Meiji Early 20th Century Japanese Bamboo Basket Shell Form Ikebana Tea Ceremony Flower Fruit Vase Morikago

Details

Description

Japanese Bamboo basket morikago in shell form* from Meiji era or early 20th century.
Morikago or low and wide fruit … Read more Japanese Bamboo basket morikago in shell form* from Meiji era or early 20th century.
Morikago or low and wide fruit basket used to arrange seasonal fruit for a tea ceremony in a tea room.
Dimensions: H 6 x W 13.5 x D 15 inch

The natural, rough and burly wisteria root handle at one side creates a tension against the smooth and fine weave of the bowl like bamboo basket.**

Made from ‘susudake’***

Morikago is a shallow open basket with handle. It was traditionally used to display fruits, sometimes flowers, during Sencha tea ceremony. In contrast to Chanoyu, Sencha ceremony uses loose green tea leaves instead of tea powder. The placement of loose fruits in the basket meant that the pattern of the bottom, which is often elaborate, was meant to be visible.

This morikago was beautifully constructed with thin bamboo and twill plaits for the base. The bottom of the basket features a spike pattern achieved with a variation of plover plait. The ‘handles’ are formed from twisted burly wisteria root with a rather free spirit approach.

Purchased in Kyoto in the 50s

* a classic Japanese Mizuhopecten yessoensis
** the burly root represents the ‘ears’ of the shell
*** Susudake is bamboo that's been exposed to smoke and heat from the irori, or sunken hearth, of a traditional Japanese house. The bamboo is usually over 100 years old and has a natural golden-brown color

A sculpture of its own right, this antique Japanese bamboo basket from an unknown artist is from the late Meiji Period (1868-1912), likely turn of the 20th century. It features a regal form that derived from the classic Chinese basket but with a decisively Japanese touch, with the use of the natural wisteria roots as the handle. made from "sooted" bamboo (susutake), the bamboo materials collected from traditional thatched-roof houses that had been exposed to decades of smoke from a hearth or cooking fire, the basket displays a deep, rich, dark reddish brown color that is hard to attain by color-lacquering.
The basket shows several techniques alternating between mat plaiting and pine needle plaiting on the upper and lower portion, the base features a double wall with an armor plaiting on the exterior. The base was done in a chrysanthemum plaiting.
A stunning piece for a serious collector

The classic shell shape, simple weave are all characteristics of a skilled bamboo artist attempting to create a wabi-sabi feel.
Style Tip: Arrange flowers in this basket in a nook or genkan with spring or summer fresh flowers or fruit for a wabi Sabi feel

* In Japanese culture, shells often symbolize good luck, marital harmony, and are historically linked to wealth, appearing in traditional art and ceremonies, particularly through the "Kai-awase" shell-matching game where pairs of decorative shells with unique designs are matched together, often representing a perfect match in weddings; the "hamaguri" clam shell is especially significant for this reason due to its unique fitting halves.
Kai-awase (shell-matching game): A traditional pastime where people would try to match pairs of decorated shells, often given to brides as a symbol of marital harmony.
Hamaguri clam shells: Considered auspicious due to their perfectly matching halves, often used in wedding ceremonies.
Symbolic meaning: Shells can represent wealth, good fortune, and fertility depending on the context.
Historical usage: Shells were once used as currency in Japan. See less