A gold-lacquer sagejubako (portable picnic set)


Edo period (1615-1868) or Meiji era (1868-1912), mid-late 19th centuryComprising a rectangular frame fitted with a silver handle and with an open fitted shelf towards the top, the frame containing a rectangular four-tiered box and lid, lacquered on the exterior with bands of geometric, lozenge, hanabishi-mon (flowery-diamond) and floral motifs between nashiji, the cover with a pair of mandarin ducks perched on a rocks in a winding stream, the stepped bottom shelf supporting a gold-lacquer rounded rectangular sake ewer embellished in gold takamaki-e with bamboo stems around the sides and a sprig of chrysanthemums on the top surface, resting above an open area containing ten red-lacquer rectangular trays, each decorated in gold takamaki-e with five sprays of yukizasa (Maianthemum japonicum), the upper shelf of the frame supporting one square tray lacquered with a group of karako (Chinese boys) chasing insects in a garden and a second deep rectangular tray depicting a flock of plovers flying over a boat moored beside wind-swept reeds, the sides of the frame in the form of bamboo stalks, the decoration of the top of the frame with a large carp leaping above turbulent waters, unsigned; with a lacquered wooden storage box, titled Take no moyo tesage bento (Portable picnic box with bamboo design), the interior of the lid with an old Japanese collector's label.Overall: 29.8cm x 29.2cm x 17.5cm (11¾in x 11½in x 6 7/8in). (21).
|ProvenanceAccording to the owners, this was a gift bestowed by the Dowager Empress of Japan on their grandmother and mother (who was a friend of Prince Chichibu at Cambridge) when they visited Japan and were presented at the Imperial court in 1926.