λ TWO JAPANESE LACQUER BOXES AND A PIPE

λ TWO JAPANESE LACQUER BOXES AND A PIPE
MEIJI ERA (1868-1912), 19TH CENTURY

26cm max. (7)

From a private collection, Hampshire.

Ivory Act 2018 exemption certificate, ref. 3DPRYQRE

The tallest box with three tiers and a lid, decorated with a continuous water landscape; the side with Mount Fuji towering above an extensive landscape with sailboats; all rendered in gold hiramaki-e, kirikane and fundame lacquer, with two small inlaid quails to the side; the lid of the other box decorated with the old couple of the Takasago legend, holding rakes and observing a pine tree, a crane in flight above; the elderly figures depicted in gold and shakudo, applied on the gold lacquer ground; the sides with further cranes; together with a bamboo pipe, the mouthpiece and bowl also rendered in gold, copper and shakudo and decorated with figures, signed Tsunehisa/ Tsunetoshi underneath.

The Takasago legend tells the story of an elderly couple, Jō and Uba, who symbolize marital harmony and longevity.