Lot description

An inlaid silver okimono in the form of Daikoku seated atop a treasure sack

By Arakawa Ichiju, Tokyo, Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century
Worked around the body in low-relief of silver, shakudo and gold with ho-o (phoenixes) flying among wisps of cloud, fragmented hanabishi (flowery-diamond), hosho (rhombus), a tasselled fan and the full repertoire of the takaramono (treasures), comprising the kakuregusa (hat of invisibility), the kakuremino (raincoat of invisibility), supported on three feet in the form of rice bales each applied in high relief with a different set of auspicious objects resting against it, respectively, a pair of crossed scrolls, a tama (wish-granting jewel) a tsuchi (Daikoku’s magic mallet) and two fundo (weights), signed on the fan in gold Arakawa Ichiju/Kazutoshi, the shoulder with two straight bracket handls in the form of keys to the ‘Storehouse of the Gods’, the interior with a removable silver cylindrical liner, the en-suite rounded square cover made in three compressed layers of shakudo, silver and shibuichi, each inlaid in flat relief of gold, shakudo and silver with assorted geometric motifs and crests, surmounted with a finial in the form of Daikoku seated and holding a gold jewel. 28.1cm (11in) high. (2).

Footnotes

The overall quality and dating of the piece is consistent with the work of Arakawa Ichiju/Kazutoshi 荒川一壽 otherwise recorded as Mikane Ichiju/Kazutoshi 三瓶一壽 (1864-1908) who was a student of Unno Shomin (1844-1915) in 1878, see Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Nihon Art Publishers, 2001, vol.1, P356, no.H01701.0.

Quoted from the lot page, © Bonhams. Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 2017-11-09, lot 394 ↗