Flower arranging basket in a cylindrical form with a flaring rim and loop-style handle. Woven of finely split and stained bamboo, with smoked and split bamboo overlays and split and stained rattan. Signed on the lower side the handle one handle stay as it overlays the body above the foot with an incised signature by the artist: Rokansai Saku or Made by Rokansai (Iizuka Rokansai, the go or art name of Iizuka Yanosuke, 1890 – 1958). Showa era, circa 1927 – 1934.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Hana Kago or Flower Basket; and on the reverse of the lid titled: Mei, Inabikari or Titled, Lightning Flash, and signed: Rokansai Saku or Made by Rokansai, and sealed: Rokansai. Note: the signature and seal are consistent with those illustrated in Iizuka Rokansai: Master of Modern Bamboo Crafts, pages 119 – 120, upper register, for 1927 – 1934.

Rokansai evokes the image of flashing lightening by the use of dramatic contrast of color and texture. The cylindrical body of the basket is double woven in twill plaiting from finely split bamboo, the skin of which he cut away to a matte surface and then stained a warm brown. Over this overlays of richly colored, satin-skinned, purple-red bamboo criss-cross diagonally in stark contrast to the interior plaiting. The nodes on the overlays cluster roughly in a horizontal band across the center of the basket. One long section of branch bamboo rises from the sides to arc over the mouth and form the handle, its nodes off-set asymmetrically at the top. Two pieces of split, smoked bamboo overlay the rim on the exterior and interior, bound with golden-hued, stained rattan in simple wrapping (bo-maki) and cross knots (juji-musubi). Through this rim treatment run the diagonal overlays, bent outwards through space to a wider, second rim that floats above atop the ends of the overlays. Echoing the construction of the lower rim, the second suggests a horizon towards which the lightning flashes.

With the original tsutsu or water container for the interior of the basket, cut from a tall cylinder of bamboo, the exterior surface cut away and finely scored vertically with a knife, then lacquered a deep purple-red color.