Georgia Decorative Baskets

19th century French porcelain urn painted with polychrome decoration.

An important Japanese bamboo Ikebana basket by Yamamoto Chikuryosai I (also known as Chikuryusai I, Shoen after 1929) (1868-1945). Active in Osaka, Kansai region, he was advised by Wada Waichisai I. After 1929, he signed his work as Shoen (Shoen made this), such as this one. This basket was made using "sooted" bamboo (susutake in Japanese). This bamboo materials was collected from traditional thatched-roof houses that had been exposed to decades of smoke from a hearth or cooking fire, therefore the basket displays a deep rich patina that is hard to attain by color-lacquering. The basket featured a large rounded barrel form with handle. The body was constructed with a twill plaiting variation of a more relaxed and loose weave. It allows the light coming through to render the piece a lighter sense. Parallel plaiting was used to reinforce the body with stripes of bamboo, while adding more visual constrict to a free spirited background. Twisted bamboo strips form rope-like handle and the top rim. It is signed "Shoen Made This" on the base. Two-piece water container made from bamboo trunk is retained with the piece as shown. For the artists other and similar work, see baskets masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art...

Italian, early to mid 20th century. A vintage yellow tole bucket or trash can adorned with paper mache Mr. Pickwick & Friends decorations to exterior and a red interior. Otherwise u...

Continental, likely English. A George III circa 1800 peat, turf, coal or kindling bucket of oval mouth form and confirming body mounted with brass straps. A handle is affixed (note:...

A beautiful bamboo sculpture in a double-walled basket form by contemporary Japanese bamboo artist Kawano Shoko (born 1957-). The piece entitled "Birth" was made in 2002 and purchased from Tai Modern...

A lovely Japanese bamboo ikebana basket in the shape of gourd with an open mouth and a body circa 1920s-1940s. The piece was woven in great details and styles with mostly irregular a...

A large woven bamboo basket form ikebana called "Richness" beautiful bamboo by contemporary Japanese bamboo artist Kawano Shoko (born 1957-) circa 2002 and purchased from Tai Modern...

A bamboo table top sculpture by Japanese bamboo artist Honma Hideaki (b. 1959) made in early 2000s. The basket form sculpture was a creative ikebana and could be used as such or simply as a okimono (decorative piece). The piece is of an unusual oval dish form with the wall irregularly outlined with bent bamboo, thousand-line construction form the upper part of the wall and the patterned twining was added in the lower part to give it a visual shift from airiness to solidity. A large piece of bamboo was selected as the base. Signed "Hide" underneath. An American Midwest collection. Honma Hideaki was born in Sado, Niigata prefecture. He studied under Honma Kazuaki...

A Japanese woken bamboo Hanakago, a wall hanging Ikebana basket by Suemura Shobun (1917-2000). The basket is entitled Purple Bamboo Mt. Fuji and was woven with Susudake (smoked bamboo) using irregular plaiting technique to achieve a voluminous form that resembles the iconic Mount Fuji and with the textural appearance of a bird's nest. The base was detailed with mushi-maki knotting and the mouth rim is equipped with a small loop for hanging. The surface has a lustrous lacquer coating that shows off the natural pattern of the bamboo marking. It houses a removable lacquered container made from bamboo culm. The piece is not singed, but it comes with an original fabric stroage pouch, and an original storage box (Tomobako), which is signed with the title on the esterior Mt. Fuji Purple Bamboo” and signed Suemura Shobun on the inside with two red seals. Suemura Shobun was from Kansai region and active in Osaka. He studies under Yamamoto Chikuryosai I. Shobun is known for making unconventional baskets that are modern and sculptural. For reference, see page 94 Master of Bamboo" Rinne. For a recently sold basket...

A handwoven bamboo basket by Japanese bamboo artist Higashi Takesonosai (1915-2003), in the form of a traditional rice container. It was woven with...

A rare hanging ikebana basket by Japanese bamboo artist Suzuki Gengensai (1891-1950) circa 1923-50. This elegant hanakago was made entirly from white bamboo. It consists of a square footed platform with bent bamboo rods on four corners converging onto the top into an open birdcage-like form, which is to be hung from a hooked bamboo rod. The platform features a square plating base and finely woven edges and feet and a single strand of rope fence. A separate ikebana container...

Early 20th Century Italian wicker basket in a saucer shape with a leather-and-brass hinged lid that opens to a storage cavity historically used f...

Titled "Cocoon", this wall hanging bamboo sculpture was made by Honma Hideaki (Japanese, b. 1959) in 2005 and originally purchased from Tai Modern, Sata Fe,...

A Japanese woven bamboo basket with handle from early 20th century, circa end of Meiji to Taisho period. The basket was constructed in the form o...

A vintage Japanese ikebana made from lacquered bamboo basketry circa first half of the 20th century. This piece of bamboo art displays an very light and delicate classic tapered squa...

A miniature bamboo basket woven by Hayakawa Shokosai I (1815-1897) circa 1885, an important example of the work by the artist who is considered as the founding father of Japanese modern bamboo art and the first ever signed his own work thus elevating bamboo weaving from a craft into an art form. The miniature basket was traditionally used during Sencha tea ceremony. It was woven from bamboo (madake) and rattan using...

A large and impressive Japanese basket in the form of a morikago by Maeda Chikubosai I (1872-1950) circa first half of the 20th century. Chikubosai I was from the Kansai Region and active in Sakai, Osaka prefecture. He was instructed by Wada Waichisai I, (1851-1901). 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 bent bamboo frame and twill plaits for the body. The bottom of the basket features a double diamond pattern achieved with a variation of plover plait. The bifurcated handles was bundle-plated with a rather free spirit approach. They show a poetic suggestion of movement, as if the bamboos were still swaying in the wind. The basket has a copper insert that fits perfectly and it is quite possibly the original. The basket is signed on the base "Chikubosai". The style of the signature shows that it was made by Maeda Chikubosai I. For another Morikago basket by Maeda Chikubosai I, see page 79 of "Masters of Bamboo" by Rinne. For the study of the signature of Chikubosai I "Baskets Master Pieces of Japanese Bamboo Art...

This small elegant woven bamboo basket was meant to be a hand-hold bag with its brocade interior (which appears original). It was made by Suzuki Gengensai (1891-1950) circa 1910-20s. Suzuki Gengensai was from Kansai region and active in Osaka. He studied bamboo art under Yamashita Kochikusai (1876-1947) and became an independent artist in 1913. He received his artist name Gengensai in 1914 and in 1923 he changed the characters to Gen, a slight written variation of the character. This basket was signed in the former way, which helps to date the piece to the early part of the artist's career circa 1914-1923. The basket is tightly woven in variation of twill plating that creates contrasting bands on the surface. The base was constructed with short bamboo stripes on the corners and side with ornamental knots. A closely related piece (Object Number: 2006.3.651) with slight different surface twill patterns is in the collection of Asian Art Museum San Francisco. Comparing the two, they show almost identical form as well as the base construction. Both also have brocade interior and most likely were woven during the same period. Another documented example can be found on page 180 in "Baskets Masterpieces of Japanese Bamboo Art...

A pair of Faux fruit arrangements in baskets. 20th century. Dimensions: Height of each basket 14" x Diameter 15". CW4974.