EACH PIECE SIGNED KANSAI (KOMA KANSAI II (1767-1835)) AND WITH KAKIHAN, EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

Details

A Magnificent Lacquer Set
Each piece signed Kansai (Koma Kansai II (1767-1835)) and with Kakihan, Edo period (19th century)
The set comprising:

Bunko [Document box]
Suzuribako [Writing box]
Bundai [Writing table]
Tebako [Accessory box]
Shikishibako [Poem paper box]
Fubako [Letter box]

Each piece intricately lacquered with cockerels, hens and sometimes chicks, using various lacquer techniques including gold, silver, black and red hiramaki-e [low-relief lacquer], takamaki-e [high-relief lacquer], inlays of variously-cut pieces of gold foil against a fine nashiji [sprinkled gold lacquer] ground, the inside of the box covers similarly decorated with flowers including chrysanthemums, wild pinks, bush clover and bamboo shoots, fundame rims, the suzuribako with patinated copper water dropper and slate inkstone, the bundai with engraved silver fittings, the bunko and tebako with silver rims, each piece with fitted wood box
43.7 x 36.1cm. (bunko)
18.5 x 16.5cm. (suzuribako)
63.8 x 36.8cm. (bundai)
23.1 x 20.2cm. (tebako)
25.7 x 22.8cm. (shikishibako)
38.7 x 8.9cm. (fubako)

Special Notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Sale Room Notice

Please note that the similar set of suzuribako and bundai by the same artist Koma Kansai II was sold at Christie’s New York sale in 1997, Japanese Lacquer (Sale # 8602), lot 163.

Lot Essay

The Koma family of lacquerers was founded by Koma Kyui (1600-1663) who was appointed as the Goyo Makie Shi, or ‘Lacquerer by Appointment to the shogun’ by the third Tokugawa shogun Iemitsu. The family thrived as lacquerers to the Tokugawas and the Court until the 19th century, with around fifty known artists recorded using the name. Koma Kansai II (1767-1835), the maker of this set, eventually retired from service under Tokugawa Ienari to enter the priesthood. Kansai is well known as the first makie teacher of the young Shibata Zeshin (Lots 80, 81 and 82), on whose works can be seen the technical mastery he inherited from his early days in the Koma school. The family are well known as makers of inro, but few works survive on the scale of this extraordinarily beautiful set of boxes.

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