Flower arranging basket in the form of a top. Woven of dark purple-red stained and lacquered, split bamboo and rattan. Signed on the reverse with an incised signature by the artist: Chikuunsai Tsukuru or Made by Chikuunsai (Tanabe Chikuunsai II, 1910 – 2000). Showa era, circa 1960 – 1970.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Koma-gata Yoroi Tsuzuri Hana Kago or Top-form (and) Armor-woven Flower Basket; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Tekisui Kyo, Chikuunsai Tsukuru or (At the) Dripping Water (Studio), Made by Chikuunsai, and sealed twice.

Included in the box is a postcard illustrating this basket with flowers as the advertisement for a solo exhibition of Chikuunsai II’s work at the Takashimaya Department Store in Osaka. This suggests that the artist felt this one of his best pieces and the star of the exhibition.

Chikuunsai II takes as inspiration here the form of a spinning, toy top. On the lower half, long triangular stays of split bamboo are arrayed one after the other in a rounded plane. Bands of mat plaiting (gozame-ami) anchor these above the foot-ring and below the shoulder, with a row of cross knots (juji-musubi) between the two. Above the shoulder similar triangular stays radiate from the shoulder to the neck, alternating with thin strands of split bamboo. Two bands of mat plaiting anchor these, along with several lines of cross knots. A band of round rattan frames the shoulder, bound in simple wrapping (bo-maki), and a raised round section of rattan supports the rim finished in finely woven insect wrapping (mushi-maki). The radiating stays glow with warm, red-brown lacquer and contrast with finely split, matte rattan knotting.

With the original tsutsu or water container for the interior of the basket, cut from a cylinder of timber bamboo, the exterior surface cut away and faceted, and then lacquered a light red-brown color.