37cm Tall Ikkan-Bari Basket - Persimmon-dyed Washi

Traditional Japanese ikkan-bari, a deep utility basket made by covering a woven bamboo basket with layers of washi paper originally salvaged from old ledger books and dyed with persimmon afterwards.

Some of ledger fragments are dated during Meiji Era (1868-1912) but the basket is believed to have been covered at a later date, around Taisho era (1912-1926) or early Showa era (1926-)

Materials
Made from split bamboo, layered washi paper and a traditional persimmon-tannin (kakishibu) coating. Paper was likely to give the basket extra strength, while the persimmon dye provides waterproofing and acts as a natural bug repellent. The underlying bamboo structure remains visible around areas of wear, particularly at the reinforced rim. Fragments of handwritten Japanese ledger text can be seen across the inner and outer surfaces, adding to the character of the piece.

Dimensions
HEIGHT: 37CM
DIAMETER: 33CM
OPENING DIAMETER: 29.2CM 

As an antique Japanese object, this piece has lived a previous life and shows signs of age and use. Wear to the paper layers, surface marks, discolouration, fraying and other irregularities are to be expected. Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.