Beauty: Craftsmen
This display brings together some of the smaller items in the collection, which demonstrate the skills and techniques of Japanese craftsmen. From skilfully painted porcelain and ceramic, to the inlays seen on the dress accessories and lacquer boxes, each piece demonstrates high levels of craftsmanship.
The unprecedented peace and prosperity of the Edo prompted an increase in artistic, cultural and social development. Japanese craftsmen (shokunin) worked in the flourishing towns and cities, which developed distinctive styles, such as those of Kyoto, Osaka and Edo (modern Tokyo).
The demand for crafted items was particularly high in large cities. Many skilled craftsmen gathered together to form neighbourhoods based on a particular trade. Kyobashi (a district of Edo) was one such community with areas named after the type of craftsmen who lived there, including Tatami-machi (Mat-maker’s village), and Minami Kaji-machi (South blacksmith’s village).
Urban craft guilds’ controlled trade within such towns and offered training. Apprentices could work for ten years under a master craftsman, learning and developing a high level of skill before starting to work on their own.
Despite their skill, craftsmen and artisans had a relatively low social standing – below farmers, but above merchants.
Discover the objects in more detail:
Front left of case
Netsuke (Katabori)
Ivory
Cat sleeping on a gold coin known as a koban.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Porcelain
Two puppies playing and biting each other’s hind feet to form a roughly circular shape. Painted with a pale blue glaze.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1800-1900
Wood
Carved Shishi (Chinese lion) crouching and snarling with head turned left.
Maker: Mitsuhiro
Netsuke (Katabori)
Amber
Tortoise made of polished amber. Its head and legs stick out from inside its shell.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Ivory
Carving of a partly peeled corn cob.
Maker: Anzaku
Netsuke (Katabori)
Wood
Carved figurine of a Shishimai dancer from north east Japan, dressed in a mask and cloak, holding a drum.
Inro
Wood, brass and silk
Rectangular dark wood form with a brass fly attached to the front. Held together with a grey silk cord.
Okimono or Netsuke
Ivory
Carved figure a woman in traditional Japanese dress looking up, smiling and waving with her right hand.
Inro, 1800-1900
Wood, shell, ivory and horn
Rounded rectangular dark wooden form with Image of a cockerel on front and a hen and her chick on reverse. Held together with a brown silk cord.
Maker: Norikutsu (decorator)
Inro
Lacquer and shell
Black lacquer rectangle form with two fish inlaid in pink and yellow shell on front. Two small blue fish and squid on reverse. Held together with a grey silk cord.
Maker: Chohei
Inro
Lacquer and mother of pearl
Gold rectangular form decorated with fourteen inlaid mother of pearl butterflies in an array of colours and sizes. Held together with a brown cord with an ivory netsuke attached, decorated with a variety of inlaid colourful insects. Held together with a brown cord.
Inro, 1700-1800
Lacquer
Gold rectangular form with three draws, depicting fish in black, gold and red swimming through weeds. Held together by a brown cord, topped with a carved green bead. Held together with a brown cord.
Maker: Kakikawa Hisataka
Inro
Lacquer, shell and coral
Rectangular form in black and gold, decorated with scene of a bamboo forest with dragonflies on front and a cicada on reverse. Held together with a black silk cord.
Inro, 1764-1789
Lacquer
Gold rectangular form with three figures (one with the head of a pig) by a willow tree on the front. A pheasant flying over water on the reverse. Held together with a black silk cord.
Maker: Koma Koryu
Inro, 1700-1800
Ceramic
White rectangular form that depicts a colourful kingfisher perching on the side of a boat, surrounded by swirling water and black reeds. Held together with a brown cord.
Netsuke (Manju), 1700-1800
Ceramic
Round, off-white manju (bead) with mitsu-tomoe motifs in red, blue, yellow, green and black under glaze.
Maker: Kenzan
Inro
Wood
Rectangular form with five drawers behind a sliding side panel. Rectangular straw-work pattern over the entire surface. Secured with a blue cord.
Okimono, 1800-1900
Ivory
Carved figurine of a bird trainer sitting on a matt with two doves, one resting on a perch, the other on his hand.
Maker: Keiho or Keifu
Inro
Wood and lacquer
Dark wooden rectangular form decorated with two black hares on front, a dark full moon and golden grass on reverse. Secured with a black silk cord.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Wood
Carved figure of a Kitsune (fox) sitting with mouth open, dressed in priest’s robes.
Inro
Wood and shell
Black wooden rectangular form with inlayed white shell flowers, a wooden bridge and carved patterns.
Back Left of Case
Netsuke (Katabori)
Ivory
Two carved Karako figures in one piece of ivory. The first stands upright playing a flute, the other stands on his hands with his feet on his head beside him.
Maker: Tomochika
Seal
Bronze
Figurine known as ‘Ito-ni’, which looks similar to a small Chinese lion standing on all four legs.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Antler
Carved figure of Kirin of typical form of a goat like animal, sits with head raised, on a low pedestal carved with a key pattern.
Netsuke (Manju)
Wood
Circular piece of wood with eleven masks of Okame, Shojo, Hiottoku, Okina and others carved into it to form a hollow manju.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Wood
Carved figurine of a smiling male dancer in formal Japanese court dress and hat holding a closed fan in both hands.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1700-1800
Ivory
Figurine of a Dutchman in a typical wave patterned coat and large brimmed hat of the 17th century, gripping a cockerel and grimacing.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1700-1800
Ivory
Figurine of a Dutchwoman in typical wave-patterned coat with many buttons and wide brimmed hat of the 17th century style, holding a cockerel.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1800-1900
Ivory
Carving of the Takarabune (New Year Boat with a dragon’s head) with the Shichi-fukujin (Good Luck Gods) on board.
Maker: Fujiwara Masanobu
Netsuke (Katabori)
Ivory
Figurine of Shoki the Demon Queller with sword in one hand, the other holds the leg of the oni climbing over his head.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1800-1900
Wood
Carved wood depicting five toadstools of various sizes, joined at the root.
Maker: Masanao II or III
Netsuke (Katabori)
Wood
Carved figurine of Shoki standing on one leg and shouting as an oni crouches on his hat.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1800-1840
Ivory
Tea ceremony, kettle forming himotoshi; carved with branches of pine needles with two shishi handles.
Maker: Kiyokatsu
Netsuke (Manju)
Wood
Carving in dark wood of Fujurokuju (god of wisdom) as a daruma (good luck doll). He wears a hat that is sparsely decorated with shells in green, orange and white.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Wood
Carved figurine of Bandit chief Kumasaka Chohan hitching up his sleeve and holding a halberd. Painted in gold with clothing decoration of blue and green.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Wood
Carved figurine of a female Sambaso dancer with Okame-like face, dancing and holding ogi (fan) and rattle.
Netsuke (Katabori)
Ivory
Carved fish leaping out of stylised swirling waves.
Netsuke (Kagamibuta), 1800-1900
Ivory
Circular shibuichi plate engraved with bokudo picking flowers while his ox stands beside him. Framed with ivory.
Maker: Shuraku
Netsuke (Kagamibuta), Post 1850
Ivory, gold, shakudo inlay
Circular shibuichi plate decorated with the figure of Fujorokuju (God of Longevity) holding staff, uchiwa (fan) and tama (jewel/sphere). Framed with ivory.
Netsuke (Kagamibuta)
Ivory, gold, silver
Circular shibuichi plate depicting Raiko overcoming the one-eyed monster Ichimoku. Framed with ivory.
Maker: Somin
Netsuke (Kagamibuta), 1800-1900
Ivory, gold, silver, copper
Circular shibuichi plate, depicting a shojo dancer in a mask and long red wig.
Maker: Shigyoku
Netsuke (Kagamibuta), 1800-1900
Ivory, gold, silver, shakudo
Circular silver plate depcicting Daikoku behind screen watching Benten and Ebisu flirting. Framed with ivory.
Maker: Hidetsugu
Netsuke (Manju), 1800-1900
Ivory
Hollow rectangular box with a laughing okame engraved on the front pointing to a long nosed tengu mask on reverse.
Maker: Minkoku
Netsuke (Manju), 1800-1900
Ivory, gold, coral
Circular two-part manju. Engraved with a half figure of a courtesan reading a scroll on the front and a fish in a tub and box marked ‘Hisajo’ on reverse.
Maker: Shunkotan
Netsuke (Manju)
Shell inlay, gold
Hollow, circular manju with shells and seaweed in gold and brown hiramakie and takamakie in roiro ground.
Maker: Possibly Chohei Lacquerer
Netsuke (Manju)
Ivory
Hollow oval manju carved & pierced with fish, squid and other sea creatures interlinked.
Water Bottle, 1800
Ceramic
Circular Bizen Ware figure of a kami, possibly Fujorokuju sat with his forearms crossed and a smiling face looking up.
Make/Maker: Imbe
Incense Box, 1800
Wood
Carved two-piece incense box in the form of Hotei (Buddha) holding a fan.
Inro, 1770-1830
Lacquer
Rounded, rectangular form decorated with portraits of the Seven Sages on the front and a bamboo grove on the reverse. Held together with black silk cord.
Maker: Lacquerer Kanshosai
Inro
Lacquer
Gold rectangular form made up of five parts, decorated with motifs of flowers and extracts from the Tale of Genji. Secured with a maroon silk chord.
Inro
Lacquer
Gold rectangular form made up of five parts, decorated with traditional New Year’s manzi dancers. Held together with brown silk cord.
Inro
Wood, ceramic, lacquer
Dark wood rectangular form with Okame on front throwing beans at two oni on the reverse. During the New year this symbolises chasing away bad luck. Held together with blue silk cord.
Maker: Kenzan
Inro
Lacquer
Gold rectangular form decorated with a man playing a flute in palace grounds on the front. A samurai and kneeling man on the reverse. Held together with brown silk cord. 10 sided dark brown bead on end of cord at the top.
Netsuke (Katabori), 1800-1900
Wood
Carved rat with inlaid eyes crouching and holding tail in front paws.
Maker: Possibly Masanao
Incense Box, 1890
Ceramic
Kyoto Ware incense box in the form of a shishi (Chinese Lion). Painted with mauve glaze on the outside, white on inside.
Netsuke (Kagamibuta)
Wood, gold, silver, shakudo
Circular manju with shibuichi plate decorated with the head of Watanabe no Tsuna (a famed samurai) carrying a demon on his back. Framed with wood.
Netsuke (Manju), 1800-1900
Ivory
Circular, cream form decorated with shell inlay in the form of peonies and butterflies.
Maker: Kuroishi
Inro
Lacquer, silver/ gold leaf, shell
Black rectangular form, six-part inro decorated in gold with a ho-o (prowed ship) at sea and sailors.
Maker: Decorator Kajikawa (family of lacquerers)
Inro
Lacquer, gold
Black rectangular form decorated with scenes of a house and gardens beside the sea in gold fan shapes and gold geometric designs in between.
Inro, 1800-1900
Lacquer, inlays, gold
Gold rectangular form, three-part inro depicting five men on the seashore with a basket of fish.
Maker: Decorator Shokasai
Inro
Wood, metal frame
Two square cases in a red hued wood shaped like a tobacco pouch – one case in lid, other slides out of back. Decorated with scene of pine trees in gold.
Netsuke (katabori)
Wood, lacquer, silver, copper
Carving of fungus inlaid with a spider, a butterfly and two flies.
Tea Powder Pot, 1840
Ceramic
Pot depicting a Buddha type figure crouched down and smiling with his hands on his belly.
Incense Box, 1830
Ceramic
Small box in the shape of a woman wearing an Otafuku (good fortune) mask. Her robe is decorated with enamel colours of blue, red and green.
Make/Maker: Akahada Ware (Yamata, Japan)
Front Centre of Case
Figure of a Man on a Carp, Okimono, 1760-1840
Bronze or wood
Stylised and very detailed man riding on a carp, possibly Shinjei.
Vase
Bronze
Decorated with foliage and flowers in relief, worked in various metals. Lid lined with silver and external decoration of gold inlay.
Okimono
Bronze
Large turtle ornament.
Okimono, 1908
Bronze
Large solid snail with small snail crawling on its shell.
Incense Burner
Bronze
Figure depicting Ho-Shang, one of the legendary Toaist immortals of Chinese mythology.
Unknown object
Large gourd form with a gold stamp on – possibly a maker’s mark.
Back Centre of Case
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Deep cup decorated with pine saplings and three Manchurian (red-crowned) cranes in gold, black and rogin hiramakie and takamakie. Fundame ground with red exterior.
Maker: Kajikawa Family
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Decorated with scene of a forest and mountain in gold, rogin hiramakie and takamakie on a red base.
Box
Lacquer
Square with rounded corners, deep overlapping lid, ring at each side for attachment of cord. Depicts a daimyo directing construction of the Imperial Palace at Kyoto in gold hiramakie and takamakie
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Fairly deep cup in light red ground. Decorated with a fish in silver leaf, rogin and black takamakie lying on gold hiramakie bamboo leaves.
Maker: Kajikawa Bunryusai
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Fairly deep cup in light red ground. Decorated with a sparrow in high relief gold and rogin takamakie with inlaid glass eyes.
Make/Maker: Kajikawa Family
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Shallow cup in red ground. Decorated with black and gold carp swimming through golden weeds. Hiramakie and takamakie, eye inlaid in glass.
Maker: Toshisai
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Fairly deep cup in fundame ground. Decorated with a grasshopper and vine in shades of gold and rogin hiramakie and takamakie. Red exterior.
Maker: Torinsai
Unknown object
Wood, lacquer
Small raised square tray with ornate legs in black with gold decoration of Japanese landscape.
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Shallow cup in red ground. Decorated with a black and gold carp swimming through golden weeds. Hiramakie and takamakie, eye inlaid in glass.
Maker: Toshisai
Sake Cup
Lacquer
Shallow cup in red ground. Decorated with black and gold carp swimming through golden weeds. Hiramakie and takamakie, eye inlaid in glass.
Maker: Toshisai
Box, 1800-1900
Lacquer
Shaped like a Manchurian (red-crowned) crane. Gold and coloured lacquer.
Incense Burner (Koro), about 1700-1740
Lacquer, gold and shibuchi with silver grill
Squat, six-lobed shape with pierced silver cover. Decorated with aoi mon and chrysanthemums on nashiji ground with squares of fundame, kimpun and rogin lacquer. Domed cover pierced with brocade pattern and plum blossom. Six lobed silver cup inside to hold incense.
Box
Lacquer
Four lobed shaped box with gold geometric design all over and the occasional chrysanthemum flower also in gold.
Echigo Lacquer Box
Lacquer
Rectangular black box with slanted corners with roiro ground base. Decorated with a piebald rat perching on a vegetable in hiramakie and takamakie. Nashiji interior.
Bon Bon Box
Lacquer
Egg-shaped gold box in kinji ground. Decorated with scattered aoi mon in shades of gold takamakie. Nashiji interior.
Box
Lacquer
Square black lacquer box decorated with gold floral circles and gold spots.
Box
Lacquer
Black rectangular box decorated with Dragonflies in gold. Given to Marsham by Saigo san, Mayor of Kyoto.
Box
Lacquer
Small, flat, square box. Nashiji with red, gold and rogin cushions on gold table. Fruit on top of cushions with two rats climbing up. Takamakie with rats inlaid in bronze. Nashiji interior, pewter rims.
Box
Lacquer
Five-lobed shape with rounded lid and base. Nashiji ground covered with chrysanthemums and leaves in rogin and shades of gold hiramakie. Fundame interior.
Maker: Soshu or Munehide
Box
Lacquer
Two-tiered lidded box, three lobed shape with convex sides. On lid, geese beside stream in gold and red hiramakie and takamakie on kumpun ground. On sides, chrysanthemums in gold takamakie and gold leaf on brocade-patterned ground. Nashiji interior
Box
Lacquer
Small, rectangular box with a beige, pink and green brocade case. Fundame ground with flowering grasses and insects in shades of gold takamakie. Moon in rogin togidashi. Nashiji interior with bamboo and snowflakdes inside lid. Chidori inside box with three divisions.
Unknown object
Lacquer
Vase shaped object in red lacquer with gold and black flower design at base. Black inside with remnants of bristles coming out. Almost like a shaving brush.
Front Right of Case
Bowl
Porcelain
Blue and white floral pattern on the outside with red and gold stripe design inside.
Cups and Two Dishes
Ceramic
Porcelain with blue-white glaze cup (one of two). Decorated in underglaze blue with ring of pine branches radiating from centre; around it, two aoimon, one kikumon and five flying cranes. Sparse design of foliage on underside.
Make/Maker: Hirado Ware (Hizen, Japan) (Mikawachi Ware?)
Cups and Two Dishes
Ceramic
Porcelain with blue-white glaze. Decorated in underglaze blue with ring of pine branches radiating from centre; around it, two aoimon, one kikumon and five flying cranes. Sparse design of foliage on underside.
Make/Maker: Hirado Ware (Hizen Japan)
Incense Box, 1850
Ceramic
Round porcelain box with flattened lid. White glaze covered with dull red enamel and decorated with golden cranes flying among clouds. The inside of the lid is decorated in underglaze blue with five motifs in circles – a ship, bird, horseman, go players and a fisherman
Maker: Seifu II (Kyoto, Japan)
Sake Cup, 1810
Ceramic
Small porcelain cup with serrated rim. White glaze, covered on outside by red enamel with design of flying cranes, clouds and takaramond in gold. Gold border inside.
Make/Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Five Cups
Ceramic
Cream colour cups decorated with dragons painted in red.
Incense Box, 1810
Ceramic
Tall rectangular box, upper half forming lid. Porcelain with bluish-white glaze, decorated in underglaze blue. Two adjacent sides have pattern of interlocking lines, other two have interlocking rings. On top, two flowers within border line.
Make/Maker: (Kyoto, Japan), Yeiraku
Sake Cup, 1830
Ceramic
Small porcelain cup with white glaze, decorated in underglaze blue. On inside, a landscape in circle. On outside, a pattern of pine, plum and bamboo.
Make/Maker: Dohachi (Kyoto, Japan)
Incense Box, about 1640
Ceramic
Box in shape of a goose with their neck, looking straight ahead. Decorated in pale grey crackled glaze with details in underglaze black.
Make/Maker: Kyoto, Japan
Five Bowls or Cups
Ceramic
Five porcelain cups in blue and white, identical with underglaze blue cockerel decoration.
Incense Box, 1820
Ceramic
Box in form of goose. Off-white crackled glaze with details in underglaze brown and gold. Has connections with the Hizen Daimyo.
Make/Maker: Hizen Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Incense Box, 1650-1700
Ceramic
Box in form of Kingfisher with a long beak pointing upward. Painted in cream crackled glaze, patched with green on head and back. Beak, eyes and feathers underglaze brown.
Make/Maker: Oribe Ware (Owari Province)
Tea Pot, 1850
Ceramic
Rounded teapot with short, curved spout and flaring tubular handle. The lower half is painted in beige crackle glaze, the upper half with enamelled green. Decorated with golden fish, birds and clouds.
Make/Maker: Kentei (Kyoto, Japan)
Incense Holder
Porcelain
Two-piece blue and white incense box in the form of a shishi.
Incense Box, 1800
Porcelain
Incense box in form of a small bird. Painted in a blue-white glaze.
Make/Maker: Amidayama (Amidayama, Higo, Japan)
Vegetable Cup, 1860
Porcelain
Painted in a bluish white glaze and decorated with a blue dragon on a red and gilt cloud background.
Sake Bottle, 1700-1799 (1820?)
Porcelain
Kettle-shaped sake vessel with cane handle arched over top and spout with lacquered extension. Painted with a blue-white glaze and decorated in underglaze blue. Depicts scene of a Daimyo‘s entourage, including a horse and Daimyo in Norimondo. Flat lid with raised cherry blossom at centre.
