Till katalogerna
Internationell Kvalitetsauktion 14 – 18 Juni 2022
Wilfrid Fleisher was born in 1897, the son of Benjamin W. Fleisher who founded the Japan Advertiser in 1907, the first English-language newspaper established in Japan. It was distributed not only in Japan but throughout the Far East including Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong and Manila. The Fleishers soon became the unofficial American ambassadors to Japan and Wilfrid Fleisher wrote several books about Japan in the 1940’s which became best sellers at that time.
After graduating from the Columbia School of Journalism and working for the United Press in Paris and Siberia, Wilfrid Fleisher returned to Japan to work on his father’s newspaper as Editor-in-Chief. It was at this time his interest in Asian art grew and he soon amassed a substantial collection of Japanese and Chinese works of Art. He purchased the majority of his pieces from reputable dealers of the time, such as Mayuyama, Kochukyo and Yamanaka, and some pieces were acquired in Shanghai and Beijing. The collection was formed during the 1920’s and early 1930’s and it is impressive not only for its diversity but also for the attention paid to the quality and rarity of the works.
In the 1950’s Fleisher settled in Sweden together with his Swedish wife where he continued to nurture his active interest in Oriental art. He met with members of the so-called China Club, which included King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Johan Gunnar Andersson as members.
