Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Lacquer (27)

A very rare Japanese lacquer cabinet made for the Dutch export. The quality of this model is very good and surpasses the usual cabinets of this period. The landscape decorations are very finely and artistically painted, notably the trees whose foliage is swayed by the wind. The frames of the panels are painted in the honeycomb style which requires a lot of work and precision and can only be found on high quality lacquers, to my knowledge there are only 2 other known "honeycomb" models of which I enclose pictures, one in Munich at the "Staateliche Munzsammlung" and the second in the Czech Republic at the "Kinzvart Castel". Both are published in the excellent book of Oliver Impey. Here is the third one. It is interesting to compare the door on the right and the one on the left, whose drawings are painted by two different artists. The interior is particularly rich and as often, well preserved.Some rocks are in very pronounced relief. The lock cover between the bottom drawers is missing, which shows the orange color of the original nashiji. Wear, cracks, missing lacquer all visible on photos but no restoration which is rare. The mounts are all in yellow metal, which seems to me to be either bronze or gilt brass. They are unusually thin and I think they are original. Dimensions: 445 x 435 x 30 cm .

Lacquered and painted wood travel coffer or cabinet with iron mountings and lock. Japanese work. The exterior is black lacquered decorated with gold and polychrome. Some typical patterns allow us to date it with certainty around 1580 more or less 20 years. Very rare specimen, few similar models exist. The lock is one of the very first executed in Japan because it was the Portuguese who brought the technique when they landed in Japan around 1550. This said it could have been made in Portugal but I don't think so, knowing the immense skill of Japanese blacksmiths they had to make them instantly. It is partly very uneven. The decoration on the top has completely disappeared as well as the one on the front. Both sides and the back are in good condition. The interior is excellently preserved and the colors have kept the original liveliness allowing an excellent study of the very first Japanese lacquers (Namban) for export. It is the physical witness of the unique adventure of the very beginning of Japanese exports to Portugal, an important page of history for these 2 countries, then at their zenith. I found in a magazine of the 30's the photo of a Namban chest of the same shape, dated by the V&A end Muromachi beginning Momoyama. Approximate dimensions 40x40x45 cm. On the interior original paper printed. Some japanese caracters under and inside I don't know that's write but surely interesting.

Box and its tray in black lacquered wood decorated with bindweed in gold and silver powdered lacquer. Details of gold squares. Black interior. Nice finish. No signature. Japanese work from the end of the 19th century or the beginning of the 20th century, Meiji or Showa period. Good condition except for some wear on the corners visible in the photos. No catering.

lacquer sake cup, silver kinji lacquer background decorated with a procession in hira and taka maki-e. Red lacquered back. Signature. Edo or meiji period. D: 112mm H: 27mm. Good condition, a tiny chip on the foot visible on an enlarged photo.

Lacquered wood sake cup. Hira and Taka Maki-é gold powder decoration on a Kinji (gold powder) background depicting a procession. It seems that they are children in a cart.The roofing continues on the red lacquered back.Period 19th Edo or Meiji. Signature. Good condition except for a tiny chip on the edge visible on an enlarged photo. No restoration or repainting. D: 125mm H: 28mm

Very rare small silk holder in black and gold lacquered wood. Similar models but of normal size to carry kimono are not frequent but of this small size it is quite exceptional. I am not sure about the function, but as the object can be dismantled easily, I think it is a travel silk stand, probably for towels. The decoration of gold powder tendrils on a black lacquer background surrounds the Mon of 2 families which leads me to believe that this silk holder was a wedding gift. The mounts are made of incised copper and hot gilded with mercury and gold powder. Mid Edo period around 1800 or earlier. Good condition, no missing or replaced parts. A few small chocs and wear usual for an object that is 200 years old. Some chipped roiro lacquer on the top bar, visible on picture. 68x58x24cm.

Inro 4 cases.Peonies in mother-of-pearl inlaid on a brown lacquered ground and gold dust. Japan earlier Edo 17th century.It is rare to find inros from this period, they are probably the first to have been created. The lacquer is dark red-brown, almost black, it is very solid and despite the shocks and more than three centuries of handling it has not chipped at all. The mother-of-pearl is also well preserved and there is only a tiny lack due to a direct impact. It is a good example of the solidity of the lacquers of this period which will weaken thereafter from the 18th century. It would seem that the brown background is in pure Urushi, with no or very little added pigment, which would explain the solidity. The reliefs are in lacquer of a redder shade and they too appear to be in pure urushi. Pure urushi can have several shades, either because of its extraction or because of the speed of drying. The gold powder has been partially worn as can be seen on the photo, but this enhances the aesthetics of the work of art. These simple and powerful inros are not appreciated at their fair value, amateurs preferring very sophisticated works from late periods. 70x65mm No repairs, normal wear, very small accidents, all visible on the photos.

Black lacquer box decorated with butterflies and flowers in red, green and yellow lacquer. Detail in powdered gold lacquer and kirikane (small gold square.) Curiously there are only 2 elements in yellow lacquer, a butterfly and a flower. No signature. Good condition, no restoration. Slight wear and tear for a 19th century lacquer. I think that the drawer knobs have been replaced because they are simple and in copper alloy while the other mounts are in white metal which is probably silver. Approximate dimensions: 35x20x20cm Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Drawer box (kodansu). The exterior is entirely covered with vegetable fiber basketry surrounding reserves in the shape of fans in silver and gilded copper, chiselled with birds and flowers. The interior is soberly lacquered in black (roiro) and bears powdered Chinese characters. or who must indicate the name of the artist, the date of creation and other marks of appreciation, wishes or wishes? Silver handle and mounts. Japan early 20°, Meiji period or perhaps Taisho. Excellent condition, no restorations. There are a few examples of this type of basketwork in the form of trays or simple boxes, but kodansu are rare. Large arround 16cm.

