λ A COLLECTION OF JAPANESE LACQUER PIECES

λ A COLLECTION OF JAPANESE LACQUER PIECES
EDO/MEIJI, 18TH/19TH CENTURY

Comprising a lacquered emu egg kōbako (incense box), the side delicately embellished in gold and silver lacquer with chrysanthemum mon and scrolling tendrils, the inside fully lacquered in gold and the flat base with a paper collection label mentioning 'Liberty, July 78'; another small kōbako in the shape of a bird, its head resting on its back, realistically depicted in gold hiramaki-e lacquer, the inside with nashiji, another label underneath for 'Hewett, 19/7/77, C.CE'; another small box of circular shape, the cover decorated with three porcelain butterflies framing a mother of pearl inlay; a small aubergine-shaped tray with calligraphy and a sakazuki (sake cup) decorated with prunus flowers floating on the surface of a river, rendered in gold lacquer on the bright orange-red ground; 10.7cm. (8)

Provenance: from the collection of William Cleverley Alexander (1840-1916), and thence by descent. The lacquered egg mentioned in the Alexander Archive as having been purchased from Liberty's, July 1878, for £5, and the bird kōbako from Hewett, 19 July 1977, for £1.15.