A fine lacquer suzuribako (writing box) Edo period (1615-1868), late 18th century The shallow, rectangular box with a kabusebuta (overhanging cover) decorated in iro-e hiramaki-e, hirame and nashiji with a variety of butterflies against a reddish-brown ground, the canted edges lacquered rogin-nuri, the interior decorated with a continuous design of Rosei's dream, the young man dozing on a platform bed on tsuishu-style legs, a fan of inlaid glass in front of his face revealing his dreamy expression, the dream vapors showing visions of butterflies, all in gold takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, togidashi maki-e, mura-nashiji, inlays of shell, and gold foil, the interior fitted with a rectangular inkstone and a silver water dropper cast as butterflies, set into a silver saucer, the rims rogin-nuri, signed on the underside of the cover Gyonen rokujusansai Shoryusai Tatsuei (Shoryusai Tatsuei at age 63), and with a red-lacquer jar seal 10 x 7 1/4 x 1 3/8in (25.4 x 18.4 x 3.5cm)