eBay Eyes: Ikebana Vases

Yes, Ikebana may be described as Japanese flower arranging. But it's much more than that. It is also an art form, a philosophy, and a ritual dating back hundreds of years. Which all leads me to believe that there is probably more to Ikebana vases than what meets the eye. While I know nothing of what the specific guidelines or requisite qualities are for these presentation vessels, I do know that I keep finding myself attracted to their whimsical and even outrageous forms. As singular objects, they become miniature sculptures evoking styles from Henry Moore to Richard Serra. Come to think of it, if you combine them with bonsai trees, you could fashion a table-top sculpture park!

Another installment of “eBay Eyes,” where I present visual treats from that ever-expanding, electronic mega-marketplace. (link)

Pottery Backstamps

Those mysterious combinations of letters, numerals, pictograms, incised marks and assorted other identifying symbols found on pottery are called “backstamps.” Like every other specialized language, their meaning is beyond the comprehension of a layperson. But if you’ve ever watched a specialist on say, Antiques Roadshow divine detailed information about the who-what-where-when of manufacture from these cryptic marks, you’ve seen how laden with nuance they are to those in the know.