M M Gallery Picture Frames

Rare Japanese Cloisonné Oval Frame with Birds & Chrysanthemums, in the Manner of Hayashi An exceptionally rare Japanese cloisonné enamel picture frame of oval form, worked in the manner of Hayashi Kodenji, dating to the Meiji period. The frame is decorated on a rich black enamel ground with finely executed silver wire chrysanthemums, accompanied by smaller red and purple blossoms at the base, each flower shaded with naturalistic enamels of the highest quality. The interior holds an original Japanese watercolor of three swallows in flight, gracefully rendered in delicate tones of blue, white, and yellow. The watercolor is unsigned and can be replaced at the purchaser’s discretion with a family photograph or another image, though the original work adds to the object’s rarity and charm. Frames of this type are among the rarest forms in Japanese cloisonné production, most surviving examples being vases, dishes, or boxes. The level of detail in the wirework here—the meticulous use of silver wire for the chrysanthemums and the naturalistic rendering of foliage—demonstrates the refined artistry associated with the finest cloisonné masters of the period. This piece is in excellent condition with a small hair line in the black ground see photo. Cloisonné picture frames...