Description A RED LACQUER NIMONO WAN (BOWL WITH COVER) AND A SMALL KOBACHI (DISH)Japan, first half of 20th century, Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa period (1926-1989)The covered bowl with straight sides rising from a spreading foot, decorated in gold hiramaki-e on a red lacquer ground with a small bird beside a stylized flower and leaves, the interior lacquered black, the small dish similarly decorated with a flying bird.DIAMETER 14.5 cm (the bowl) and 10.5 cm (the dish)Condition: Excellent condition with only minor surface wear.Provenance: Collection of Wivica Ankarcrona Borell (1935-2019). Her grandfather Sten Ankarcrona was a Swedish marine officer who came to Japan on a special mission in 1923, bringing back vast collections of Japanese art and decorating his summer house, creating first a Japanese garden and later a complete Japanese building as documented in Svenska Hem i ord och bild (Swedish Home in Words and Pictures) in 1928, providing a fascinating look at this golden age of European collecting. Their guest book contains the signature of the Swedish king Gustav VI Adolf as well as that of the Japanese crown prince, later Emperor Akihito.