Suzannah Yip
Department Director
Lot 217
A wood two-case inro
By Kanshosai Toyo, 19th century
6 November 2013, 10:30 GMT
London, New Bond StreetSold for £1,875 inc. premium
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A wood two-case inro
By Kanshosai Toyo, 19th century
Lacquered with two woodsmen crossing a deep ravine by a rope bridge above jagged rocks, in gold takamakie, the interior of matt black lacquer, signed Aidani-hashi no fujitsuru ni oite shuzai shite (I took as my subject the wisteria creeper on Aidani Bridge), Gyo(nen) rokujusan Toyo (Toyo, 63 years old) with kao; with a cast metal ojime in the form of a covered jar, signed [...]cha. 8.2cm (3¼in).
Lacquered with two woodsmen crossing a deep ravine by a rope bridge above jagged rocks, in gold takamakie, the interior of matt black lacquer, signed Aidani-hashi no fujitsuru ni oite shuzai shite (I took as my subject the wisteria creeper on Aidani Bridge), Gyo(nen) rokujusan Toyo (Toyo, 63 years old) with kao; with a cast metal ojime in the form of a covered jar, signed [...]cha. 8.2cm (3¼in).
Footnotes
渓谷の樵図蒔絵印籠 銘「取材於柤谷橋之藤蔓」「行（年）六十三桃葉（花押）」 19世紀
Provenance: W. W. Winkworth collection, purchased at Christie's, London, 1978.
Wrangham collection, no.1407.
Published: E. A. Wrangham, The Index of Inro Artists, 1995, p.312, Toyo(sai), Iizuka, right column, bottom row, second from left.
The design appears to be loosely based on Hokusai's view of the Suspension Bridge on the borders of Hida and Etchu from his 1834 series Shokoku meikyo kiran (Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces).