Antique Japanese Burl Wood Display Stand / Meiji-Showa / Organic One-of-a-Kind

Details

Description

In the world of Japanese and Chinese antiques, stands and chairs made by leaving tree roots or burls in their … Read more In the world of Japanese and Chinese antiques, stands and chairs made by leaving tree roots or burls in their natural form have long been cherished. This piece belongs to that same lineage, a display stand carved from a large mass of burl, or perhaps root wood. We cannot say with certainty which species of wood was used, but judging from its hardness and the depth of its patina, it is thought to be a hard-grained hardwood close to zelkova (keyaki). It is estimated to date from the Meiji through Taisho and early Showa periods.

The top surface retains the rugged texture of the burl's natural bumps and hollows, yet has been flattened just enough to hold objects securely (top surface size: approx. W50 x D27cm), striking a balance between practicality and sculptural beauty. The legs make full use of the branching and twisting of the root wood, with sculptural hollows, hooks, and clustered burl nodules intertwining intricately to support the stand. Human craftsmanship and the forms created by nature are fused into one, so that no two sections share the same expression, the piece reveals an entirely different scene depending on the angle from which it is viewed.

Stands that make use of burl or root forms like this one have long been treasured as tools for sukiya-style tea rooms and sencha tea ceremony settings in China and Japan, but a piece this large, offering two tiers on which to display objects, is quite rare. Small objects can be placed not only on the top surface but also on the shelf-like space formed by the roots below, making the two-tier arrangement one of its most striking features. It combines rugged, powerful presence with the organic vitality that the wood built up slowly over time, giving it the air of a miniature bonsai landscape, or a fragment cut from a landscape painting. Placing a small Buddhist statue on the top surface makes the burl's ridges look like a mountain range, lending the piece a solemn, dignified atmosphere. It is an outstanding stand for displaying bonsai, stone objects, Buddhist statues, and other ornaments.

The deep, amber-toned luster built up over many years, together with its rugged yet somehow endearing form, gives this piece a presence that only a true one-of-a-kind object can have. It would make a striking accent in a wide range of interiors, from an earthen-floored entryway or exposed-concrete space to a Japanese-style room or a minimalist, gallery-like setting.

[Condition]
- The protruding part of one leg was broken at one point and has been repaired with adhesive and nails. The repaired area is marked with a red circle in the photos, please be sure to check it.
- There is a slight tilt and the stand does not sit perfectly level; please refer to the side-view photo.

Size: W54.7cm x D42cm x H40.6cm
(Top surface size: W50cm x D27cm)
Weight: 8.6kg
Item No.: TA142 See less