A JAPANESE THREE-CASE GOLD LACQUER INRO

A JAPANESE THREE-CASE GOLD LACQUER INRO

EDO OR MEIJI, 19TH CENTURY

Decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e, kirikane and takamaki-e with a continuous design of a farmer in a rice field observing six geese in flight, the man holding a long pole with a frayed banner at the top and a letter attached to it, one of the birds seemingly carrying another letter in its beak; with scrolling clouds above, and mountains in the distance, together with a coral ojime, the inro 5.9cm.

Provenance: an English private collection, Somerset, purchased in Japan.

The decoration on this inro may refer to the story of Sobu (Su Wu in Chinese), an official of the Han Emperor Wu, often depicted fastening a letter to the leg of a goose to send messages home whilst held captive by the Huns.