Sold for €3,120
including Buyer's Premium
The cloisonné enamels likely by the Hirata family, unsigned
Japan, 18th-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The wide-bodied three-case inro bearing a dark brown lacquered ground with finely sprinkled gold and aogai flakes, one side depicting four geese flying above water reeds, the reverse with a goose flying above a stream and backed by a crescent moon. Three of the geese and the moon are inlaid in gold wire with turquoise and yellow enamels, two geese worked in sublime gold togidashi-e, and the reeds with mother of pearl inlays. The interior of red lacquer with fundame edges, the lowest case is a double compartment.
With a gilt-inlaid iron ojime of hexagonal form.
HEIGHT 7.8 cm, LENGTH 6.1 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, a small loss to the edge of the top case, small bruises on the top from contact with an ojime, some light crackling to interior cases.
Provenance: From an old British private collection, an old collector’s number ‘356 [X] 4/48 [X]’ pasted to the interior of the cover.
The masterfully applied cloisonné enamels are likely by a member of the Hirata family, as there was no other artist active in the Edo period who could have applied these enamels in this quality as the secrets of cloisonné were closely held by the Hirata family during this time. Hirata Donin established the Hirata family in Edo in 1616, worked for the shogunate and became famous as a maker of sword fittings. He is said to have made the first Japanese cloisonné enamel, using gold for the cloisons. The family continued this tradition, extending the range to decorate not only sword fittings but also inro, netsuke and boxes.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related enameled inro, by Hirata Harushige, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collectioin of Japanese Art Part IV, 6 November 2013, London, lot 331 (sold for GBP 5,250).
The cloisonné enamels likely by the Hirata family, unsigned
Japan, 18th-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The wide-bodied three-case inro bearing a dark brown lacquered ground with finely sprinkled gold and aogai flakes, one side depicting four geese flying above water reeds, the reverse with a goose flying above a stream and backed by a crescent moon. Three of the geese and the moon are inlaid in gold wire with turquoise and yellow enamels, two geese worked in sublime gold togidashi-e, and the reeds with mother of pearl inlays. The interior of red lacquer with fundame edges, the lowest case is a double compartment.
With a gilt-inlaid iron ojime of hexagonal form.
HEIGHT 7.8 cm, LENGTH 6.1 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, a small loss to the edge of the top case, small bruises on the top from contact with an ojime, some light crackling to interior cases.
Provenance: From an old British private collection, an old collector’s number ‘356 [X] 4/48 [X]’ pasted to the interior of the cover.
The masterfully applied cloisonné enamels are likely by a member of the Hirata family, as there was no other artist active in the Edo period who could have applied these enamels in this quality as the secrets of cloisonné were closely held by the Hirata family during this time. Hirata Donin established the Hirata family in Edo in 1616, worked for the shogunate and became famous as a maker of sword fittings. He is said to have made the first Japanese cloisonné enamel, using gold for the cloisons. The family continued this tradition, extending the range to decorate not only sword fittings but also inro, netsuke and boxes.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related enameled inro, by Hirata Harushige, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collectioin of Japanese Art Part IV, 6 November 2013, London, lot 331 (sold for GBP 5,250).
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