387 - (R) A JAPANESE LACQUER CABINET (KODANSU), MEIJI PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

(R) A JAPANESE LACQUER CABINET (KODANSU), MEIJI PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 30 cm Wide 30 cm Depth 18 cm Weight: 3127 grams A compact Japanese lacquer cabinet, or kodansu, of rectangular form with paired doors above a broad lower drawer. The dark reddish-brown lacquer ground is decorated in gold and coloured lacquer with a rooster, bamboo, flowering plants and rocky landscape motifs, while the doors, corners and drawer are reinforced with engraved metal mounts, hinges and lock plates. Opening the doors reveals a fitted interior with multiple small drawers, each with shaped metal pulls and further floral decoration. Kodansu were designed for the organised storage of small personal objects and offered lacquer craftsmen an ideal format for combining pictorial surfaces with elaborate metal fittings and carefully arranged interiors. During the Meiji period such cabinets were produced both for Japanese use and for the expanding international market for highly finished decorative arts. The contrast between the restrained cabinet form, richly worked fittings and varied lacquer scenes gives the piece considerable visual interest from every side. Age-related wear, small losses and surface marks lend the work a distinctly timeworn character. For lots marked with (R), a 19% VAT is added to the combined hammer price and commission. This VAT is waived for: - Private buyers outside the EU who officially export the items.- Businesses inside the EU holding a valid VAT number, exporting to their home country. Proper export documentation is required to waive the VAT