Lacquer box, kogo (box for the incense ceremony) and wooden box. Box, lacquer embellished with mother of pearl. Rectangular box with rounded corners, a seated lid (A) and heavy rims, possibly of lead alloy (maybe silver or pewter). The gold sunago ground (fine gold powder used for highlighting pictures) is decorated with the Bridge of Uji in gold heidatsu (cut sheet gold applied to a lacquer base). A willow tree and a pine tree grow on either side of the balustraded bridge. A jakago (woven baskets filled with stones to strengthen the banks of the river) is positioned in the lower right-hand corner of the lid and decorated in aogai (small pieces of blue-green inlaid shell). There are kirikane clouds (`cut gold', metal foil cut to various shapes and individually set into a lacquer ground often as a mosaic). The design is repeated in a similar technique around the sides of the box and lid depicting the river, jakagos, pine and willow trees. The inside of the box, the mikayeshi (inside of the lid) and the base are covered all over with autumn plants and herbs in gold togidashi (technique in which the design is covered with several layers of lacquer and polished until the design reappears flush with the ground) and nashiji (shimmering spangles). The kogo fits into a protective wooden box (B) covered with brown lacquer on the outside and inner rim, and tied with a beige and blue striped woven ribbon. Beneath the two pads of wadding is a small Japanese paper bag with undeciphered kana script containing cloves.
History note: Purchased at Messrs. Glendining and Co. Ltd. Sale, Catalogue of the very Important Collection of Japanese Works of Art formed by the late Mr. Harry Seymour Trower, Days of Sale Monday 31 March 1913 - Monday 7 April 1913, Lot 1278 (Day of sale Friday 4 April 1913).
Height: 3.7 cm
Length: 9.0 cm
Width: 7.5 cm
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1947) by Raphael, Oscar C.
Meiji Period (1868-1912)
20th Century, Early
Production date:
circa
AD 1900
Rims
composed of
lead alloy
( or possibly pewter or silver)
Protective Box
composed of
wood (plant material)
Inlay
composed of
mother-of-pearl
Decoration
composed of
shell (animal material)
foil
Lacquering : Box, lacquer embellished with mother of pearl, rounded corners, possibly of lead alloy, silver or pewter, decorated in heidatsu (cut sheet gold applied to a lacquer base), kirikane (`cut gold', metal foil cut to various shapes and individually set into a lacquer ground often as a mosaic), aogai (small pieces of blue-green inlaid shell), togidashi (technique in which the design is covered with several layers of lacquer and polished until the design reappears flush with the ground) and nashiji (shimmering spangles)
Inscription present: rectangular piece of paper
Inscription present: circular sticky white label, 'O.5-1947 Raphael Bequest 1941' in blue ink and 'O1.' on the reverse
Inscription present: rectangular white label with blue border, 'OCR' above Chinese characters meaning 'Harui Kogo'
Accession number: O.5 & A & B-1947
Primary reference Number: 24327
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Box" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/24327 Accessed: 2024-11-22 03:14:16
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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/24327
|title=Box
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 03:14:16|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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