Walking stick - Bamboo - A Thousand Faces

Walking cane "A Thousand Faces", bamboo, Meiji era, late 19th century - Japan
Walking cane "A Thousand Faces"
Material: Bamboo
Period: Late 19th century, Meiji era signed Fukei sanjin Hirotoshi tō 布渓山人博稔刀.
Country of origin: Japan
Minor faults that do not interfere with the overall appearance of the piece / Damage to the base
Dimensions: 87.5 x 12 x 2 cm.

Wonderful bamboo cane carved with the Japanese motif of the thousand faces, dated during the Meiji era.
The piece features a spectacular hand-carved relief depicting a cluster of facial expressions arranged vertically. They are created with great detail and expressiveness, showing all kinds of emotions and moods. This decorative motif corresponds to the thousand faces or “hyakumensō,” a resource widely used during the Edo and Meiji periods. The faces are surrounded by a carved rope-like ring that encloses them and ends in a decorative knot. Among all the masterfully carved masks that appear on this cane, we can notice some typical characters from Japanese mythology: Hannya, a female demon consumed by jealousy; Oni, a demon used to ward off bad luck; Tengu, mountain spirit with a large nose to protect the forests and the martial arts; Mempo, a Samurai mask in iron or leather to intimidate the enemy.
The curved grip section also features a simpler carved decoration made up of circles or swirls. At the bottom of the cane there is an inscription in Japanese, ending with a red symbol, called a “hanko,” a seal used in Asia as a signature of authenticity or authorship. The inscription could read, “Carved by Fu Wenwen, the hermit of Mount Buxi” or “Rainbow Path on the Entire Mountain.” The cane shows a small flaw in the bamboo at the tip, not important to the overall piece.
This cane is dated to the second half of the nineteenth century, a period of Japan’s opening to the global market, so many Japanese pieces were marketed internationally. Using everyday elements such as canes, boxes, etc., crafted by magnificent Japanese artisans, they were objects intended for foreign trade.
Shipping will be paid by the buyer according to the dimensions, weight, and destination. We will contact you to arrange and agree on the shipping quote. Shipping costs include professionally tailored packaging; and the shipment with tracking number and warranty. The buyer is responsible for paying import duties and related taxes in the destination country, if any. Please note the seller’s disclaimer regarding possible customs charges, as these are collected in the destination country and the amount payable is determined by the customs of that country.