Early 20th Century Japanese Lacquered Ikebana Bamboo Basket

A vintage Japanese ikebana made from lacquered bamboo basketry circa first half of the 20th century. This piece of bamboo …
A vintage Japanese ikebana made from lacquered bamboo basketry circa first half of the 20th century. This piece of bamboo art displays an very light and delicate classic tapered square form with tall handle. The artist used split bamboo culms as both the four bases which continue to become the four cornered support pole for construction. They taper toward the upper rim and eventually artistically disappeared into the plaiting. The use of the two twill plaiting that transition from the double at the lower portion to single at the upper portion further enhance the lightness in the appearance of this piece. Bent bamboo strips were used for both the handle and the rim and a split three-prong detail on the handle construction not only strengthen the durability of the piece but also provide a subtle ornamentation. Rattan wires were used throughout the piece exposed for weaving while punctuating a visual rhythm together with the bamboo nodes.
The piece has a cipher of the artist on the base, “Yu Qiu”, which means “Raining Autumn”.
It still retains a bamboo insert for being used as a ikebana but there is very little evidence that it was ever extensively used. It was likely displayed as a sculptural piece.