AN UNUSUAL JAPANESE SUZURIBAKO (WRITING BOX)

AN UNUSUAL JAPANESE SUZURIBAKO (WRITING BOX)
EDO PERIOD, 18TH CENTURY

Shaped as half a war drum covered with ivy leaves and tendrils, rendered in gold hiramaki-e, kanagai, and maki-bokashi on a black roiro ground; the reverse of the lid with two chickens; two inner trays, a silver receptable for the mizusashi and a rectangular ink stone to the inside, 11.5cm x 18cm x 20cm. (6)

In Japanese lore, a chicken on a drum is a symbol of peace as a war drum fallen into disuse becomes a perch for the bird.