187 - † ANDO JUBEI: A PAIR OF FINE MUSEN CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL ‘BLOSSOMING IRISES’ VASES

† ANDO JUBEI: A PAIR OF FINE MUSEN CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL ‘BLOSSOMING IRISES’ VASES By the workshop of Ando Jubei (1876-1953), sealed with the Ando company mark Japan, first half of the 20th century, Meiji (1868-1912) to Taisho period (1912-1926) Each finely crafted, the baluster body rising through high-rounded shoulders to a short, waisted neck and a circular mouth, both ends fitted with brass mounts. The exterior decorated in luminous polychrome enamels in the musen (wireless) technique against a softly graduated pink ground, depicting blossoming irises amid windblown grasses. The underside sealed with the Ando company mark. HEIGHT 17.9 cm (each) WEIGHT 498 g & 505 g Condition: Excellent condition with no visible damages or signs of restoration (checked under UV light). Minor manufacturing irregularities and expected wear to the metal mounts. Ando Jubei (1876-1953) was a Japanese cloisonné artist from Nagoya. He was the Meiji era's most prolific creator of presentation wares (artworks that were commissioned by members of the Imperial Family for presentation to foreign dignitaries). He exhibited at the Japan-British Exhibition of 1910. Along with Hayashi Kodenji, he dominated Nagoya's enameling industry in the late Meiji era. Ando, Namikawa Yasuyuki, and Namikawa Sosuke are considered the three artists whose technical innovations brought in a golden age for Japanese cloisonné in the late 19th century. Musen, literally ‘wireless’, was among the most refined innovations in Japanese cloisonné enamel during the late 19th century. Unlike conventional cloisonné, in which metal wires permanently outline the design, the wires were removed before firing, producing soft tonal gradations and painterly transitions. The technique received considerable acclaim at international exhibitions during the Meiji period. Auction comparison: Compare a related larger pair of musen cloisonné vases, decorated with blossoming lilies, by the Ando Jubei workshop, dated c. 1912, 35.6 cm high (each), at Bonhams: Fine Japanese and Korean Art, including the Crawford Collection of Surimono, 22 September 2021, New York, lot 1068 (sold for USD 7,650 or approx. EUR 8,300 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.