A RARE LACQUER SMOKING SET (TABAKO BON) IN THE FORM OF A BOATJapan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912)The boat of typical form, the two masts on either end forming the handle of the smoking set, which like the deck is lacquered in imitation of wood grain, further with gold-lacquered ‘fittings’ and scrolling foliage. The deck is fitted with a kobako and cover bearing a roiro ground finely decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e with mura-nashiji to depict on the cover two huts under a towering pine tree with bundles of sticks, rakes, and baskets, all above crashing waves also painted on the sides, the interior of nashiji with gold fundame edges. The deck is further fitted with a two-compartment box holding a silver ash jar (hiire) with pierced cover and a silver box with hinged bamboo-form handle surmounted by a lacquer ‘thatched roof’ decorated with prunus sprays and bundles of sticks. The hull bearing a reddish-brown lacquered ground decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e and takamaki-e and silver inlays with imitation wood grain and waves crashing along the sides. The hull is further fitted with three drawers similarly decorated to the kobako with crashing waves and nashiji interiors. The underside of rich nashiji and fitted with four wheels.LENGTH 37.6 cm, HEIGHT 23.8 cmCondition: Good condition with minor wear, few small age cracks, few minor chips, minor old repairs, two drawers to the hull are rigid.Auction comparison: Compare a related lacquer smoking set modeled as a boat, also dated late 19th century, Meiji period, at Christie’s, 22 April 2015, New York, lot 76 (sold for 7,500 USD).