DOI issue:
No. 215 (February, 1911)
DOI article:Wheatley, Oliver: Japanese ornamental basket work
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20972#0067
Japanese Ornamental Basket IVork
FIG. 7.—WASTE-PAPER BASKET
" Innumerable articles of most intricate work in
woven bamboo strips are found in Japan. Hand-
bags of all sizes and shapes, cigar and cigarette
cases, tobacco pouches and pipe cases, and some
of the tiny baskets used in the doll festivals, all
bear traces of the infinite patience and endless
artistic ingenuity of the people.
" The chief triumph, however, in bamboo
weaving is to be seen in the hana-kago, flower
baskets, and the mori-kago, commonly used for
fruit. There are two kinds of the former: a
very deep one to be hung by a hook on the post
of the toko7ioma in the guest room, and the other
so shaped as to stand upright. These baskets are
used either for the ikebana (to arrange flowers in)
or for the zokwa (to decorate with artificial flowers).
They generally contain a piece of whole bamboo,
with a joint at the bottom so as to hold water,
although zinc and copper tubes are now often used
for the purpose. There is hardly anything which
will give a more effective touch to a Japanese room
in the way of decoration than a quaint bamboo
basket of deep lustrous brown, the shade and
shape harmonizing with the toko-bashi?-a, the
post of honour, on which it hangs with a few
sprays of green leaves and dainty flowers arranged
in the Koryu or other known styles in the art of
arranging flowers which is brought to such a state
of perfection in Japan. Sometimes a flower-basket
is placed in the tokonoma with a few chrysanthe-
mums or iris, according to the season, arranged
in the Ikenobo style, with an enormous bamboo
handle in the shape of a halo around the flowers,
and one cannot help being impressed by the
aptitude of the basket for the function it has been
designed to perform. Some of the mori-kago
deserve special attention in this connection. There
are but few countries besides Japan where the
giving and receiving of presents go on so much
regardless of the season, and where fruits are used
for this purpose to such an extent. These are
times when a present of fruit is brought in a most
artistic basket which is often far more valuable
FIG. 8.—FLOWER BASKET
FIG. 9.—EGG BASKET
45
FIG. 7.—WASTE-PAPER BASKET
" Innumerable articles of most intricate work in
woven bamboo strips are found in Japan. Hand-
bags of all sizes and shapes, cigar and cigarette
cases, tobacco pouches and pipe cases, and some
of the tiny baskets used in the doll festivals, all
bear traces of the infinite patience and endless
artistic ingenuity of the people.
" The chief triumph, however, in bamboo
weaving is to be seen in the hana-kago, flower
baskets, and the mori-kago, commonly used for
fruit. There are two kinds of the former: a
very deep one to be hung by a hook on the post
of the toko7ioma in the guest room, and the other
so shaped as to stand upright. These baskets are
used either for the ikebana (to arrange flowers in)
or for the zokwa (to decorate with artificial flowers).
They generally contain a piece of whole bamboo,
with a joint at the bottom so as to hold water,
although zinc and copper tubes are now often used
for the purpose. There is hardly anything which
will give a more effective touch to a Japanese room
in the way of decoration than a quaint bamboo
basket of deep lustrous brown, the shade and
shape harmonizing with the toko-bashi?-a, the
post of honour, on which it hangs with a few
sprays of green leaves and dainty flowers arranged
in the Koryu or other known styles in the art of
arranging flowers which is brought to such a state
of perfection in Japan. Sometimes a flower-basket
is placed in the tokonoma with a few chrysanthe-
mums or iris, according to the season, arranged
in the Ikenobo style, with an enormous bamboo
handle in the shape of a halo around the flowers,
and one cannot help being impressed by the
aptitude of the basket for the function it has been
designed to perform. Some of the mori-kago
deserve special attention in this connection. There
are but few countries besides Japan where the
giving and receiving of presents go on so much
regardless of the season, and where fruits are used
for this purpose to such an extent. These are
times when a present of fruit is brought in a most
artistic basket which is often far more valuable
FIG. 8.—FLOWER BASKET
FIG. 9.—EGG BASKET
45