TSUDA EIJU (1915-2001)

TSUDA EIJU (1915-2001)
SHOWA ERA, C.1950

A Japanese bronze vase cast in the shape of a stylised apple; with a round body, the neck modelled as the stem and with a small handle to the side suggesting a leaf; the surface with a warm mottled chocolate-brown patina, the base impressed with a square seal mark reading Eiju, 18.7cm; with an inscribed tomobako wood box. (2)

Provenance: a British private collection.

Cf. T & M Becker, Twentieth Century Japanese Bronze Flower Vases, The Becker Collection, pp.114-115, where this very piece is illustrated and discussed. The authors explain that Tsuda Eiju worked mainly for the Imperial family, and became particularly famous for his murashi-do patina. He was awarded the Grand Prize at the Nitten Japanese Fine Art Exhibition in 1962.