Flower arranging basket in a stylized, seashell form. Woven of purple-black bamboo and rattan. Signed with an incised signature by the artist on the exterior rim: Shobun (Suemura Shobun, 1917 – 2000). Showa era, circa 1955 – 1975.

With the tomobako or original box is inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Nami Mon Hanakago Marushi Chiku or Wave Crest Flower Basket of Round Purple Bamboo; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Suemura Shobun Saku or Made by Suemura Shobun, and sealed.

Woven of branch bamboo curled in parallel formation and in alternating series of thin versus thicker diameter. These curled series of bamboo sections are bound together with five lines of knots that curl across the face of the basket. The rim or mouth of the basket is bound with two long sections of wider twig bamboo that curl across the top to form the handle. These are separated and bound to long sections of chaining insect wrapping (mushi-maki) bound over very small diameter sections of twig bamboo. The artist formed the feet of three sections (each about 2″ long) of mushi-maki wrapped along the underside of the body’s twigs in series.

A beautifully conceived and lyrical piece of bamboo sculpture.