Japanese Panel Screen, ca. 1920
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GUEST:
Well, it came from my parents, and I'm 62, and I can remember this as long as I lived. I've always wanted it. (chuckles) When my parents passed away, my brother had a custody of it for a little while.
APPRAISER:
Mmm.
GUEST:
And then I demanded it.
APPRAISER:
Ah, okay. It's a wonderful, large-format, painted screen. What do you know about it?
GUEST:
First of all, it's signed "Yoshihiko," but I couldn't find anything about this person. My limited knowledge of Japan, looks like two courtesans with a attending child, probably late Edo period or maybe even Meiji period.
APPRAISER:
Well, it's a little later than that. I think it's probably Taisho period. The Taisho era follows the Meiji period. Meiji period was from 1868 to 1912.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
And the Taisho period was from 1912 to 1926, at a time where they were really interested in large-scale figures and designs, which actually showed the interaction between Western art and Japanese art-- the influence of Art Deco on large-scale decoration. It looks like it's been a little bit faded. Did you have something done to it?
GUEST:
My mother had it, it was kept in a dark place, but when I acquired it, it was in pretty bad shape. So, some cleaning was done, and then it's hanged underneath a skylight. I don't know if that has anything to do with it.
APPRAISER:
So it's been faded a bit, yes.
GUEST:
I believe it did, mm-hmm, slightly.
APPRAISER:
So you had it restored, then.
GUEST:
Repaired, more likely, yes.
APPRAISER:
I see, I see. Tell me, what did you pay for the restoration?
GUEST:
$2,500.
APPRAISER:
Well, let me tell you, that was a very good investment.
GUEST:
(chuckles)
APPRAISER:
It's done by Yoshihiko, who was a Taisho artist. And Taisho is a very, very hot commodity, this period between 1912 and 1926. I believe the Honolulu Academy of Art recently had an exhibition called "Taisho Chic."
GUEST:
That's what I've been told, yeah.
APPRAISER:
Right, exactly. Even though the two-paneled byobu, or screen, as it's called, is faded and has had some restoration, it still, on the auction market, would be estimated at about $7,000 to $10,000.
GUEST:
(chuckles) I'm glad I brought this here.
APPRAISER:
Thank you very much for bringing it in to us.
GUEST:
Thank you.
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