The format of a smoker’s pipecase presents a specific challenge to any artist - to create a design of interest and beauty on a long narrow ground that can wrap around the front and reverse of the piece and make design ‘sense’ from all aspects.

This is an exquisitely executed example – the image of an energetic climbing vine with flower and bean pod. It is the work of Ikeda Keishin, pupil of Imperial Court Artist Ikeda Taishin, and exhibits the fine elegance and technical excellence associated with this school established by Shibata Zeshin. A sharp precision is achieved in the high profile takamakie work - the organic, scrolling design perfectly contrasting with the simple straight-grained rich, brown, stained wood ground.