A MAGNIFICENT GOLD LACQUER KODANSU (INCENSE CABINET), ATTRIBUTED TO HARUI KOMIN

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A MAGNIFICENT GOLD LACQUER KODANSU (INCENSE CABINET), ATTRIBUTED TO HARUI KOMIN Attributed to Harui Komin (b. 1869), unsigned Japan, early 20th century, Meiji period (1868-1912) to Taisho period (1912-1926) Rectangular in form with recessed edges, bearing a luminous kinji ground, intricately decorated in gold takamaki-e and hiramaki-e, and enriched with gold inlay and kirigane flakes, to depict a continuous landscape welcoming spring, where cherry trees in full bloom stand beside a cascading waterfall that flows into a river meandering through a rocky terrain dotted with small thatched-roof dwellings. The side door, fitted with silver hinges, conceals three small drawers, each fitted with a loop handle mounted on a chrysanthemum-shaped base and exquisitely decorated on the exterior in gold togidashi maki-e with scrolling tendrils and foliage. The interiors of the drawers finished in gold-sprinkled e-nashiji with gold fundame rims. The upper drawer holds a small tray, while the two lower drawers contain a set of square incense boxes, finely decorated in gold takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, and e-nashiji, depicting scenes of birds, including cranes, sparrows, and quails, among flowering plants. Their interiors similarly finished in nashiji with gold fundame rims. SIZE 11.8 x 10.7 x 17.1 cm With an associated wood storage box (tomobako). Harui Komin (Osaka, b. 1869) was a distinguished lacquer artist whose work exemplifies the highest level of refinement within late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Japanese lacquer. He trained under Nakagawa Gyokushu, acquiring a rigorous technical foundation, and later moved to Kyoto at the invitation of the prominent dealer Ikeda Seisuke. Following the closure of Ikeda’s business and declining health, Komin settled in Suma, Hyogo Prefecture, where he continued his artistic practice. Relatively little is known about Komin, partly due to his practice of leaving many works unsigned after reaching artistic maturity, a habit that has contributed to the rarity and mystique of his oeuvre. His authorship of a spectacular lacquer cabinet presented by Emperor Hirohito to the Prince of Wales in 1921 - now in the Khalili Collection (see literature comparison) - was only confirmed through the discovery of a letter preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In it, Baron Sumitomo praised Komin as “one of the few living masters whose name will be handed down to unborn ages,” ranking him among the greatest lacquer artists of his time. Literature comparison: Compare a related gold lacquer cabinet, by Harui Komin, unsigned, presented as a gift by Emperor Hirohito to the Prince of Wales in 1921, 110 cm high, illustrated in Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan - The Nasser D. Khalili Collection, The Kibo Foundation, 1995, Lacquerware Part II, no. 231 and illustrated on the cover. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related gold lacquer kodansu (incense cabinet) decorated with pagodas and temple structures within verdant landscapes, Meiji period, signed Harui Komin, 18.7 cm long, at Auktionshaus Zofingen, Frühlingsauktion, Zofingen, 4 June 2025, lot 121 (sold for CHF 73,800 or approx. EUR 80,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

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