Lot Essay
This remarkable box combines two forms of jikiro (food-box) that were fashionable in the 17th century: the multilobed box often seen in Chinese Ming period lacquer, both carved and inlaid, and the taller octagonal jujikiro, the classic instance of which is a Kodaiji makie piece in Tokyo National Museum [see 1 below]. The key-fret pattern at the point where the lid meets the box [see 2 below], and the varied geometric designs seen in the hiramakie decoration, suggests links with export lacquer-wares of the same date.
1 Fialli, Donatella, Lacche Orientali del Museo Chiossone (Exhibition catalogue, Palazzo Ducale, Genova, 15 October-1 December 1996; Rome, 1996), 187; Kyoto National Museum, Makie, shikkoku to ogon no Nihonbi [The beauty of black and gold Japanese lacquer] (Kyoto, 1995), cat. no. 82
2 The best example of such key-fret decoration is the celebrated "FC" box, made for Francois Caron in the 1630's and now in the Weston
collection. Meech, Julia, Lacquerware from the Weston Collection, A Selection of Inro and Boxes, (New York, 1995), cat. no. 3
1 Fialli, Donatella, Lacche Orientali del Museo Chiossone (Exhibition catalogue, Palazzo Ducale, Genova, 15 October-1 December 1996; Rome, 1996), 187; Kyoto National Museum, Makie, shikkoku to ogon no Nihonbi [The beauty of black and gold Japanese lacquer] (Kyoto, 1995), cat. no. 82
2 The best example of such key-fret decoration is the celebrated "FC" box, made for Francois Caron in the 1630's and now in the Weston
collection. Meech, Julia, Lacquerware from the Weston Collection, A Selection of Inro and Boxes, (New York, 1995), cat. no. 3