Details
A LACQUER WRITING BOX (SUZURIBAKO) AND STATIONERY BOX (RYOSHIBAKO)
edo-meiji periods (second half 19th century)
The writing set of brilliant gold lacquer designed with the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove in a variety of techniques including togidashi, takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, kirigane, uchikomi, kimpun, gimpun, nashiji, aogai, roiro and gold and silver foil, the lid of the writing box decorated with two of the sages holding a scroll of calligraphy on a short, arched bridge spanning a flowing stream as a third sage waits on the shore, the stands of bamboo behind them, all below a glittering roiro and nashiji sky, the sides of the writing box decorated with a continuation of the landscape with lavish okibirame on the hillocks, the edges of the box kinji with evenly spaced chrysanthemum scroll of gold hiramaki-e, the base roiro and nashiji; the underside of the writing box lid decorated with another brilliant gold landscape of hills, a waterfall, thatched huts, a river, pines and prominent plum trees with blossoms of glistening gold and silver foil, the background roiro and mura-nashiji with numerous embellishments, the removable implement tray matching and the lower interior nashiji; fitted with a paper knife and two brushes in nashiji cases, an inkstone lacquered in nashiji on the sides and base and a silver mizuire cast in the form of cherry blossoms, highlighted in gilt, and a log raft, finished in shakudo on swirling water; the stationery box decorated en suite with four sages and a boy attendant with a bundle of scrolls on the banks of the stream, the sides, rims and base matching the suzuribako, the interior of the ryoshibako a larger version of the underside of the lid of the writing box against a striated-cloud and nashiji background, the lower interior nashiji, rims silver--writing box 8¾ x 7 7/8 x 2 1/8in. (22.5 x 20.3 x 5.4cm.), stationery box 15¼ x 11 7/8 x 4¾in. (38.7 x 30.3 x 12.2cm.) (2)
edo-meiji periods (second half 19th century)
The writing set of brilliant gold lacquer designed with the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove in a variety of techniques including togidashi, takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, kirigane, uchikomi, kimpun, gimpun, nashiji, aogai, roiro and gold and silver foil, the lid of the writing box decorated with two of the sages holding a scroll of calligraphy on a short, arched bridge spanning a flowing stream as a third sage waits on the shore, the stands of bamboo behind them, all below a glittering roiro and nashiji sky, the sides of the writing box decorated with a continuation of the landscape with lavish okibirame on the hillocks, the edges of the box kinji with evenly spaced chrysanthemum scroll of gold hiramaki-e, the base roiro and nashiji; the underside of the writing box lid decorated with another brilliant gold landscape of hills, a waterfall, thatched huts, a river, pines and prominent plum trees with blossoms of glistening gold and silver foil, the background roiro and mura-nashiji with numerous embellishments, the removable implement tray matching and the lower interior nashiji; fitted with a paper knife and two brushes in nashiji cases, an inkstone lacquered in nashiji on the sides and base and a silver mizuire cast in the form of cherry blossoms, highlighted in gilt, and a log raft, finished in shakudo on swirling water; the stationery box decorated en suite with four sages and a boy attendant with a bundle of scrolls on the banks of the stream, the sides, rims and base matching the suzuribako, the interior of the ryoshibako a larger version of the underside of the lid of the writing box against a striated-cloud and nashiji background, the lower interior nashiji, rims silver--writing box 8¾ x 7 7/8 x 2 1/8in. (22.5 x 20.3 x 5.4cm.), stationery box 15¼ x 11 7/8 x 4¾in. (38.7 x 30.3 x 12.2cm.) (2)