A very unusual stand for a Japanese Sword of carved wood covered in lacquer inlayed with carved abalone shell leaves and a large Hannya Demon mask with an inlayed placard reading Shibayama. It is 34 cm (13-1/2 inches) diameter at the base, and stands 65 cm (26 inches) tall, in excellent condition.
Shibayama inlay (Shibayama zōgan) is a highly intricate art technique that involves inlaying semi-precious materials into a surface to create elaborate pictorial designs. It flourished in the late Edo and Meiji periods (late 18th to early 20th centuries) and was particularly popular among export arts aimed at Western markets. The technique is named after Shibayama Senzo (芝山仙蔵), who is credited with founding the method in the late 18th or early 19th century, likely in Edo (modern-day Tokyo). It gained particular popularity in the Meiji era, when Japan opened to international trade. Shibayama works were highly prized at international exhibitions and World’s Fairs, such as the 1873 Vienna and 1889 Paris Expositions.
