A Lacquer Knife-Box

18TH CENTURY

Details

A Lacquer Knife-Box
18th Century
Of European form, decorated in gold hiramakie on a black ground with figures in a pavilion among rockwork, beneath pine, the sides with loop handles, the interior converted into a bottle-case containing a group of 19th century cut-glass, the box with some slight old wear and damage
13½ x 10.7/8 x 7in. (34.2 x 27.7 x 17.8cm.)

Lot Essay

The Clive collection at Powis Castle includes a pair of similar knife-cases thought to be the "2 lacquered cases for Knives & Forks" listed as seized by Customs in 1767 and described in the 1774 inventory as "Two Knife-cases of the old black and gold Japan". Like the present lot they are in fact rather different from "old" Japan, normally meaning that of the 17th century, and are likely to be special commissions dating from the third quarter of the 18th century. Another example is in the Victoria and Albert Museum [see 1 below].

1 Archer, M., Rowell, C., and Skelton, R., Treasures from India - The Clive collection at Powis Castle, (London, 1987), cat. no. 193.

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