Meiji era antique Kiseru (pipe) with deer antler case with image of unidentified Chinese sage.

Inscription of 東遊 (Tōyū) on the case.

The metal bits of the pipe are adorned with good luck symbols.

Mei/signature on case:
Tōyū (東遊)

Measures:
Kiseru:
19.70 cm

Case:
19.00 cm

Watanabe Shōka (1835~1887)：
Samurai and painter from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period. The second son of the very famous Kazan Watanabe. A chief retainer of the Tahara clan in Mikawa (Aichi Prefecture). He studied painting with Tsubakiyama and Hanka Fukuda, economic history with Ohashi Rakuan, and poetry with Sekine Chido. He was good at painting flowers and birds. Died on December 29, 1899. He is 53 years old. His name is Kanou. Shoka has long stood in the shadow of his very famous father, but recently the art world has started to recognize his talent

Watanabe Shōka was born in 1835 in the Edo clan’s residence as the second child of Watanabe Kazan. It is said that Watanabe Shōka was a strong looking man similar to Kazan. In 1841, Kazan committed suicide, but he endured the sadness with his wise grandmother and gentle mother’s help. In 1844, Shōka went to Edo and became a disciple of Tsubaki Chinzan. Shōka, who had been improving his painting skills under Chinzan for more than ten years, became the head of his family in 1856. He went to Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture in 1874, then moved to Hyakkaen in 1877, and had a painting room there until 1882. In 1877, he got Kamonshō prize at the 1st Naikoku Kangyō Hakurankai exhibition, which was held at Ueno Park. This era was called Shōka’s era of Hyakkaen, because many flowers were planted in front of his garden and he enjoyed the flowers of the four seasons.

Signature & Seal:
Shōka (Watanabe)

Scroll Box:
Wooden box

Roller Ends:
Wood

Technique:
Handpainted on Paper

Condition:
Refer to all pictures, wrinkles, stain

Size:
2 x 53.3cm x 198.5cm / 20.9″ x 78.1″

Inrō, signed 江上 叟山作 (Egami Sōzan-saku)
Netsuke, signed 正直 (Masanao)

Four-compartment inrō in black lacquer depicting waves, with gold makie lacquer depicting pine trees and clouds. 19th century.

Sōzan was an inro artisan of the Koma school, who were traditional suppliers of gold lacquer crafts to the Tokugawa shoguns.

Netsuke of adult and young frog.

Dramatic contrast of black lacquer with gold makie.

Excellent condition.

Notes:
Sōzan is Koma Sōzan, from the Koma school, which is a line of gold lacquer artisans appointed to serve the Tokugawa shoguns. From this school there came some netsuke specialists. The name on the netsuke, Masanao, is a known name.

Mei/signature on Inro:
江上 叟山作
Egami Sōzan-saku

Mei/signature on Netsuke:
正直
Masanao

School/province:
Koma school

Period/age:
Edo (mid-1800s)

Measures:
8.40 cm x 5.20 cm x 2.20 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included

Inro, signed 梶川作（徳）Kajikawa-saku (Toku)

Four-compartment lacquer inrō, with gold makie designs of cranes and clouds.

The Kajikawa were designated makers of inro and other gold lacquer crafts to the Tokugawa beginning from the early 18th century. This inro bears the mark of “Toku”, indicating it was made by Kajikawa Tokusaburō (1827-1865). Tokusaburō was the 11th generation Kajikawa master.

Kajikawa Family, (flourished 19th century), Japanese lacquerware artists whose school in Edo (now Tokyo) flourished for more than 200 years.

Kyūjirō (also called Kijirō) is generally acknowledged as the founder of the family and the inaugurator of its traditions. He excelled in designing particularly delicate lacquer inrō, portable medicine cases composed of a nest of tiny boxes tightly fitted into one another and secured with a silk cord. Because so much artistic skill went into decorating the outside of the inrō, they were worn on the obi (a broad sash) by men of the upper classes and were prized as collector’s items. Kajikawa artists also designed lacquer netsuke—toggles carved in the shapes of animals, human figures, and plants, used to attach medicine boxes and tobacco and money pouches to men’s sashes.

Mei/signature:
梶川作　（徳）
Kajikawa-saku (Toku)
Kajikawa Tokusaburō

School/province:
Kajikawa school

Period/age:
Edo 1828-1866

Measures:
10.20 cm x 5.00 cm x 3.10 cm

Certificate:
No

Included:
NO kiri box included