Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891) A tobacco tray with a bird-shaped kiteMeiji era (1868-1912), circa 1870-1890

Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891)


A tobacco tray with a bird-shaped kite
Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1870-1890

The deep tray with curved corners, and slightly recessed interior with indented corners, the wood body entirely covered in almost black
chado-nuri finished to an
ishime-nuri texture, the interior decorated in highly polished low black
takamaki-e with a kite in the form of a crow viewed from below and upside-down (as indicated by the location of the signature on the base), details of the feet and eyes in silver lacquer, the kite string and its ties depicted in gold
hiramaki-e partly incised in
subori technique to indicate the individual twisted threads, the string extending over the top side and the base to the long-handled
itomaki (winder) depicted on the side, its wood and bamboo components rendered in
takamaki-e of gold,
shibuichi, and
shakudo powder incised in
subori technique with wood grain, signed on the underside
Zeshin in gold
hiramaki-e

With a wood
tomobako storage box with label inscribed
Tako maki-e tabako-bon Zeshin saku (
Maki-e tobacco tray by Zeshin) and letter of authentication from Shoji Hoshin (1898–1993), reading
Zeshin-o saku tako maki-e seidoji tabako-bon shinsaku mugi mono nari Showa gojukyunen uzuki hachijuroku-o Hoshin kan (
Seido-ground tobacco tray by Zeshin, authentic work examined by Hoshin, aged 86, April 1984) with seals
Shoji, Koma; wrapper sealed
Hoshin no in


13/4 × 11 1/4 × 9 in (4.5 × 28.5 × 22.9 cm)

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