Japanese Bamboo Basket Ikebana by Yamashita Kochikusai

Yamashita Kochikusai (1876-1947) was a Japanese bamboo artist from Osaka, Kansai region. He apprenticed under Wada Waichisai I (1851-1901), becoming independent in 1901. His students include Ezono Chikubisai, Suzuki Gengensai and Inose Kohosai. He won prizes for his work at numbers of exhibitions and was patronized by the Imperial Household. The basket on offer has a simple but elegant elongated shape and it was finely woven with smoked bamboo likely circa 1910s-1920s, late Meiji to early Taisho period. The body was constructed with Hexagonal Plaiting for the main body, reinforced with twining in the upper and lower portions. The special design was reserved for an mouth ring...

A large and impressive Japanese basket in the form of a morikago by Maeda Chikubosai I (1872-1950) circa first half of the 20th century. Chikubosai I was from the Kansai Region and active in Sakai, Osaka prefecture. He was instructed by Wada Waichisai I, (1851-1901). Morikago is a shallow open basket with handle. It was traditionally used to display fruits, sometimes flowers, during Sencha tea ceremony. In contrast to Chanoyu, Sencha ceremony uses loose green tea leaves instead of tea powder. The placement of loose fruits in the basket meant that the pattern of the bottom, which is often elaborate, was meant to be visible. This morikago was beautifully constructed with bent bamboo frame and twill plaits for the body. The bottom of the basket features a double diamond pattern achieved with a variation of plover plait. The bifurcated handles was bundle-plated with a rather free spirit approach. They show a poetic suggestion of movement, as if the bamboos were still swaying in the wind. The basket has a copper insert that fits perfectly and it is quite possibly the original. The basket is signed on the base "Chikubosai". The style of the signature shows that it was made by Maeda Chikubosai I. For another Morikago basket by Maeda Chikubosai I, see page 79 of "Masters of Bamboo" by Rinne. For the study of the signature of Chikubosai I "Baskets Master Pieces of Japanese Bamboo Art...

Ikebana basket (hanakago) made of dark brown varnished bamboo wickerwork rounded shape with a twisted handle. Ikebana or Ka-do (the way of flowers) is a traditional Japanese art of...

Vintage bamboo Ikebana basket features an elongated, flattened form with prominent rounded handle. The basket is woven of thin round bamboo strips that are secured with transparent ...