Original Wooden Box
D19.5cm H28cm
This is an exceptionally elegant and masterfully woven bamboo flower basket (Hanakago / Hanairi) crafted by Tanabe Chikuunsai II (1910–2000), a titan of modern Japanese bamboo art from the prestigious Tanabe lineage.
The basket features a stunning, well-proportioned silhouette that gently widens toward the mouth (Hirokuchi). The body is woven with absolute geometric precision, featuring uniform, finely split bamboo strips. Over the years, the piece has aged into a rich, dignified patina that beautifully accentuates the organic quality of the bamboo.
The true highlight of this work is the exquisite rim, where the intricately intersecting lines of bamboo create a delicate, lace-like lightness while maintaining a structurally robust and dignified presence. It is completed by a powerful yet gracefully curved handle (Te).
The basket includes a well-fitted Otoshi (water container) for practical use. Harmonizing the resilient flexibility of bamboo with a highly refined traditional aesthetic, this rare work represents a pinnacle of 20th-century Japanese decorative art and holds immense collectible value.
Chikuunsai TANABE II
1910 – 2000
Born as the son of the legendary Tanabe Chikuunsai I, he studied bamboo crafts under his father. He was first accepted into the prestigious Teiten Exhibition in 1931 and formally assumed the title of Chikuunsai II in 1937. Following World War II, he became a central figure in the Nitten Exhibitions, winning the Tokusen (Special Prize) in 1952 for his masterpiece "Rasenmon Kakan" (Spiral-patterned Flower Basket). He went on to serve as a juror and councillor for the Nitten. In 1991, he passed the Chikuunsai title down to his eldest son and subsequently took the name Icchikusai.
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