Mini suzuribako (writing set) in black and gold hiramaki-e lacquer with water plantain (Alisma plantago-acquatica) decoration and non-identified kanji. Interior in nashi-ji lacquer, with a rectangular water cup and a retractable brush.

Japan – Meiji era (1868-1912)
Height: 1.06 in. (2.7 cm) – width: 2.44 in. (6.2 cm) – depth: 3.94 in. (10 cm)

Black and gold lacquer suzuribako (writing set) in takamaki-e on a nashi-ji background representing two tigers near rocks, bamboos and plum blossoms in a night landscape. Inside of the lid with a lake landscape.

The interior of the suzuribako is composed with an inkstone, topped by a copper water bucket in the shape of a chrysanthemum on the left side, with a brush and a small knife...

A rare stacking Bento (picnic) box in the shape of a tea leaf storage jar decorated in a realistic fashion with black, silver and gold maki-e lacquer. It consists of four pieces, stacked they are 28 cm (11 inches) tall, and all are in excellent condition.

Antique Japanese small, round, lidded box. Made with metal body covered with lacquer and decorated with a gold lacquer scene of a bridge and a weeping willow tree. Intricate raised machi-e details of waves and willow leaves. Delicate nashiji on the ground around the tree.

Age: Meiji Period (1868-1912)

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

Wooden suzuribako decorated with two hares with red eyes in gold and silver lacquer surrounded by grass.

The interior is made of negoro-nuri lacquer. This is an ancient technique, developed in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) at the Negoro temple in the ancient province of Kii (now Wakayama prefecture). It is characterized by vermilion color, made from cinnabar and showing natural brush marks...

Drawer box (kodansu). The exterior is entirely covered with vegetable fiber basketry surrounding reserves in the shape of fans in silver and gilded copper, chiselled with birds and flowers. The interior is soberly lacquered in black (roiro) and bears powdered Chinese characters...

A Te-bako lacquered box decorated with pigeons in colored lacquer on pale white with mother of pearl inlay by one of the most important 20th century lacquer artists Banura Shogo enclosed in the original signed wooden box dating circa 1935. Sharp corners, the cream-colored box raised on a dark colored foot, the rim edged with two beads of solid silver, all typical of the design aesthetic of the 1930s. It is 30.5 x 21.5 x 12 cm (12 x 8-1/2 x 5 inches) and is in excellent condition...

Suzuribako in roiro lacquer decor of a setting sun behind the waves in red and gold lacquer. Inside a couple of gold lacquer cranes on a nashiji background. Edo period 19th century or before. Good condition, no repairs. Normal use wear for this period. Very interesting subject. Dimensions about 21x21 cm

An antique Japanese Chobako (merchant box) made of Hinoki (Cypress) and Kiri (Paulownia) woods. All original hand forged iron hardware. Upper carrying handle and hinged door that hides 4 drawers of varying sizes used by a merchant to store writing paper, receipts, money and calligraphy brushes.

Age: Meiji Period (1880-1890)

Dimensions: 10" Wide by 12 1/4" High by 14 3/4" Deep

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...

An antique Fubako, letter box, of a rarely seen design with a black ground having a flowing gold sprinkled pattern featuring wheel and wind/water designs in relief. There is also a lovely sprinkled design to the interior. The exterior bottom, which is covered when the box is closed, has the wheel designs and is very bright showing very little if any wear. Still retaining its original silk tasseled roping, this box is in superb condition...

Inrō with four boxes in black and gold lacquer, representing characters and a pavilion in a snowy landscape.

Small boxes formed of compartments that fit one on top of the other, inrō (印 籠) are traditional Japanese clothing items. Since the kimono had no pockets, everyday objects were carried in small boxes (sagemono) hung on the belt (obi)...

Inrô in gilded lacquer according to the takamaki-e, hiramaki-e and kirigane techniques, with five squares of a mountain lake landscape.

On the first side, there is a samurai on horseback, who is drinking from the stream. A servant accompanies him, his sword in hand. Next to the pine tree are the things they would have left behind...

A Japanese Kobako (personal storage box) designed with beautiful Yosegi Zaiku marquetry. Made in the Hakone region in Kanagawa Prefecture, it is a single drawer style used to store precious Okimono and treasures.

Yosegi Zaiku is a Japanese traditional craft dating back to the Edo Period (1603-1868). Wooden rods of varying natural colors are cut into elongated geometric shapes and glued together to form solid blocks...

Large suzuribako showing on its cover a mountainous landscape, crossed by a river, bordered by two houses and trees such as pine trees and cherry trees in bloom. It could be Okabe, the twenty-first of the fifty-three stations of the Tôkaidô. The bottom is gilded in the fundame technique, decorated with takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, hirameji and kirigane...

Small Japanese circular covered box in gold nashiji and maki-e lacquer with the lid having a lovely display of iris flowers in a stream setting created in both low and raised relief lacquer work The sides also feature raised delicate designs that complete this perfect little box. In excellent antique condition, it measures 2-1/2" diameter and 1-7/8" high. Dates Late Edo or Early Meiji and a piece worthy of a collector.

Lacquer kobako box with two compartments in the shape of a fan. Decorated with pine trees near a stream on all sides in takamaki-e, hiramaki-e techniques with a nashi-ji background. On the upper side, a couple of cranes are looking for food on the ground, while three baby cranes are waiting in the nest located in the pine tree. Interior in nashi-ji lacquer.

Japan - Edo period (1603-1868)

Height: 1.8 in...

Rectangular box for paper (Ryōshibako) decorated with birds and pine trees.

The lid presents a design mixing several techniques of lacquer work. This is visible with the three cranes represented in the middle of pine branches in gilded maki–e (a precious metallic varying density powdered sprayed onto a base or background of fresh lacquer) on a black background.

The crane in the center is in brown lacquer with metallic pigments...