406 - A MATCHED LACQUER SET: A SUZURIBAKO AND RYŌSHI BUNKO

A MATCHED LACQUER SET: A SUZURIBAKO AND RYŌSHI BUNKO Japan, dated Taishō 4 (1915) A matched pair comprising a suzuribako (writing box) and its larger companion, a ryōshi bunko (paper document box), the decoration executed directly onto the bare wood (kiji maki-e, 木地蒔絵) — the natural wood grain left exposed throughout, with horizontal bands of sprinkled gold powder suggestive of drifting mist (kasumi) applied over it. The lid of the suzuribako is decorated in takamakie with a spray of chrysanthemums (kiku) and their foliage, the petals rendered in silver and pewter-toned lacquer against gilt leaves, shown in full flower and in bud, the chrysanthemum decoration continuing en suite across the sides of the box. The interior houses a rectangular inkstone (suzuri) and a brush resting on a plain wood brush-rest, set against the same gold-misted wood ground. The lid of the ryōshi bunko is decorated with a flowering plum branch (ume), its blossoms and petals inlaid in mother-of-pearl (raden), the sinuous branch rendered in dark lacquer against the same misted ground, continuing the visual theme of the pair at a larger scale. The interior of the lid bears a waka poem inscribed in black ink, set against the same kasumi ground, signed Seibi Saku. The set is accompanied by its original wooden storage box (tomobako), inscribed in ink 料紙文庫 硯箱 ("ryōshi bunko, suzuribako") and dated 大正四年十月 (Taishō 4, October — i.e. October 1915), with a further notation reading 壹具 ("one set"). Letter box：L: 41.5cm W: 32.3cm H: 14.5cm writing box：L: 28cm W: 22.2cm H: 6.7cm Has cracks. Tomobako (artist-inscribed box) Japan, Taisho 4 (1915)