Details
A Three-Case Inro [Medicine Case] and Five others
One signed Kokosai Tatsuke, Edo/Meiji Period (19th Century)
The first lenticular with integral himotoshi; plain polished wood ground; decoration in gold hiramaki-e and low takamaki-e with gold foil; compartments, risers and rims plain wood; signed in gold hiramaki-e on the base Kokosai Tatsuke saku [made by Kokosai Tatsuke]; metal ojime in the form of a shishi; the second with four cases, oval with applied himotoshi; gold lacquer ground with decoration in gold, silver and coloured togidashi-e; compartments and risers gold nashiji, shoulders and rims gold fundame; unsigned, some old wear; metal ojime with mokume and chequer design; the last with two cases, lenticular with integral himotoshi; black lacquer ground; decoration in gold, silver and coloured togidashi-e, hiramaki-e and takamaki-e; compartments and risers gold nashiji, shoulders and rims gold fundame, unsigned; the fourth rounded rectangular with applied himotoshi; black lacquer ground; decoration in gold, aokin, silver and red hiramaki-e with gold foil and kinpun; compartments and risers gold nashiji, shoulders and rims gold fundame; unsigned, slight old wear and some relacquering; black lacquer ojime with geometric designs; the fifth with a single case, carved jade, poossibly Chinese, in the form of a covered vase, applied himotoshi, the cord partly exposed, unsigned; the sixth porcelain, four cases; decoration in underglaze blue; porcelain ojime and manju netsuke
The first with daisies; the second with a young samurai holding a hawk, after an early ukiyo-e print, the reverse with a bijin; the third with terrapins and the moon; the fourth with a koto in a garden pavilion, a garden gate and setting sun, alluding to Genji monogatari [The Tale of Genji]; the fifth with a simple design of trees, Chinese scholars and a boat with Mount Fuji in the background; the sixth with sailing boats under Mount Fuji
2 15/16 x 2in. (7.5 x 5.1cm.), 3 11/16 x 1/7/8in. (9.4 x 4.8cm.), 2¼ x 2 13/16in. (5.8 x 5.6cm.), 4 9/16 x 2 1/8in. (6.6 x 5.4cm.), 2 7/16 x 1½in. (6.2 x 3.9cm.) and 3 x 2 3/16in. (7.7 x 5.6cm.) respectively (6)
