A RARE LARGE JAPANESE LACQUERED LEATHER TELESCOPE 1750 - 1800

Unknown artist

Leather
Price on request

Zebregs & Röell - Fine Art - Antiques

• About the artwork
  A RARE LARGE JAPANESE LACQUERED LEATHER TELESCOPE
  
  Edo Period, late 18th century
  
  In four sections, the smaller innermost end fitted with a cow horn disc pierced with a central hole to maximise the use of the centre of the lens and the largest, outermost section finished with a copper disk with a central hole, all four sections of lacquered leather embossed and applied with gold lacquer on a black ground with bands of European style patterns including flowers, scrolling foliage and geometric designs, two covers for both ends.
  
  L. 32 cm (retracted with the two end covers)
  L, 87 cm (fully extended)
  
  Note:
  
  The first telescope to arrive in Japan was a gift from King James I (1566-1625) to the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) in 1613. The Shogun made good use of his telescope during his battles and since then the Shogun and many of the country rulers asked the VOC, the Dutch East India Company based on the island of Deshima in the bay of Nagasaki, for telescopes as a tribute. At the end of the seventeenth century making of telescopes started in Japan, mainly in Nagasaki. The best known opticians during the Edo Period were Mori Nizaemon (1673-1754) of Nagasaki and Iwahashi Zenbei (1756-1811) of Osaka. The important role played by telescopes, of both European and Japanese manufacture, in the visual culture of the Edo Period is discussed in detail in Timon Screech, The Western Scientific Gaze and Popular Imagery in Later Edo Japan, (Cambridge, 1996).
  For a similar example see NHK Service Centre and Siebold Council, Chikuzo 350-shunen Nagasaki Dejima ten (Exhibition commemorating the 350th anniversary of Deshima in Nagasaki, Tokyo and Osaka, 1986, cat. no. 134) for another example see Doris Croissant and Lothar Ledderose (eds.), Japan and Europe, 1543-1929 (pl. 61 in the exhibition catalogue: Berlin, Argon Verlag, 1993) there is an example in the Kobe Museum collection and two further examples of glass tube telescopes are in my catalogue Uit Verre Streken, Maastricht March 2015, cat. no. 59 and 60.
• About the artist

  It might happen that an artist or maker is unknown.

  Some works are not to be determined by whom it is made or it is made by (a group of) craftsmen. Examples are statues from the Ancient Time, furniture, mirroirs, or signatures that are not clear or readible but as well some works are not signed at all.

  As well you can find the following description:

  •“Attributed to ….” In their opinion probably a work by the artist, at least in part

  •“Studio of ….” or “Workshop of” In their opinion a work executed in the studio or workshop of the artist, possibly under his supervision

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  •“Style of ….” or “Follower of ….” In their opinion a work executed in the artist’s style but not necessarily by a pupil; may be contemporary or nearly contemporary

  •“Manner of ….” In their opinion a work in the style of the artist but of a later date

  •“After ….” In their opinion a copy (of any date) of a work of the artist

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  •"With signature ….”, “With date ….”, “With inscription….” or “Bears signature/date/inscription” in their opinion the signature/ date/ inscription has been added by someone other than the artist

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