Make/Maker: Mikawachi Ware (Hizen Province)
Incense Box
Ceramic
Two-piece incense box in the form of a bird. Painted in cream crackle glaze with details in brown and dark blue-grey.
Make/Maker: Ninsei Ware( Kyoto, Japan) – possible imitation
Bon Bon Pot, 1855
Porcelain
Slightly square oval jar with a small mouth. Decorated with three panels in undergalze blue, containing scenes of lakes and waterfalls. These are bordered by motifs of pine, plum blossom and bamboo and the kanji characters – Fu (riches), Ki (honour) and Ju (long life). Leaf-covered stopper.
Incense Box, 1825
Ceramic
Two-piece incense box in the form of a bird, painted with a dark blue glaze.
Make/Maker: Imari Ware (Hizen Province)
Sake Cup
Porcelain
Tiny handle-less cup painted in bluish-white glaze. Decorated with kikkyo flowers in underglaze blue.
Make/Maker: Dohachi (Kyoto, Japan)
Incense Box, 1850
Porcelain
Box in form of two birds, sitting side by side facing in opposite directions. One bird has purple back with black spots, blue wings and green tail. Other has black-spotted green back, purple wings and blue tail. Faces in yellow, red, gold and black.
Make/Maker: Kutani Ware (Kaga Province)
Sake Cup, 1900
Porcelain
Rounded cup with stem and small foot, painted in white glaze. The surface has been pierced with two butterflies – the openings filled with glaze to form translucent motifs. Decorated with waves in underglaze blue on outside.
Make/Maker: Higuchi (Hizen Province)
Sake Bottle, 1780
Ceramic
Rounded bottle with tall thin neck. Painted in white glaze and decorated with flowers in quatrifoil panels on patterned ground. Patterned band around shoulder. More flowers on patterned ground on neck. Red, green and yellow enamel and underglaze blue.
Make/Maker: Imiyama Ware (Owari Province)
Teapot with Two Lids, 1865
Porcelain
Small cup-shaped teapot. The lower half is glazed in white with underglaze blue ho-o birds and clouds. The upper half is enamelled red with gold fish, waves and flowers. Red and gold outer lid with white pierced inner lid.
Make/Maker: Eiraku Ware (Kyoto, Japan)
Sake Cup, 1830
Porcelain
Small handleless cup painted in white glaze. The outside is decorated with a floral pattern in underglaze blue, the inside with a floral medallion at its centre. The remainder of the inside is enamelled in red with gold flowers, birds and butterflies.
Make/Maker: Eiraky XI (Kyoto, Japan)
Back Right of Case
Jar, 1870-90
Ceramic
Meiji period jar decorated with chrysanthemums and Greek ‘key’ borders.
Make/Maker: Tanzan Yoshitaro, Awata Ware (Yamashiro, Japan)
Tea Bowl
Ceramic
Rounded chawan in cream pottery with light cream crackled glaze. Decorated with onna daruma doll in red, blue, black and white enamel.
Make/Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Tea Ceremony Cup
Ceramic
Rounded chawan in cream coloured crackle glaze. Decorated with two storks in enamels and gilt.
Make/Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Tea Bowl, 1850
Ceramic
Deep chawan in light brown pottery with white crackled glaze. Decorated with large crayfish in red and black enamel and gold. Deep foot with inverted v-shaped opening.
Make/Maker: Mimpei Ware (Awaji Province)
Sake Cup
Ceramic
Painted in crackled glaze and decorated with a picture of an oni in green-brown glaze.
Make/Maker: Iwakurasan (Awata, Japan)
Tea Ceremony Cup
Ceramic
Fairly shallow cup, curving in near top then out again at rim. Light brown pottery with light grey crackled glaze. Decorated with brocade pattern in red, white and green enamel and gold.
Charcoal Pot
Ceramic
Cylindrical shaped pot on three curved legs. Two sunken medallions painted with cream crackle glaze and decorated with flowers and birds. Bordered by turquoise glaze.
Two Bowls, 1825
Ceramic
Cream glazed bowls decorated with figures on the inside in traditional Japanese dress in red, blue, gold and black.
Make/Maker: Bizen Ware (Kyoto, Japan)