Description: Lacquer box with a very deep lid; the painted decoration against shiny black roironuri has stylized blossoms and leafed tendrils with gold and silver. Inside are two removable stacks of 100 cards each, the cards 8.3 x 5.5 cm, inside cloth bags with golden floral decoration. These utagaruta (“poem cards”) were played in January. One of the stacks contains the first half of poems from the “Hundred Poets”, while the other stack contains the second half of these poems. The game consisted of finding matching parts. The poems on these cards have been skillfully written in sosho calligraphy. These cards are special because all 100 poets have been painted on them, very finely and dressed in courtly clothing of the day, including ladies. This collection of tanka poems, also called hyakunin-isshu (“One Poem each from the Hundred Poets”) was compiled in the 13th century by Fujiwara Sadaie. Condition: Generally in good, complete condition - the lacquer worn and partially cracked, with minor damages on the edges Provenance: From a German private collection