Golden Treasures: Japanese Gold Lacquer Boxes - Erik Thomsen

6Chrysanthemum Tea CaddyAkihide 明 秀 (ac. Meiji period)Meiji period (1868 –1912), 19th centuryH 2" × D 2 ¾"(4.9 cm × 6.7 cm)Elegant natsume tea caddy with a dense décor ofchrysanthemum and seasonal flowers by a bamboofence. The fine décor is in takamakie raised goldand silver lacquer with added details in red lacquerand in kirigane inlaid foil of gold and silver. Theinside has an unusual finish of sparsely sprinkledgold flakes on a kinji gold powder ground whilethe bottom has fine sprinkled nashiji gold flakes.»Akihide« is signed on the bottom in gold lacquerwith a red-lacquer seal mark reading the same.The tea caddy comes with a fitted kiri-wood box.14