Details
A LACQUER WRITING BOX (SUZURIBAKO)
meiji period (early 20th century)
The large, square box designed on the exterior and interior with large, imperial sixteen-petal chrysanthemum medallions set on a brilliant nashiji ground, most of the chrysanthemum medallions kinji in very low relief to the ground interspersed with medallions of equal size drawn in outline in gold lacquer and silhouetted on the nashiji ground; fitted in the lower section of the box with a silver-mounted implement tray which holds, on the right, a brush and an ink cake holder and gilded ink cake, and on the left, in fitted slots, a paper knife and paper-pricker, each of the utensils in identical mounts lacquered with bright gold chrysanthemum scroll on a nashiji ground and with silver terminals, the pricker and knife blade also silver, the large and tall mizuire of silver cast a pair of joined chrysanthemums which resemble the two types of chrysanthemum medallions ornamenting the box, the saucer below the water dropper also silver with a petal-edge, the large rectangular ink stone placed in the central section of the tray lacquered on the sides and base in nashiji and on the upper edges in fundame; the base of the writing box nashiji, the top edges mounted in silver and enclosed the rounded edge lacquered with gold chrysanthemum scroll on the nashiji ground, and the rims where the cover and lower section join mounted in gilt-silver; in wood storage box inscribed on the cover that the box was presented by the Emperor Meiji to Count Hisamoto Hijikata on January 4, 1911 (Meiji 44.1.4)
10½ x 11 3/8 x 2¾in. (26.8 x 28.9 x 7.2cm.)
