Flower arranging basket in a squared globe form. Woven of leached finely split bamboo with rattan knotting. Signed on the reverse with an incised signature by the artist: Shobun (Suemura Shobun, 1917 – 2000). Showa era, circa 1965.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Masa-wari Yahazu Hanakago or Arrowhead Flower Basket; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Suemura Shobun, and sealed: Shobun and again: Bunzo.

Shobun weaves with layered bundles of stays cut to a very fine width after having their satin skin cut away. These he weaves in interlocking and swirling circles, the stays fanning out slightly as they torque. This increases one’s sense of intense movement. The only knotting occurs on the base and on the rim. On the reverse, eight short lines of rattan insect wrapping (mushi-maki) anchor the circles together; on the rim, eight long lines of insect wrapping bind and link the crests of the eight circles of swirling bundles at the top of the four sides.

With the original otoshi or water container, cut from a cylinder of bamboo whose surface was scored and then lacquered a deep red-brown color.