Looking For Jizai Okimono

[barnejp]

Hello Everyone,

 

Looking for an authentic Jizai Okimono.

 

Mid-Late Edo period.

 

Thank you,

Greg

[Japan auctions]

Very few Edo jizai available here in Japan, but occasionally...

This one claims to be Edo, made by Myouchin....

https://page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/v574048860

[Guest Rayhan]

http://www.aoijapan.com/freely-ornament-spiny-lobster-hiroyoshi/

[Frank B]

For Jizai okimono, there are really two leagues in terms of quality. The later period ones that arent as intricate or well made can be had for a few hundred dollars. On the other spectrum, there are top notch Myochin/other makers Jizai okimono that are incredibly well made and complex. The price gap is huge between them, smallish lobsters would start around a few thousand or so. While complex ones are usually over 100k. 

 

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/17858/lot/311/

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22814/lot/444/

[barnejp]

Thank you Frank. So, which is more desirable a Myochin Kisoki or Takase Kōzan, generally speaking?

[Frank B]

Its more of a case by case basis. Id say the quality of the work outweighs signature, a theme prevalent in most art.

[Shogun8]

To add to what Frank has written, there is also a huge price difference - driven foremost by quality of course - between pieces made in various metals (copper, bronze, silver, etc.) versus pieces in russet iron. Edo period pieces were made in iron, are incredibly rare and extremely expensive (like the dragon in the link provided above). It's only the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods that saw pieces in other metals being made by Muneyoshi and the the workshop of Takase Kozan.

 

Greg - I've never heard of Myochin Kisoki - do you have pictures of the piece you're considering? Pieces by Takase Kozan are high quality, desireable and very expensive.

[Frank B]

Agree on all accounts

[Shogun8]

A dragon just sold on Yahoo last week - russet iron, large, damaged (the head was detached and one of the horns broken if I remember correctly) and decent but not great quality. Winning bid was JPY 4,500,000.

[barnejp]

Sorry John. Have no idea why I put Myochin Kisoki, I meant  Myochin Kisozai.

[Shogun8]

Sorry John. Have no idea why I put Myochin Kisoki, I meant  Myochin Kisozai.

Hi Greg,

 

I have never heard of Myochin Kisozai either and I don't see his name listed in the Shin Katchushi Meikan or in any of my reference books on the subject. The closest I see/know of is Myochin Kiyoharu. Can you provide any more information on where you encountered this name?

[barnejp]

Hi John,

 

https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/9QKSX9qsa8CjJQ

 

Click on Jizai Okimono..to start.

 

"A dragon with moveable parts in the Tokyo National Museum collection has an incised inscription below its chin reading, “A day of good fortune in the 6th month of Shōtoku 3 (1713) a Mizunotomi year, Made by Myōchin Kisōzai, age 31, living in Kanda District of Edo, Musashino Province"

[Shogun8]

Hi Greg,

 

Thanks for that. The famous dragon from 1713 in the TNM (which seems to be what is being referred to in the link and quote you provided) is signed Myochin Muneaki according to every reference I have. This is the first that I have seen the name Kisōzai...I wonder if this is one of those cases where there's more than one reading of a name (kind of like Unkai Mitsunao vs. Unkai Mitsuhisa)?

 

BTW - this dragon is by far the greatest example of jizai okimono extant. I read a reference where the curator of the TNM valued it at over $1M - and this was several years ago.