Namikawa Sōsuke (1847-1910)
A pair of large cloisonne enamel vases each finely worked with numerous stems of lily, hydrangea, iris, peony, leaves and a large seed pod, all on a pale blue ground, the shoulder and foot with formal borders.
Unsigned
Height: 53 cm
Meiji period, circa 1890
In perfect condition
See footnote below
For the Shippo Kaisha
Back to Cloisonné Enamels
The design of these vases is repeated on two further pairs by Namikawa Sosuke. Each of these have no formal borders around the neck and foot, indicating having probably been made at a slightly later date to our pair. Sold in the Sotheby’s Easton Neston auction, 18th May 2005, lot 697.
The second pair is in the Seikado Bunko Art Museum, Tokyo, illustrated Watanabe Seitei, The Splendour of Flower and Bird Paintings, Yuji Yamashita and Ryo Furuta, Heibonsha Co. Ltd. 2022, p.78.
The seed pod design seen on these vases is remarkably similar to that on a further vase and painting in our collection, as seen below. The design is taken directly from Watanabe Seitei’s three volume book of designs, Seitei Kacho Gafu, illustrated below. This would suggest that he started signing his work shortly after this date.
A painting by Watanabe Seitei, ink and colour on silk, of a mouse with lotus seed pod. Meiji period, circa 1900
A woodblock print by Watanabe Seitei, of a mouse with a lotus seed pod, Seitei Kacho Gafu, 1890-91
