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Japanese 19th Century Miniature Lacquer Chest with Waterfall

$38,000
£28,197.47
€32,846.19
CA$52,896.28
A$58,904.77
CHF 30,656.68
MX$726,288.76
NOK 390,436.26
SEK 366,972.24
DKK 245,073.36
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About the Item

Japanese 19th century miniature lacquer chest with waterfall. Late Edo to early Meiji period lacquer chest (mid to late 19th century) with two characters on the front reading Nuno and Biki. Nunobiki Waterfall, one of the few holy waterfalls in Japan, is located between Kobe and Osaka, and was often mentioned in poems throughout history. This chest displays expert examples of various lacquer techniques rendering a continuous scene of Nunobiki 360 degrees around the entire box. A beautiful use of gold including large pieces of gold heart shaped leaves falling, and a gold speckled ground suggesting mist from the falls. Bronze hardware is incised with motifs of flowing water and fish. An incredible example of lacquer mastery. Comes in a lacquer storage box which is lined with washi paper. Famous poem was written by Kujo Kanezane, a 12th century aristocrat: "Climbing the sandy mountain where the god that rules / water resides in Ashino ya (the place where there are lots of reeds) / oh, I stumble in to Nunobiki falls."
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 15 in (38.1 cm)Width: 14.5 in (36.83 cm)Depth: 9.25 in (23.5 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    Mid-Late 19th Century
  • Condition:
    Most items that are 100 years old have been cleaned or polished in their lifetime. More involved restorations are mentioned in the above description. For a detailed condition report and a video of this item please contact us directly. -Naga Antiques.
  • Seller Location:
    Hudson, NY
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: A51901stDibs: LU855122045872

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