Antique Japanese Bamboo Hanging Ikebana Basket | Hanabako

Dimensions: 20” L

Offered is a lovely Japanese beautiful, natural, large antique hanging flower basket, skillfully made to be hung on a narrow wall between sliding doors in a traditional Japanese home. It was made to enjoy simple arrangements often filled with flowers or fruits, gathered from the garden, or used to be hung or placed on a tabletop so that the arrangement spews out from its opening. Some pieces, although not this piece, have a built-in bamboo container inside to hold water. 

The basket was constructed with a free-hand mat plaiting technique used to create a swelled body and create a delicate free-form shape. The surface of the basket shows a deep patina from smoke from an ‘Irori’, which is a sunken hearth, for which the basket is referred to as ‘sooted’ bamboo giving the basket a deep rich patina. The rim of the basket shows bamboo twisted and tightened to finish the top. The piece exhibits a strong sense of rustic charm, the so-called Mingei (folk art) style. The craftsman is unidentified, but the workmanship is quite sophisticated and done by a master weaver.

Condition: Excellent condition consistent with age and use. Beautiful patina and age-appropriate wear meet all the standards of collectible Folk Art.