A FOUR-CASE SOMADA LACQUER INRO

SOMADA SCHOOL, EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

Details

A FOUR-CASE SOMADA LACQUER INRO
Somada school, Edo Period (19th Century)
Decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay and iroe togidashi with a katamigawari design of various brocade patterns, along with a wood ojime of a snail on a pine cone and a wood manju with flowers inlaid with mother-of-pearl and stained antler, some old damage to lacquer
The inro 3in. (21.5cm.) high and the manju 1½in. (2.7cm.) diam.

Lot Essay

The Somada lacquer technique of a very fine inlay of bluish-green iridescent awabi shell on a roironuri ground was borrowed from the Chinese by Somada Kiyosuke of Toyama in the Kyoho era (1716-36). This technique was named after him and many members of his family carried on the tradition by using it.

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