Eight-sided, flared shaped lacquer kobako box, following the decoration on the lid depicting a basket of flowers, composed of peonies and chrysanthemums in gold takamaki-e and hiramaki-e lacquer on a nashi-ji background. The edge is decorated with cherry blossoms in gold and silver takamaki-e. Interior and base in nashi-ji.

Japan – Edo period, 18th century
Height: 1.9 in / 4.8 cm – width: 6.1 in / 15.5 cm – depth: 3.5 in / 9 cm

Three boxes inrô in black lacquer and gold hiramaki-e, maki bokashi, kirigane and mother-of-pearl (raden) inlay depicting peasants planting rice seedlings in a rice field.
Nashi-ji lacquer interior with the inscription ソカウアン (sokauan) at the top of each boxe.
Rice is the staple food in Japan...

Uji is between the two ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto. The city sits on the Uji River, which has its source in Lake Biwa. The document box lid is decorated with the Hiramaki-e technique in gold and silver sprays of the Uji bridge and a cascade of Sakura blossoms on to a copper based nashiji ground. It’s complete with a black lacquer interior tray decorated in a minor composition of a riverside scene, with copper sprinkles throughout...

A decorative black lacquer box by the Ryukyu Lacquer Ware Company, c 1920. The inside red, the knobbed lid with a carved lacquer banana plant - flowers, fruit and leaves - in colours. Stamped company mark. Diameter "3¾/ 9,7 cm. Condition: small nick to the rim of box and lid (cf. picture).

Small namban style chest with a semi-cylindrical lid made of black lacquered wood (urushi) with gold lacquer (maki-e) and inlaid with mother-of-pearl (raden).
Mon style decoration (family emblem) of ginkos and chrysanthemums framed by friezes alternating three grooves and mother-of-pearl inlays...

Long suzuribako (calligraphy box) with nashiji lacquer background, plum tree decoration in a lake landscape in takamaki-e, kôrin maki-e and kirigane. The plum tree (ume), which blooms at the beginning of the year, announces spring. Its flower is a symbol of protection against demons. On the inner lid, decoration with seven flying birds near a coast with clouds...

Large natsume in black lacquer covered with gold powder (maki-e). Gold and silver snowflakes decoration in togidashi maki-e on nashi-ji background. The interior is made of dense nashi-ji lacquer.

The natsume is a tea box intended to contain matcha tea for the preparation of the tea ceremony. It is named for its resemblance to the natsume fruit, i.e. the jujube (also called the Chinese date). It is round, short and has a flat lid. It is often made of lacquer...

7 twisted gold pines shroud a seedling on the roiro ground of this fine togidashi suzuri bako writing box dated 1931 by Moriya Shotei enclosed in the original signed wooden box. The writing box contains the original suzuri ink stone and water-dropper. Inside the lid is the large character Kotobuki (fortune) followed by an inscription reading 88 year old man Bajo Kasho...

Wooden kobako of a chayote squash (sechium edule – en japonais hayato uri).

Japan, Shôwa Era (1926-1989)

Length: 2.76 in. (7cm) - Width: 1.57 in. (4.4cm)

Quadrangular kobako box decorated with flowers in gold and blue lacquer with aogai inlay. Lid and sides in fundame lacquer, underside and interior in nashi-ji lacquer. Inside, a removable tray with gold fundame borders. Fitted with two gripping rings.

Provenance : Docteur Mène collection.

Doctor Édouard Mène (1833-18..?) was a doctor and vice-president of the Franco-Japanese Society...

The last work by this important artist, a five piece stacking box decorated in iconic Dragonflies by Okada Yuji enclosed in a custom made wooden storage box. This piece was completed in 2022, shortly before he passed away. The dragonflies are performed in colored lacquer and gold powder with carved and polished Yellow and White Oyster-shell eyes. They fly over a swirling sea of Mother of Peral flakes. Inside is all Nashiji powdered gold...

Small box and cover made of very thinly cut keyaki (Zelkova) wood, in oblong shape with rounded corners. The domed cover is decorated in black polished lacquer, black ishime lacquer, gold lacquer inlaid with small pieces of mother-of-pearl...

Small rectangular box and cover. The core of the box made of wood covered in brown textured lacquer on the outside and red lacquer on the inside. The top of the kiri-wood cover is decorated on the outside with the fruit of a hozuki (Chinese lantern plant) in kiji makie technique (applying makie lacquer decoration to natural wood). The fruit is bright red takamakie, while the husk of the fruit is done in gradating red and gold takamakie. The cover shows a thin crack that has been beautifully rest...

Small rectangular box and cover. The box is made of wood covered in a thin layer of clear lacquer on outside and inside. The top of the cover is decorated on the outside with the two circles (mon). One is filled with a gohei (ceremonial wand with paper streamers), the other with an open and closed umbrella in kiji makie technique (applying makie lacquer decoration to natural wood). The flat makie work is executed in gold, silver and colored lacquers and gold sprinkle.

Inside of the cover s...

Box (kobako) in lacquer (urushi) powdered with gold (kinji) decoration in relief (takamaki-e) of the 3 friends (plum tree, pine and bamboo) on a mountain (perhaps Mount Horaï of the immortals?) The mountain is lacquered in red under the gold powder, revealing scarlet shades depending on the orientation of the light. The carefully executed interior represents a flight of flat-lacquered cranes (hiramaki-e), a subject in the ancient Heian style, on a background of spangled lacquer (nashij-i) formi...

Rare japanese urushi lacquer box of a calabash shape. Beautiful Hoteï sleeping on his bag on a black ground. Nashiji lacquer inside with two figthers. A rare border of checkerboard and mother of pearl inlays.

Kobako – Lovely and interesting little model of rectangular urushi gold lacquer box, opening with a lid. It offers a delightful decoration in gold in mak-ie on a black background, of two pretty rabbits in a landscape of foliage. Interior and underside in nashiji lacquer. The inside of the lid is decorated with butterflies. Beautiful border in gyobu lacquer (gold flakes). Sides in fundame lacquer. Length: 8.1cm x Width: 7.4cm. Japan Edo (1603-1868) 18th century.