Wide strips o red stained bamboo are woven to form this humble basket by Wada Waichisai III enclosed in the original signed wooden box dated an autumn day in 1928. The box is signed Ichisai, the name he used prior to 1933. The basket is 25.5 x 32 x 34 cm (10 x 13 x 13-1/2 inches) and is in excellent condition.
Wada Waichisai III (Shigekazu 1899-1975) was born the oldest son of Wada Shikazo (Waichisai II) and was trained under his father initially using the art name Issai. He was awarded best of Show at the age of 25 at the Osaka art exhibition. He succeeded the family name in 1933 upon the death of his father. Ollectedby the imperial family, he had a burgeoning career until the onset of war. He lost both his home and his heir during the bombing of Kobe in the final years of the second world war, and relocated to Awaji Island. For more see "Japanese Bamboo Baskets: Masterworks of Form and Texture" or the Lloyd Cotsen Collection".
