A rectangular wood box with en-suite inlaid-shibuichi cover
By Sekiguchi Ichiya (1850-1933) after a design by Shibata Zeshin, Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, late 19th/early 20th century
The inrobuta (flush-fitting lid) inset with a shibuichi panel engraved in kebori (plain line engraving) and katakiribori (engraving with an angled chisel emulating brushstrokes), decorated in inlays of silver, gold and copper flat relief with an autumnal night scene of ‘The Foxes’ Wedding’, depicting a procession of foxes attired in samurai dress, two at the front holding a lantern and a halberd, five at the back carrying a palanquin containing the fox bride, signed at lower right with chiselled characters Zeshin-o hitsui Jitokusai Ichiya koku 是真翁筆意自得斎一也刻 (carved by Jitokusai Ichiya copying the brush style of the venerable Zeshin) with a gold seal; the sides, base and interior of plain polished wood, with a wood storage box. 5.2cm x 14.8cm x 11.7cm (2in x 5 13/16in x 4 9/16in).
Sold for £2,500 at Bonhams
A lacquered-wood stationery box (ryoshibako)
Edo period (18th century), signed Muchuan Haritsu and sealed Kan (Ogawa Haritsu [Ritsuo]; 1663-1747)
Rectangular, with flush-fitting cover, the lid decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e, metal, red carved-lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay with umbrella pine, the wood exterior with deep grooves and grain and polished dark brown; the underside of the lid decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, mother-of-pearl and metal inlay with a thatched hut beneath a pine tree on the shoreline of a bay, the needles of the pine tree decorated in gold lacquer over inlaid mother-of-pearl, rims pewter, signature and seal on underside of the lid
16¼ x 12¾ x 6 5/8in. (41.3 x 32.4 x 16.8cm.)
Vintage Japanese Calligrapher’s Box. Filled with Asian travel ephemera. Offered as found in the estate. Size: 12.5″ H x 12″ W x 17.5″ D.
Sold For: $150 at Ashcroft and Moore
Mappin & Webb