A MAGNIFICIENT SHIBAYAMA HARDWOOD DISPLAY CABINET

Description:

Japan, Meiji period
243 x 144 x 50 cm
Hardwood top cabinet on a separate finely carved stand with a pair of dragons amidst clouds and two gold lacquer panels decorated with swimming carps. The central element consists of an open shelf offering space to display small treasures crowned by a pagoda roof with a stepped staircase flanked by two compartments behind hinged doors above a row of three compartments in different sizes, above three drawers. The finial of the cabinet consists of a top in the form of two compartments connected by a central bridge-shaped compartment under two curved roofs with carved decorations of hôo birds surmounted by shishi mascarons. Dark brown hardwood, the struts between the compartments partly finely carved with chrysanthemum blossoms or gold lacquer decoration of brocade patterns with floral motifs. The gold-lacquer panels show finely inlaid decorations of various birds perched in flowering sprays, floral arrangements and a figural court scene of a dancing lady with details made of mother-of-pearl and ivory.
Old East German private collection, acquired around 1900
These types of cabinets were produced mainly in Yokohama. Companies like Samurai Shokai and Kuhn & Komor sold such cabinets for export to Europe and America. Also Liberty & Co. in London offered these type of cabinets, refer to their catalogue ''Eastern and Western Wares'' from 1896, cited by Yumiko Yamamori, ''Japanese Export Furniture with Particular Emphasis on the Meiji Era (1868-1912)'', 1999. - Cf.: A very similar example in ''Nihon no zôge bijutsu/History of Japanese Ivory Carving'', The Shoto Museum of Art. Tokyo 1996,ill., p. 136
Partial minor traces of age, partly inlays lost, slightly chipped, minor rest.
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit no. DE-SOK 0238/22).