Inro 4 cases.Peonies in mother-of-pearl inlaid on a brown lacquered ground and gold dust. Japan earlier Edo 17th century.It is rare to find inros from this period, they are probably the first to have been created. The lacquer is dark red-brown, almost black, it is very solid and despite the shocks and more than three centuries of handling it has not chipped at all. The mother-of-pearl is also well preserved and there is only a tiny lack due to a direct impact...

Inro with 4 compartments in black lacquered wood. Decor of a mountain lake landscape executed in gold and silver powder. Mosaic details of small squares of gold. The worn parts reveal the red lacquer which was used to execute the reliefs. Japanese work from the 18th century or before. No signing. Good general condition for a tercentenary lacquer. Multiple small damages all visible on photos. No repainted areas, no restoration. Quality lacquer, solid. 82x52mm.

Cedar wooden ryoshibako (or bunko) document box, decorated with deer and crane on the outer lid and bat on the inner lid in takamaki-e lacquer...

Polylobed lacquer box (kobako) with chrysanthemum decoration. On the lid, maki-e lacquer decoration, a slight relief in the center of the two flowers. Sides in fundame and base in nashi-ji.

Inside, two decorations of vegetal landscapes with flowers (campanulas, pampas, pampers) and butterflies in maki-e on a nashi-ji background...

Beautiful antique Japanese fubako (letterbox), black lacquer ground with roses in raised gold and silver, lidded box , interior with clouds of dense nishiji, tiny squares of gold, Meiji Period (1868-1912). Size: 23" long x 6 3/4" wide x 4 1/2" high

Antique Japanese small kobako (incense box) with inside tray. The outside is decorated with a scene of a garden fence, chrysanthemums, hydrangeas and daisies in gold lacquer on a nashiji ground. The interior is covered in fine nashiji. The small tray stands on tiny feet and has a pavilion scene with twisted pines all in gold lacquer on a matching nashiji ground.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 4" high x 6" wide x 4" deep.

Antique Japanese large lacquer fumibako (letter box for paper), beautiful design of silver hydrangeas flowers with gold lacquer leaves on top and sides, black lacquer with nishiji (gold fleck) ground, interior with the same black lacquer and nishiji ground, underside of lid with dramatic gold makie lacquer scene of young pine sprouts and grass, Meiji Period. Size: 15 3/4" long x 12 3/4" wide x 5 1/2" deep.

Antique Japanese rectangular box decorated with gold and silver dragonflies on a black lacquer ground. The lid is fastened on by a green chord. Inside is a removable tray lacquered with gold and silver crickets in wisps of golden grass. This box comes in a cedar tomobako.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 5 1/8" high x 7 3/4" long x 5 1/2" wide

Antique Japanese lacquer Tebako, cosmetic box. Made of lacquered wood and decorated all over with scenes of flying geese in gold lacquer with raised details on a black lacquer ground, Silver lacquer bull rushes with golden leaves bend in the wind. The interior is lined with very old silk brocade. Meiji Period (1868-1912) . Size : 9 1/4" high x 11 1/2" long x 9" wide.

Antique Japanese large lacquer document box decorated with a design of climbing clematis vines in full bloom. Gold maki-e lacquer with details in gold nishji lacquer on some of the leaves. All on a black lacquer ground. The sides of both the lid and body of the box are carved with a recessed area where reddish orange lacquer has been applied over a loose material, creating a woven texture. Hardware rings on the sides...

A stunning large antique Japanese lacquer bunko (document box). Decorated all over with raised blossoming white rhododendron. Charming details of the leaves show where they have been nibbled appreciatively. Very unusual and beautiful use of takamaki-e lacquer technique. Signed on the underside of the lid by 源十郎 Genjūrо̄...

An exquisite antique Japanese large box made of keyaki (elm) wood burl and decorated with a design of a bamboo garden gate, tall grasses, chrysanthemum blossoms and the moon. Very high raised maki-e lacquer in gold and red with shell inlay. Tied with it's original tassel and with tomobako. Provenance: from a family living close to Kyoto's Imperial Palace.

Meiji Period (Mid 19th century)

Dimensions: 10 1/4" high x 10" wide x 12" deep.

Antique Japanese fubako, box for holding letters. Made of lacquered wood with a design of young pine and blossoming plum branches. Both box and lid are decorated in maki-e gold and silver lacquer over a delicate nashiji on a black lacquer ground. The interior has clouds of dense gold nashiji and two mon on the underside of the lid.

Age: Edo Period (18th/19th century)

Dimensions: 10 1/4" long x 3 1/2" wide x 2 3/4" deep

Antique Japanese sewing box. Made of lacquered wood and inlaid with painted shells. Intended for export. Beautiful details of colorful pheasants and peony blossoms. There is a separate drop-in tray with many small compartments for sewing tools.

Age: Meiji Period (circa early 1900's)

Dimensions: 5 1/8" high x 15 3/8" wide x 11 1/4" deep (when closed)

Antique Japanese hokai, lidded container for Ka-awase shell game. This unusual square shaped hokai has a footed base and it's sides are fashioned with many horizontal ridges. With faceted corners and intricate gold and black lacquer. A flower and lattice motif with reserves of birds and young pine shoots. The interior of the box is lacquered a dark brownish black. Extensive gilt copper hardware with incised details of scrolling vines...

Antique Japanese lacquer box for incense. Decorated with scenes of flying geese over gently swirling water and marsh grasses in maki-e lacquer on a black lacquer ground. On the reverse side, pheasants and chicks peck among flowers. The interior of the box is fitted with a separate tray decorated with seven children playing with three dogs in maki-e and color lacquer on a black ground. The tray stands on 4 small feet and the sides are decorated with tiny scrolling vines and butterflies...

Antique Japanese kogo box (for incense). Round in form and made of lacquered wood. Decorated with a scene of a garden gate and a wild thicket of grasses, vines and flowers under a full moon. The gate and flora are made with maki-e lacquer and shell inlay while the full moon is made of silver. The interior and bottom of the box is covered with gold nishiji on a black lacquer ground.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 3" wide x 1 5/8" high

Antique Japanese fine lacquered kogo box for holding incense. Comprised of 3 stacking compartments, the lower of which has a gilt copper lining. The overall shape is that of a textile knot (musubi) with ornate patterns in gold takamaki-e on black and nashiji lacquer. The sides of the box are further decorated with a landscape of trees on a rocky outcropping, a village of thatched roof huts, and low hills near a lake, all on a fine nashiji ground. With signed kiri wood tomobako...