Japanese Rattan Ikebana Basket

A tall cage of slender poles, with a crossbar sticking out the top.

This ikebana basket is from Japan, and dates to the 20th century. It is bamboo & rattan. Rattan is the flexible stem of a climbing palm, and it can be split, peeled and bent into strips used for binding, rims and handles. A tall, narrow cage built from many long, straight, jointed poles held by woven bands at the foot and the shoulder. A single crossbar pokes out at the top on both sides. The color is reddish-brown with a worn, rubbed gleam. It is 15 inches high and 10.5 in diameter.

Mostly air, and holding itself together admirably.