EDO PERIOD (SECOND HALF OF THE 17TH CENTURY)

Details

AN EXPORT LACQUER MIRROR
Edo Period (Second Half of the 17th Century)
A circular European mirror backed with a Japanese lacquer plaque, black lacquer ground decorated in gold hiramaki-e, takamaki-e, sparse gold and silver kirikane, unchikomi, kin-fun and gin-fun, depicting Toba Sojo ridding his mule across a bridge over a river in a mountainous landscape, on his way into exile in Hainan, mounted in Europe with a gilt brass surround finely chased with scrolling foliage and surmounted by a pierced floral finial
¾ x 10¼ x 9½in. (1.8 x 26 x 24.3cm.)

Literature

Michael Dean, Netsuke Kenkyukai Study Journal, Four Groups of Japanese Namban Lacquer (Tokyo, 1993), vol. 13, no. 2, p. 55-59.
Mike and Hiroko Dean, Nihon no Shikki Japanese Lacquer - an Exposition (Kyoto, 1984), no. 45

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

It is clear that the mirror back was made specifically for the purpose of mounting and is not simply the cover from a box or another larger work. The rear edge was constructed with a sloping sided recess to take the depth of a glass mirror and its securing ring.

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