The Soma-Da school invented this style at the beginning of the 18th century. The color of the lacquer and the energetic design of the horses lead us to date this inro to the end of the 18th century. Below is glued a label referring to the prestigious collection of Doctor Mène which was dispersed in 1913 in Paris. This collection created around 1880 contained only exceptional objects. It must be possible to check in the catalogs of the sale.Good general condition, slight usual wear for a bicentenary lacquer. Small lack of mother-of-pearl inlays visible on the forehead of a horse. No restaure.82x63mm

Suzuribako in roiro lacquer decor of a setting sun behind the waves in red and gold lacquer. Inside a couple of gold lacquer cranes on a nashiji background. Edo period 19th century or before. Good condition, no repairs. Normal use wear for this period. Very interesting subject. Dimensions about 21x21 cm

Lacquered wood sake cup. Hira and Taka Maki-é gold powder decoration on a KinJi (gold powder) background, différents kind of nashiji, détails in red,brown and reddish brown, the reverse in red lacquer. Depicting a curious scene of mother and childs in front of a toys shop. Epoque Edo. Signature. Best quality surely a great artist and very amusing and curious scène as you can see there are some toys, ducks, boats ,evil but what's this water machine? I don't know ,somebody perhaps know? .Good condition, no restoration or repainting. D: 137mm H: 32 mm.

Wooden lectern covered with black lacquer, decorated with Japanese seignorial emblems (Mon) with gold powder. The emblems are treated in three different versions, all three of excellent lacquer quality in a very elegant style. The lectern can be dismantled into 4 parts, the box, the drawer, the top and the axis, the elements are assembled using mercury-gilded copper frames, which are finely chiseled with scrolls of stylized plants on a nanako background. This simple “Mon” decor but of superb discreet quality makes us think that this lectern dates from the first part of the Edo period, probably from the beginning of the 18th century or even the end of the 17th century. Japanese lecterns are very rare. Note the details of the emblems in the enlarged photos. Good condition. No catering. No re-lacquering. Usual wear visible on photos. 57x44x31cm.

Cabinet in black lacquered wood. Decor of plants in gilding and mother-of-pearl inlay. The mounts are incised and gilded copper. Two doors conceal a series of drawers and a small door. The small handles of the drawers are in cast bronze as well as the handles. On the top is represented in mother-of-pearl Mount Fuji partly concealed by clouds. This type of lacquer called "Namban" was manufactured in Japan for export at the beginning of the 17th century, either at the end of Momoyama or at the very beginning of Edo. The lacquer has held up well, it has cracks, blisters and shrinkages that are typical of its venerable great age of 4 centuries. There is no restoration, no repainting. As always on this type of coffer, the base was added, probably in Europe. The gilding of the mounting is worn on the front but still beautiful on the sides, corners and inside. Some mother-of-pearl inlays are missing. 46x38x30cm.

Lacquered wooden box inlaid with gold, silver and mother-of-pearl mosaic, typical work of the famous Somada family of Japanese lacquerers. The box is made up of two superimposed parts which are partially covered by a surprisingly openwork lid, largely revealing the sides. Inside there is a small tray. The preciousness of this box is matched only by its fragility; however, it is in a perfect state of conservation, which is exceptional. there is no artist signature, the Somada family very rarely signed their works. The technique of gold lacquer which covers the feet is particular and was only used exceptionally by Japanese lacquerers because it is very fragile, it is a gold powdering left without a final layer of urushi, which offers the granite appearance of native gold. 80x80x75mm. In a perfect state. Slight insignificant wear under the feet.

Small gold lacquer tray, magnificent example of kirikane and multiple lacquer technical and multiple lacquering techniques. Absolutely exceptional quality, very rarely encountered. Presence of small details in mother of pearl. I think it must have been part of a set, most probably inside a box? But it is possible that it was created alone. Perfect state of conservation. Difficult to date exactly, I would say around 1800. Dimensions 105x80mm.

Small box of drawers in gold and silver lacquer background imitating tortoise shell. The decor is composed of volutes and phoenixes in light relief (Taka Maki-e) of gold and silver powders, mosaic detail of inlaid solid gold and silver tiny squares (kirikane). By transparency one distinguishes under the tortoiseshell the reflections of gold leaf. The fittings are finely chiseled with volutes. There is one phoénix by panels, inside some Mon are on the drawers. Difficult to date with exactitude because no signature.Edo périod (17th-19th) The simplicity of the decor reminds me of the 18th century. Approximate dimensions 11 x 8 x 9 cm. Some kirikane missing. The lacquer is split at the lacquer junctions. There are small shocks visible on photos, no restoration. It is very rare to find Japanese beautifull lacquers like this one,a box of similar technique is housed in the Metropolitan Museum, however several dishes are known but all are of very poor quality and were intended for export.There are very nice Japanese lacquer imitations of this type of tortoiseshell background and it is almost impossible to see any difference.

Exceptional example of a very old Japanese bronze. This type of lacquered bronze of the best quality is extremely rare. We only know a handful. This is the Mule of Toba in cast bronze, lacquered in red and cream. The animal is represented lowering its head. His rider, Toba has disappeared. Note the elegance of the movement, the strength but also the humor that emerges from this sculpture, this is the unique work of a great sculptor. Having no known reference dated with certainty, it is impossible to give a precise date, but the patina of the bronze is similar to the patinas of Chinese bronzes from the Ming period, i.e. 15°-16° century. In addition, a pagoda of absolutely identical technique shows windows in the shape of bells typically from the Momoyama period, around 1600. We believe that this mule is from this period, i.e. end 16° beginning 17°. But it could be much earlier.Perfect condition.28cm x 22cm