Price guide to Japanese lacquer boxes where the majority of the box is black. Black lacquerware is often inlaid with metals and / or sprinkled with gold and / or silver powder while the lacquer is still damp. This technique is known as maki-e.
A black-lacquer suzuribako (box for writing utensils) with integral fubako (document box)
Taisho era (1912-1926), early 20th century
Of deep rectangular form, decorated on the roiro ground with a large pine tree in gold togidashi maki-e, the interior lacquered with a prunus tree on a mura-nashiji ground and containing a tray fitted with a suzuri (ink-grinding stone) and suiteki (water-dropper), unsigned; with a wood storage box.
6.4cm x 33.2cm x 9.8cm (2½in x 13 1/8in x 3 7/8in).
Sold for £1,187 inc. premium at Bonhams in 2017
JAPANESE BLACK LACQUER STACKING BOXES AND STAND, H 13 1/2″:Hinged top, stackable boxes. The stand measures, W.21″ x 10″ , the boxes measure, H.7″ x 12 1/2″ x 9″.
Sold for 120 GBP at DuMouchelles Auctions in 2016
A RARE FOOD BOX (JUBAKO) WITH STRIPED DECORATION AND PLAYING CARDS
EDO PERIOD (17TH CENTURY)
The four-tiered square box and cover decorated in gold, silver, and coloured hiramaki-e [low relief lacquer] and takamaki-e [high relief lacquer] and inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a black ground with scattered Unsun Karuta [Japanese playing cards in Portuguese style] depicting various designs including cups, swords, clubs, and knights against stripes of various designs in Nanban style
26 x 29 x 23.3 cm
Sold for GBP 150,000 at Christies in 2017
Japanese Lacquer Cosmetics Box
Late 18th century
The lid and sides of the tobako worked with pine saplings amid ferns, alternating with swirling mitsu-to-moye mon on a polished black ground, gold and black lacquer with silver detailing, nashiji interior, silver mounting on the lid and base rims. Height 4 3/4 inches, width 7 inches, depth 4 1/2 inches.
Sold for $3,000 (includes buyer’s premium) at Doyle New York in 2007
19th C. Japanese black lacquer box. 5.5in by 11in by 15in. Age wear.
Sold For: $200 at Fortune Auction Gallery in 2018
A Japanese lacquer writing box and cover for the European market
Meiji/Taisho period
the cover decorated with pheasants on a rocky outcrop beside peony and under a flowering prunus, opening to reveal an embroidered writing slope with a central roundel of a communion cup below the inscription Gerardus, Petrus, MDCCCLXXIV (1874) and above the coat-of-arms of Bishop Gerardus Petrus Wilmer, below two metal-mounted glass ink bottles and a removable pen tray. 46.3cm., 18 1/4 in
Sold for 625 GBP at Sothebys in 2016