Golden Treasures: Japanese Gold Lacquer Boxes - Erik Thomsen

4Autumn Tea CaddyAnonymous lacquer artistMeiji period (1868 –1912), 19th centuryH 2 ½" × D 3 ½"(6.1 cm × 8.6 cm)Tea caddy in the hiranatsume wide form with adécor of an autumn night scene with five insectsamong fall flowers and grasses by a stream. Theflowers and rocks are executed in takamakie raisedlacquer sprinkled with powders of silver and goldin several hues; additionally many surfaces are inlaidwith a mosaic of kirigane gold foil squares; theinsects are in black takamakie lacquer with fine details,and the river is formed by stylized lines inhiramakie gold lacquer. The cover is sprinkled inbokashi gold powder, gradating from solid goldon the side to no gold on the dark-brown lacquertop. The inside and bottom surfaces are decoratedwith a dense layer of fine nashiji gold flakes.The tea caddy comes with its original fitted kiriwoodbox, which is lacquered on all surfaces withtamenuri and wrapped with a protective silk cloth.10