Details
A LACQUERED AND IVORY-MOUNTED WOOD KODANSU
EDO PERIOD (LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY)
The slender, rectangular cabinet composed of two main levels separated by an ivory pillar carved in the form of a lanky dragon and clouds, the top tier composed of four compartments, three open and one enclosed, the enclosed compartment fashioned like a room, with two sliding door panels on the front and four sliding door panels on the side lacquered with quail and millet or with chrysanthemums in gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, and fitted with two 'screened' windows in the back; the middle compartment pierced with another back window and separated from the left compartment by a frieze of stylized aoi, hollyhock, this compartment further decorated in gold hiramaki-e with crane, plum, pine and bamboo medallions and the floors of each compartment rendered in gold hiramaki-e with carp leaping above waves, the door panels on the right compartment lacquered in gold with quail and millet or with chrysanthemums; the back of the central tier pierced with wood aoi medallions [Tokugawa mon], bamboo and ivory aoi medallions and lacquered in gold with further Shochikubai 'Three Friends' roundels, the right central tier near the dragon pillar lacquered on the floor with a seascape of carp, cresting waves and lobsters matching the top surface, and the floor to the left, slightly below, patterned with a floret lattice, the bottom doors on the right lacquered in gold and silver and brown hiramaki-e and takamaki-e with horses in a landscape of hillocks and willows above panels of turtles, the doors opening to a large compartment with lacquer mon, these doors bordered by pierced ivory panels of flowers; the doors to the left lacquered with gold cockerels with bright red combs on a nashiji-sprinkled roiro ground above pierced ivory panels of phoenixes and between pierced ivory panels of flowering trees, the interior of the lower cabinet matching the right, additional pierced panels on the supporting plinth and gold lacquer butterflies on the sides, silver bosses and gilt handles cast with aoi mon [Tokugawa Family] and silver mounts- 26 7/8 x 10 3/8 x 27 5/8 in. (68.3 x 26.3 x 70.2 cm.)- some slight surface rubbing, one quail panel cracked, additional short cracks and minor repairs
EDO PERIOD (LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY)
The slender, rectangular cabinet composed of two main levels separated by an ivory pillar carved in the form of a lanky dragon and clouds, the top tier composed of four compartments, three open and one enclosed, the enclosed compartment fashioned like a room, with two sliding door panels on the front and four sliding door panels on the side lacquered with quail and millet or with chrysanthemums in gold hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, and fitted with two 'screened' windows in the back; the middle compartment pierced with another back window and separated from the left compartment by a frieze of stylized aoi, hollyhock, this compartment further decorated in gold hiramaki-e with crane, plum, pine and bamboo medallions and the floors of each compartment rendered in gold hiramaki-e with carp leaping above waves, the door panels on the right compartment lacquered in gold with quail and millet or with chrysanthemums; the back of the central tier pierced with wood aoi medallions [Tokugawa mon], bamboo and ivory aoi medallions and lacquered in gold with further Shochikubai 'Three Friends' roundels, the right central tier near the dragon pillar lacquered on the floor with a seascape of carp, cresting waves and lobsters matching the top surface, and the floor to the left, slightly below, patterned with a floret lattice, the bottom doors on the right lacquered in gold and silver and brown hiramaki-e and takamaki-e with horses in a landscape of hillocks and willows above panels of turtles, the doors opening to a large compartment with lacquer mon, these doors bordered by pierced ivory panels of flowers; the doors to the left lacquered with gold cockerels with bright red combs on a nashiji-sprinkled roiro ground above pierced ivory panels of phoenixes and between pierced ivory panels of flowering trees, the interior of the lower cabinet matching the right, additional pierced panels on the supporting plinth and gold lacquer butterflies on the sides, silver bosses and gilt handles cast with aoi mon [Tokugawa Family] and silver mounts- 26 7/8 x 10 3/8 x 27 5/8 in. (68.3 x 26.3 x 70.2 cm.)- some slight surface rubbing, one quail panel cracked, additional short cracks and minor repairs