Hanakago (Ikebana flower basket). Irregular plaiting technique using bamboo and rattan. The artist's signature carved into the bottom appears to be in sousho (grass writing) for Ishikawa Shoun (among the greatest modern Japanese basket makers.) Object 2006.3.48 in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (the Lloyd Cotsen collection bequest - which we last had the pleasure of viewing in 2008) bears the very same signature in gyousho (traveling) form on a basket using the same plaiting technique with broad bands of bamboo (but no rattan.) Another basket in the same collection, object 2006.3.742, does pair the same plaited bamboo (and with some minor splitting) and rattan technique with mei (signature) in kaisho (proper) form identified as Ishikawa Shoun. Comparing the mei between the present example and the two similar baskets in the Lloyd Cotsen collection (easily done from the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco's website) provides reasonable basis for a substantiated attribution of the present basket to Ishikawa Shoun (1895-1973). There is some splitting as seen in our illustrations. Otherwise good condition though could use the care of a collector to clean and to care for the bamboo. Approximate height 12 inches (30.5cm) x width 11.75 inches (29.85cm) x depth 11 7/8" inches (30.16cm)

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