Vintage Japanese Ikebana (Ni-Ju-Giri) Bamboo Vase

Details

Description

Ikebana Vase (Ni-ju-giri), Japan, mid-20th century

Date: Showa Era, circa 1950s

Culture/Period: Japanese, Mid-20th Century

Medium: Carved bamboo with copper … Read more Ikebana Vase (Ni-ju-giri), Japan, mid-20th century

Date: Showa Era, circa 1950s

Culture/Period: Japanese, Mid-20th Century

Medium: Carved bamboo with copper elements

Dimensions: 27” H x 6” W x 5.5” D (68.6 x 15.2 x 14 cm)

Description:

A sculptural two-tiered (ni-ju-giri) ikebana vase, hand-carved from a single piece of mature bamboo. Each chamber is carved to fit a vessel for holding water (the top chamber has a patinated copper insert). The surface exhibits a patina acquired through decades of use and handling. There is a copper band that sits on the top section of the vase.

Artistic Context & Analysis:

This vase is a piece of Japanese Mingei (folk art) from the Showa period, reflecting a philosophy that values simplicity, functionality, and the inherent beauty of natural materials. Its design is linked to the principles of ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, where the vessel is not merely a container but an active compositional element.

Condition Report:

The vase is in good condition given its age and organic material. There are minor, stable hairline cracks consistent with the natural aging and drying of bamboo, which do not affect the structural integrity of the piece.

Provenance:

Acquired from a private collection of Japanese Ikebana vases See less