Japanese Boxes, We Like?

[Bugyotsuji]

Here is a drawered cabinet I bought for my daughter as a tool box about 20 years ago, but she has not yet been able to claim it yet. (Small problem of shipping.)

During a giant spring clean last week, it appeared out of the rat's nest!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bugyotsuji]

And the drawers…

 

 

[robinalexander]

That seems an unusual 'painted'(?) finish Piers?

 

Looks rather brightish orange.  Is it traditional.....old finish or more recent?

Rob

[Bugyotsuji]

57 minutes ago, robinalexander said:

That seems an unusual 'painted'(?) finish Piers?

 

Looks rather brightish orange.  Is it traditional.....old finish or more recent?

Rob

Agreed. Possibly an attempt to make it look like Negoro-nuri, red over black. This was exactly how I saw it an an early morning antiques market in Fukuyama long ago. Despite the funky colour, I rather liked it! 

[Robert S]

I picked this up at the recent Bonham's auction - late 19th century Japanese lacquer box, about 3 inches across the longer direction, showing an autumn wind in a forest at almost unimaginable levels of detail.  The craftsmanship is completely stunning.

 

Robert S.

[John C]

12 minutes ago, Robert S said:

Japanese lacquer box

Is that hand painted or appliqué?

 

John C.

[Robert S]

Hand painted as far as I can see...

 

Robert S

[John C]

Nice! We collect Russian lacquer boxes and have some with that level of detail, however they aren't antique.

 

John C.

[Matsunoki]

Beautiful quality box. Meiji period lacquer can be staggering quality and imo is vastly undervalued given the degree of artistry and mind boggling skill involved. 

[Ironheart]

Both the Japanese and Chinese have always been some of the best in their craftmanship. ( even a simple box )  Everything is made with a special artistic flare to it!  Even the weaponry has such artistic  special oooomph!  quality!  

 

Heritage Auction is having an upcoming auction of Woodblock art on September 25, 2024.   I was there the day this one Asian man came in with a huge Trailer full of both Japanese, Korean, Chinese woodblock and Jade carved snuff bottles and pottery!!!  He let me hold some....they were stunning!  

 

I have several pottery vases by Hamada Shoji which were modern, traditional and some transitional mixed together lending unique vases or bowls.  When I get in storage I will find try to take some photos of the other pieces. This is a photo of one I got via Heritage Auctions but they never sent the box it came in which is supposed to be with all his works-his boxes are art piece in it as well.   A great number of the swordsmiths in the Meiji period turned to rendering their art in numerous examples.  I have some Incense urns etc. Photo #2 is a vase with a Dragon holding a marble representing the Earth. This one is from the Taisho Period (1912-1926)  # 3 and #4 are a very large Incense Urn/Censor from early Meiji Period (  DETAIL OF THE DRAGONS ARE AWESOME )  # 5 is of a bowl and vase displayed at the Dallas Museum of Fine Arts post WW2.    BTW works by Hamada Shoji range from 5K to 50K.   #6  I also wanted to show a painting by a local artist named Sasha Jones who lives here in Texas.

 

 

[Shogun8]

Did a little bit of reorganizing today and pulled these out...all from jizai okimono.

Edited January 17 by Shogun8

[Bugyotsuji]

Sweet tomobako, and one looks like a nijūbako double box. Dare we ask to see the jizai, or is there a better thread for them somewhere?
 

That reminds me to update this thread myself. I’ve come into possession of some nice bits over the last year or two.

[Shogun8]

Piers, which one looks like a nijūbako?

[Bugyotsuji]

On 1/19/2026 at 12:17 AM, Shogun8 said:

Piers, which one looks like a nijūbako?

Top left, John, looks like the outer box of two nesting boxes.

[Viper6924]

When a tomobako looks like this, you know it holds something good

The box itself is a work of art. Just look at the beautifully executed corners of the box as well as the lid. Even the wooden peg is cut to follow the contour of the box.

 

Jan

[Shogun8]

Hi Jan,

 

Beautiful box indeed! Ok, I'll bite - what's inside?

[Bugyotsuji]

It says something aout a wall vase, a Kake-hana-ire from Iga or in Iga style? 

Lovely old box.

[Viper6924]

You have sharp eyes, Piers  Yes it’s indeed a Kake-hana-ire or hanging vase from Iga. It’s dated to the early Edo period. It recently came out of a very prestigious tea collection. 

It comes with a brushed inscription done by the 11th head master of the Omotesenke school done in 1880, so I guess the tomobako comes from that occation.

It’s a stunning vase that forces the viewer to take his/her time studying the keshiki or ”features”. And there are many to enjoy as you can clearly see from this picture.

A fine vase in a fine box  

 

Jan

Edited March 10 by Viper6924

[Viper6924]

Whilst preparing to arrange some flowers in this vase, I took a picture of the ring at the back.

That’s ”mono no aware” if you ask me

 

Jan

[John C]

I've posted this on another thread (cultural refreshments) with a little more explanation, however I thought I would add a pic on this thread as well. A suzuri-bako I built to match an old door I bought.

 

John C. 

[Bugyotsuji]

It kind of has the same spirit as this old box, the one with which I started this thread…

 

[Bugyotsuji]

And in a more concentrated form on a ‘funa-dansu’ ship’s safe, designed with a heavy front so that it would float door-down (relatively watertight) should the sailing ship sink.

 

These were expensive (for me on my salary) about 20 years ago but they’re a tenth of the price nowadays. I had a set of keys made for it, and one day about 10 years ago I found an old drum lock that fitted it perfectly.

 

[John C]

5 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

These were expensive (for me on my salary) about 20 years ago but they’re a tenth of the price nowadays. I had a set of keys made for it, and one day about 10 years ago I found an old drum lock that fitted it perfectly.

Nice! Fortunately, my door came with a key so no issues there. But I had always assumed the drum locks were used  primarily in China. Thanks for the info.

6 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

the one with which I started this thread

Wish I had seen it before designing mine. I would have copied it!!!! (just kidding, of course)

 

John C.

[Bugyotsuji]

Not sure about the China angle John, but I think most of the old locks with a sprung prong key that we find were common throughout Asia. As to my made-up word ‘drum’, perhaps ‘cylindrical’ padlock might have been a better expression.(?) Such external locks and keys are of course another collecting field about which I know close to nothing. 
 

The funa-dansu safe was missing all four of the keys including the internal ones so I was happy when a locksmith agreed to make me a set.

 

You have done a really neat job on your suzuribako, John, something to be proud of.