Gyokusendō
A hammered copper vase beautifully decorated with gilded spiral design.
(Vase en cuivre martelé décoré de motifs de spirales dorés.)
Marked Gyokusensō on the base
Showa era, circa 1960-1970
Height 20.4 cm, Diameter 14.2 cm
Price 860 euros
Gyokusendō workshop was founded in 1816 in Tsubame, Niigata prefecture, by Tamagaw Kakubei. This artist was then one of the few ones who was able to master the tsuiki technique which consist in taking a copper sheet and hammering it into the shape of a container. As the surroundings of Tsubame was rich in copper, the city became soon an important center for tsuiki copperware. The Gyokusendō workshop took the technique to its peak, developing as well numerous colouring processes. The workshop started to export its production overseas during the Vienna World Exhibition in 1873 and Tamagawa Kakuhei, 3rd generation of Gyokusendō, won the silver prize at the Japan British Exhibition in 1910. Today the tsuiki metalworking technique of Gyokusendō is designated as an Intangible Cultural Property and Tamagawa Nonio, the 6th generation, was appointed Leaving National Treasure.
For any enquiries, please do not hesitate to email me.