Sensho Koryu Complete Five-Scroll Ikebana Transmission Set with Original Boxes - 1929

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【Product details】

This is a complete five-scroll set of handwritten ikebana transmission scrolls from the Sensho Koryu school, a traditional Japanese flower arrangement lineage. The scrolls are dated September 1929, making them a valuable pre-war record of Japanese floral art and its formal system of instruction.

In traditional Japanese arts, transmission scrolls were not ordinary textbooks. They were private documents granted only to students who had completed specific stages of training within a school. This complete set follows the full progression of instruction, from the introductory level through the highest transmission, and consists of Shoden, Chuden, Okuden, Kaiden First Scroll, and Kaiden Second Scroll.

The scrolls are written by hand in ink on Japanese paper, with elegant cursive calligraphy describing the philosophy, etiquette, and techniques of the school. They also include fine hand-drawn illustrations showing flower arrangement principles, including branch angles, compositional structure, and completed arrangements featuring motifs such as plum. In Japanese culture, plum blossoms are admired as a symbol of resilience and renewal, as they bloom in the cold before spring fully arrives.

Each scroll bears the red seal of the Sensho Koryu school at the end, together with the name of the recipient. The mounting is finished with luxurious brocade fabric featuring gold leaf strip along the side, and the roller ends appear to be made of glass or crystal. Each scroll is housed in its own original wooden box, tied with cord and inscribed on the lid.

The set includes all five levels: Shoden, Chuden, Okuden, Kaiden First Scroll, and Kaiden Second Scroll. As a complete surviving group from 1929, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the structured world of traditional Japanese flower arrangement and the way artistic knowledge was formally passed from teacher to student.

The Japanese paper shows age-related yellowing, stains, wrinkles, and fold marks. Some scrolls have faint pencil-like marks, including small cross marks, in the upper margin. The brocade mounting fabric has slight fraying, and the gold leaf show light rubbing and small tear. The wooden boxes show small scratches, scuffs, and stains overall. One wooden box, for the Kaiden Second Scroll, has a vertical crack on the lid. Please refer to the photos for details.

Dimensions of Chuden: H (including roller ends) approx.20 cm
Overall length (unrolled): 366 cm

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Thank you for your interest, and happy bidding!