The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

The Samurai: Japanese Arms and Armour

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 1. A rare lacquer box | Signed Tamura Hisahide | Edo period, 19th century.

A rare lacquer box | Signed Tamura Hisahide | Edo period, 19th century

VAT reduced rate

Lot Closed

November 2, 02:01 PM GMT

Estimate

8,000 - 10,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

A rare lacquer box  

Signed Tamura HisahideEdo period, 19th century 


in the form of an armour on its armour box in four parts, decorated in iroe hiramaki-e, takamaki-e and inlaid in mother-of-pearl with all parts of the armour realistically rendered, the helmet with standing rivets, stylised deer antlers (kuwagata) and dragon forecrest, black lacquer face mask (somen), the cuirass with a large ho-o bird, the armour box decorated with floral roundels in aogai, nashiji interiors, fundame rims

17.6 cm., 7 in. high 

Tamura Hisahide (1757-1833) was a lacquerer active in Kyoto during the Bunka-Bunsei period (1804-1829). Initially a student of painting under Matsumura Goshun (1752-1811) of the Shijo school, Hisahide soon turned towards maki-e and specialised in the work on inro. The artist was also an avid collector of inro and received imperial commissions from both Emperor Kokaku (1771-1840) and Emperor Ninko (1800-1846). Known by his nickname Shigehei, the artist was also humourously called by the sobriquet 'Inro-shige'.