This sinuous Japanese shallow form basket or “moribon,” hand carved of curling hardwood burl, has a bold irregular loop handle jogging diagonally across the top. Meiji period, late 19th century. The basket’s swirling edge follows the natural tree shape, creating a wonderfully elegant movement. The inherent natural honey-colored hue of the wood enhances the rich grain in the burl, giving its graphic wavy design a luminous depth and sheen...

This large elegant Japanese flower basket (“hanakago” or “hanaire”) has been very finely plaited and woven with varied thin strips of split bamboo. Dating to the early 20th century (circa 1900-1930), the bottom is marked with a three-character signature of noted artisan “Shokushosai." Suzuki Shokushosai was an active basket maker in Tokyo during the first three decades of the 20th century...

This large elegant vintage Japanese flower basket (“hanakago” or “hanaire”) has been very finely plaited and woven with thin strips of split bamboo. Dating to the early 20th century, the bamboo handle is marked with a three-character signature of noted artisan “Chikuyosai." It was crafted in round tapered form with meticulous and minute weaving...

This simple and elegant Japanese hand hammered copper vase in basket form with a double entwined relief work handle is an unusual representation in Art Deco style of a “hanakago” or bamboo flower basket. Early 20th century. The four sides flow in a softly rounded shape from a square base and culminate in a square lip...

This expressive freestyle Japanese basket for flower arrangements (“hanakago”) is woven from both thin and thick split bamboo strips and likely dates to the early 20th century. An unidentified three-character signature is carved into one of the bamboo strips on the base...

This lovely spherical Japanese basket for flower arrangements (“hanakago”) is finely woven from thin split bamboo strips and dates to the Meiji period, ca. 1890. The warm burnished brown ovoid body is crafted primarily in the rhythmic “tomokumimono” technique, using even-sized widths of bamboo to create a textural refinement that has balance and elegance. Irregular “midare” plaiting produces a powerful and expressionistic character...

This wonderful Japanese shallow form basket or “moribon,” made of curling hardwood burl, has a bold irregular loop handle and was hand carved out of a single tree stump. Meiji period (1869-1912). The two round cutout carvings on the inside of the basket indicate that it might have served as a tabako-bon smoking tray. The basket’s swirling edge follows the natural tree shape, creating a wonderfully elegant movement...

This lovely Japanese split bamboo ikebana basket or “hanakago” was crafted in round form and dates to the early Showa period. Strips of different widths and different shades of brown bamboo are inserted diagonally into the body structure to produce a powerful appeal. The handle is made from twisted bamboo cordage entwined around two strips of bamboo. Since the sixteenth century, woven baskets for flowers have been favorites for use in the tea ceremony...