A FINE EARLY EDO PERIOD EXPORT COFFER with coved cover and a samegawa-togidashi ground bordered with bands of scrolling foliage and stylised tessen (clematis or passion flower), the front bearing two indented ogival black lacquer panels containing birds and animals in landscapes, the cover with four similarly shaped panels containing karashishi, tigers, ho-o and cranes, all in gold lacquer, in the centre a lozenge-shaped panel containing two stylised cranes affronte, the corners of the main panels filled with triangles of radiating stylized petals, each end of the coffer with a lozenge-shaped black lacquer panel decorated in gold lacquer with a bird and flowering plants, the copper kanamono, originally silvered, comprising two hasps and lockplates at the front and corner and central edge protectors, all engraved with scrolling karakusa, bekko pattern and other designs, each hasp bearing a mitsutomoemon, an iron carrying handle at each end, 17th century