Antique 1920's Japanese Bamboo Ikebana Hanakago Flower Basket

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Elevate your space with this striking early 20th-century Japanese Ikebana Hanakago (flower basket), dating from the 1920's (early Showa era). … Read more Elevate your space with this striking early 20th-century Japanese Ikebana Hanakago (flower basket), dating from the 1920's (early Showa era). Masterfully hand-woven from split bamboo, this piece is an exceptional display of organic form, rich history, and traditional studio craftsmanship.The basket features a dynamic, highly expressive arched handle constructed from overlapping, twisted sections of bamboo culm, secured to the rim with intricate cross-hatch rattan bindings. Its body showcases an advanced plaiting technique that masterfully transitions from a tight, structured square foundation at the base into a fluid, flared open-lattice silhouette. The bamboo exhibits a deep, warm reddish-brown hue and an authentic aged patina that reflects its pre-war heritage. Perfect as a standalone sculptural object on a mantle, console, or shelf, or styled with dried botanicals for a sophisticated, rustic historic statement.

Wonderful antique handwoven gathering basket believed to date to the early 20th century.

The basket’s imperfections and wonderfully uneven form are part of its charm and speak to its age and handmade construction.

The Painstaking Handmade Process:Traditional Japanese bamboo basketry is a rare, entirely un-mechanized art form that demands immense human skill. No machine can replicate this piece for three key reasons:Meticulous Hand-Splitting: The artisan must manually split raw bamboo stalks with a specialty knife, scraping away the pith and shaving the wood into paper-thin, flexible ribbons—a process requiring years of muscle memory.Complex Structural Engineering: A machine cannot adjust tension to shift shapes mid-weave. This basket masterfully transitions from a tight, flat square base into a fluid, flared circular bowl entirely through manual manipulation.Heat-Bent Sculptural Handle: The dramatic overhead arch was formed by torch-heating heavy bamboo stalks to make them pliable, then manually twisting and layering them under immense physical tension until the wood cooled and locked into shape.

Approximate Dimensions:
18” L × 12.5” W × 12” H, including handle
This basket has already been gently washed and dried by the seller. See less