花瓶 - 銅製（高岡銅器）、象嵌細工 - Japan - アイリスの花 高さ25cm

Item Description
Takaoka Bronze Iris-Inlaid Vase by Master Craftsman Yoshitsugu - Japanese Zogan Flower Vessel

This exceptional Takaoka Copperware (高岡銅器) vase is the work of master craftsman Yoshitsugu (義次), whose signature is engraved on the base and inscribed on the accompanying wooden storage box. The body displays a rich reddish-brown ground shading into softer khaki tones in a marbled patina, creating a depth of color that shifts subtly with the light.

Iris (菖蒲, shobu) blossoms are rendered across the surface using the zogan (象嵌) inlay technique, their petals shimmering from gold to silver depending on the angle of view. Each petal is individually engraved, showcasing the meticulous detail characteristic of the finest Takaoka metalwork. In Japan, the iris carries an auspicious meaning: its name shobu is a homophone of both "martial spirit" (尚武) and "victory" (勝負), making it a traditional symbol of strength, good fortune, and protection from misfortune, and a flower long associated with the Boys' Festival (端午の節句).

The vase's silhouette is spare and refined, with no superfluous ornament, allowing its form and surface decoration to carry the full visual impact. It remains in near-mint condition and is well suited both as a traditional ikebana (華道) vessel and as a striking piece of interior decor.

Takaoka Copperware (高岡銅器) is a traditional craft of Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture, dating to 1611, when the local feudal lord Maeda Toshinaga invited seven foundry masters to the castle town to develop its metalworking industry. Today Takaoka accounts for over 90% of Japan's cast metalware production, and the craft was designated a National Traditional Craft in 1975.

Size
Height: 22.2 cm
Body width: 17.6 cm
Mouth diameter: 7.1 cm

Weight
Body only: 1,400 g
Total (with wooden box): 2,230 g

Include
Dedicated wooden storage box (共箱)

Condition
Overall very good condition, near-mint, with minor surface scratches from long-term storage; no major damage. The wooden box also shows light surface staining and minor scratches from storage.

NOTICE:
The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by Japan Post or DHL depend on the situation.
It takes about 3 weeks to receive normally.
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These charges are the buyer's responsibility.
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