Minneapolis Institute of Art

Bonsai or flower basin made of forty scabbard pieces

Japan

Date

late 19th century

Medium

Wood, lacquer, copper and other metals, abalone, lizard skin, shark skin

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Forty sections of several antique sword scabbards (saya) were set about the circumference of this basin (suiban) made for flower arrangements or bonsai display. A removable copper basin was inserted in a wood base with surrounding belts of tiger-striped, ebony-like hardwood. Between these belts are alternating sections of 19 scabbards made of different material and the handles on each end are the actual knobs (kurigata) to attach a braided cord (sageo) to the scabbard. On some, utility knife (kozuka) openings are clearly visible. Starting from one of the handles, the different scabbard pieces are: plain black lacquer (kuro rōiro-nuri), glossy-brown insect-eaten lacquer (cha-urumi mushikui-nuri), glossy-brown stone surface lacquer (cha-urumi ishimeji-nuri), black burnished shark skin lacquer (kuro samegawa togidashi), unknown type using crushed abalone shell, lacquer in thin parallel lines (ichibu kizami urushi-nuri), brown burnished shark skin lacquer (samegawa togidashi), lacquer with crushed abalone shell and flower pattern (hanamon aogai miji-nuri), rare shark skin on the back (kairagi same), wrapped brocade (nishiki tsutsumi), black insect-eaten lacquer with auspicious clouds (zuiunmon kuro urushi mushikui-nuri), sandalwood imitating lacquer (byakudan-nuri), imported rare lizard skin, lacquer with crushed abalone shell (aogi miin-nuri), strip motif lacquer (shuroke fuemaki-nuri), pronounced insect-eaten) lacquer (mushikui-nuri), and red lacquer with willow pattern (shu-urushi yanagimon nuri). Japan, Asia

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