Japanese Meiji Export cabinet carved Phoenix Koi shishi

Antiques : Furniture

 

This great piece of furniture purchased either directly at the pre-turn of the century Chicago show of export examples or from a dealer who purchased at the show is from the estate of George Paterson, Utilities Entrepreneur from Brandon Manitoba. It is part of the original furnishing of the historical property now known as Moreland Manor. It comes complete with scanned photographs of the piece prior to 1900 pictured in the music room of the amazing mansion which still exists today on Louise Ave in Brandon and a historical site for that city although privately owned. Scanned copies of the newspaper articles about the life and history of the original owner who was one of Manitoba's first millionaires and famous for his home and furnishings from around the world. George Paterson came West in 1880 and amassed a fortune and had great success in Manitoba in Electricity and lumber. He was an innovative furturistic entrepreneur and a pioneer of the settlement of the west. A very private man with dedicated to his family, his wife and four daughters of which there is very little publicly documented information of his personal life.

This is part of an estate being dispersed along with some other amazing Oriental furniture and items. Check out my other items to view the other pieces. Well cared for. One drawer face is slightly glossier and handle may have been repaired on the handle. Does not detract from the overall piece. Graduated shelves. Three front drawers. Measures 50 inches across the front, 20 inches deep. Slatted vertical back. Measures 74 inches high. Very, very, ornate. Created during a brief period of Japan furniture history called Meiji Period 1868-1912 and very desirable to collectors. and difficult to find.

I can arrange shipping and proper packing on this piece for US or Canada. Shipping price will vary by destination and broker customs clearance is necessary for US entry. Please email me for details. Actual shipping will be determined after the sale closes. Very ornately carved with birds, flower, shi shi lions, phoenix, koi fish, bamboo, etc.

Crest has a large Phoenix - In Japan, as earlier in China, the mythical Phoenix was adopted as a symbol of the imperial household, particularly the empress. This mythical bird represents fire, the sun, justice, obedience, and fidelity.

Two Koi fish either side top crest - Koi fish were developed from common carp in Japan in the 1820s, and are still very popular there as they are a symbol of love and friendship

Irises throughout - In Japan, irises are symbols of heroism

Bamboo embossed back board - whenever there is a storm, trees are broken, destroyed, no matter how big they are, they cannot resist the force of the wind. Even the strongest trees are like a toy for strong winds. The bamboo isn't. Bamboo bends, it flexes, nearly touches the floor, but never breaks. It resists the storms, the strongest winds. Yet, it keeps its delicate structure. Like the bamboo is a good man's character. A man can undergo hard, difficult, tough times, for which he must adapt, but must never break, never lose his sense of self. A man must keep his essence now matter how bad the world is treating him.

Shi shi (dogs) on the legs and front - Shi shi (or Jishi) is translated as "lion" but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits.

Claw feet.with five claws. - the number 5 is very significant representing the five elements.

Many more carving details to this piece with cultural significance.

Wood carving has enjoyed a long tradition in Japanese history. Carved furniture itself was never produced in Japan until the Meiji era, as the Japanese traditional interiors designed to a module system accommodated only rectilinear furniture made in standard sizes, represented by kazari-dana and tansu Therefore, carved furniture emerged only as a consequence of Westernization. The carvers and craftsmen who were engaged in Buddhist sculpture moved into a new business. Carved furniture started to be produced more commonly in the 1880s with the construction of a number of diverse Western buildings in Japan. These were either governmental buildings or private mansions, and the furniture produced for them was in turn luxurious and highly elaborate. Such pieces, which were initially produced for domestic use, soon found their way to the export market and world exhibitions.

The furniture produced after the 1890s, called Yokohama Furniture or Hamamono. This overdecorated carved furniture was predominantly made for export. Hamamono carved furniture, words such a sculptural, flashy, grotesque and unique spring to mind. The majority of Meiji export crafts reveal features similar to those of the Western Baroque fashion. Hamamono, however, appears absolutely the foremost amongst them: in other words, synonymous with Meiji Baroque. It was first produced in Yokohama either by Haruo Numashima or Houjiro Shinohara around 1890. Similar to the situation with lacquer, Yokohama held a good number of skilled carvers who mainly moved from Kamakura, a nearby town clustered with temples. This new fashion attained a huge popularity in Europe and the USA, in the 1900s and many other producers followed, notably those in Osaka, Tokyo, and Nikko.This fad, however, died out soon after the end of the Meiji era. In this sense, Hamamono carved wood furniture sometimes called sculptural furniture is unique to Meiji exports. Few Hamamono pieces were signed. Every kind of furniture was produced with a variety of motifs: ho-o birds, flowers (typically iris, cherry, and chrysanthemum), turtles and fish. By the early twentieth century, numerous pieces of furniture in these styles had been exported to the West. An American magazine, Suburban Life (February 1912), asserted that The beauty of oriental hand-carved teakwood and Japwood furniture is well recognized.

Item ID: 369