ICHIYOSAI SOKO: A RARE IVORY OKIMONO DEPICTING A KISERU (PIPE) MAKER WITH HIS SON

ICHIYOSAI SOKO: A RARE IVORY OKIMONO DEPICTING A KISERU (PIPE) MAKER WITH HIS SON
By Ichiyosai Soko (Munehiro), signed Ichiyosai Soko
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)
Finely carved, the tall craftsman standing next to his workbench carving a narrow pipe with an awl, his mouth open in a joyous expression as he watches his son play. Dressed in an elaborate robe decorated with brocade patterns, his sagemono secured in his obi, the young boy wearing a kinchaku (purse) secured at his waist. The child holds a small string attached to a toy fish pulled on four wheels. The carver's bench with one large removable drawer below a shelf filled with bamboo shafts and a pair of drawers, all beneath the worktable filled with tools; several finished kiseru are mounted on the side of the table while two straps are attached to the other side to transport the small workbench. Signed to the base of the workbench on a red lacquer tablet ICHIYOSAI SOKO.
HEIGHT 13.9 cm
Condition: Good condition with minor wear, expected age cracks, natural flaws, and the string attached to the child's toy lost.
Provenance:
From a private collection in Belgium, published in the commissioned private catalogue 'The Nibajama collection' no. 135.
Trade Certificate:
The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number 2023/BE00224/CE).
This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.