A MATCHING SET OF SILVER-INLAID AND GOLD-LACQUERED SUZURIBAKO (BOX FOR WRITING UTENSILS) AND RYOSHIBAKO (DOCUMENT BOX)

Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early 20th century
Each of standard rectangular form with rounded chiri-i (edges), entirely covered with a gold, rich o-birame ground, decorated mainly in gold and slight coloured hiramaki-e, togidashi maki-e and takamaki-e with gold hirame, kinpun and kirikane details, the exterior of both the ryoshibako and suzuribako embellished with superimposed ogi (folding fans), the majority opened to reveal differently decorated leaves of famous landmarks, places including Sanjo Bridge and cherry blossoms at Mount Yoshino and buildings in landscape, geese and chidori in flight and windswept autumnal plants, the design continuing over the lid and sides of the base, the imitation ribs and guards of the fans inlaid in silver, the inside of the inrobuta (flush-fitting lid) of the ryoshibako lacquered in the same technique, with motifs from Hatsune (The First Warbler), Chapter 23 of the tenth-century novel Genji Monogatari (The Tale of Genji) showing a gilt-metal uguisu (bush warbler) perched on the balustrade of the veranda of the Rokujo Mansion surrounded by a lush garden and pond, reserved on a rich nashiji ground; the inside of the kabusebuta (overhanging lid) of the suzuribako bearing another motif from Genji Monogatari depicting a goshoguruma (courtier's ox drawn carriage) sheltered beneath a pine tree resting on its shafts on the banks of a meandering stream flanked by pine saplings and young plum, the design continuing to the inside of the box, fitted with a removable and sectioned ita (baseboard) with a central frame for the suzuri (ink-grinding stone) and a recess for the silver suiteki (water dropper) in the form of two plum blossoms, the implements comprising two fude (writing brushes) with covers, a kiri (awl for piercing sheets of paper), a tosu (paper knife) and a sumitori (ink-stick holder), the rims of both boxes edged in silver, both unsigned; the suzuribako with a black-lacquered tomobako storage box inscribed outside the lid Ogichirashi maki-e onsuzuribako (writing box with scattered fan design), the ryoshibako with a black-lacquered tomobako storage box similarly inscribed. The suzuribako: 4cm x 25cm x 22cm (1 9/16in x 9 13/16in x 8 9/16in); the ryoshikibako: 14.5cm x 40.5cm x 32.5cm (5¾in x 15 15/16in x 12 13/16in). (14).
This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: *
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