Beautiful example of an 18th Japanese suzuribako (calligraphy box) made with a gold maki-e lacquer scene of huts near a mountain stream. The interior of the box holds rests for brushes and a compartment for an ink stone as well as a small silver water dropper. The entire inside including the underside of the lid is covered in a lovely dense nashiji (fine gold flakes suspended in clear lacquer) with young pine branches in maki-e lacquer...

Antique Japanese rectangular lacquer stationary box with a large parrot sitting on a corn stock and eyeing an ear of corn. Raised maki-e lacquer in gold and various shades of dark green and brown. The sides are further decorated with more ears of corn (a grasshopper sitting on one). The lacquer work contains great details like the texture of the parrot's feather and the stringy silk of the corn...

Edo Era, circa 1850s-1860s, Japanese red lacquer over wood Japanese Bento Box in 5 sections. The exterior features Shibayama style of inlay on a red lacquer ground with the interior and underside being black lacquer. The Shibayama design has several types of stone inlays including MOP with branching, cherry blossoms, leaves, buds and rockery all done in raised work. The workmanship is very good...

Antique Japanese suzuki-bako, calligraphy box. Lacquered with a profusion of wildflowers in gold maki-e technique on black lacquer ground. The underside of the lid is beautifully preserved with more wild flowers growing near a swirling stream. This scene is also rendered in maki-e but includes some flashes of red leaves and a silvery moon on a black lacquer ground with clouds of nashiji...

Beautiful and original Japanese suzuribako lacquer decorated with flowers and foliage on a nashi-ji gradient lacquer. The interior is in black lacquer with a water cup and ink stone.

Japan – 20th century

Height : 2.17 in. (5.5 cm) – Length : 12.20 in. (31 cm) – Width : 9.65 in. (24.5 cm)

Six compartments inrô in black, gold and silver lacquer, depicting cranes in a landscape. The inside is in nashi-ji lacquer. Signed Kajikawa underneath.

Kajikawa was one of the most talented families of lacquer artists, specializing in inrô. They worked for the Tokugawa shogunate from the 17th to the 19th century. It is almost impossible to assign any individual pieces to the different members of this family. They often used encrustations of metal or nacre...

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)

Natsume in dark red lacquer, decorated with autumn leaves and cherry blossoms in hiramaki-e and nashiji. Interior in black lacquer.
Maple leaves (Momiji) are celebrated in literature for their beauty. Cherry blossoms (sakura) are symbols of renewal and the ephemeral nature of beauty. Embodying the flowers and leaves typical of autumn and spring, they are true visual spectacles to be admired during walk or a picnic...

Rectangular and flat lacquer Kobako (small box) representing a furoshiki knot seen from above. Fundame background, furoshiki in takamaki-e with floral pattern, inside the folds of the fabric with black and gold sayagata pattern with togidashi maki-e technique. The saya (or sayagata) pattern is composed of Chinese swastikas. This symbol, linked to Buddhism, represents qualities of intelligence, strength and peace...

An antique Japanese Katana Small Chest and Stand made of Keyaki (Zelkova) and Suginoki (Cryptomeria) woods. Original hand forged iron with cat bronze hardware and Urushi lacquer finish. Upper area holds 4 Katana and lower section has a locking bar with key that secures 4 small drawers where polishing tools and Katana parts were kept. Note: Katana is for example and display purposes only.

Age: Late Edo Period (1800-1850)

Dimensions: 18 3/8" Wide by 14 3/4" High by 11 1/4" Deep

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...

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...

Small box of drawers in gold and silver lacquer background imitating tortoise shell. The decor is composed of volutes and phoenixes in light relief (Taka Maki-e) of gold and silver powders, mosaic detail of inlaid solid gold and silver tiny squares (kirikane). By transparency one distinguishes under the tortoiseshell the reflections of gold leaf. The fittings are finely chiseled with volutes. There is one phoénix by panels, inside some Mon are on the drawers. Difficult to date with exactitude...

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. Pewter inlay on the nodes of the trees in the style of Ogata Kôrin.

The kôrin maki-e is a technique developed by Ogata K...

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).
Decorated with three main bands of floral motifs, middle surrounded by vertical bands of mother-of-pearl inlaid lozenges and framed by the hanashippô pattern (overlapping circles forming petals).
On the lied, acer (momiji) and plum tree flowers (ume). On the front side, branches of citrus tree tachibana (Citrus tachibana), vine le...

Antique Japanese round lacquered wood container decorated on both sides with a karakusa (octopus vine) pattern and blossoms around the central aoi mon of the Tokugawa shogunate. Gold lacquer on a dark brownish black ground. Possible for archer bow strings.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1867)

Dimensions: 3 3/4" wide diameter x 1 3/4" deep

Antique Japanese small lacquer safe box with hinged door and 3 small interior drawers. Decorated on all sides including the drawer fronts with detailed harakusa (octopus vine) design in fine maki-e lacquer on a dense nashiji ground. The drawers are covered on all sides in fine nashiji gold flakes. Hardware is made of silver and incised with a similar scrolling vine motif.

Age: Edo Period (1603-1868)

Dimensions: 3 1/4" high x 3" wide x 5 3/4" deep

Koi frolic, splashing gold and silver waves as they leap and battle for the top of this stacking food dish dating from the later 19th century. The design is striking! Outside is polished black loaded down with gold and silver maki-e with applied kirigane cut gold squares. Inside is festive red. The box (assembled) is 25 x 23 x 38 cm (10 x 9 x 15 inches). Some minor dings but overall, very nice condition for something which has seen use.