Golden Treasures: Japanese Gold Lacquer Boxes - Erik Thomsen

10Double-Gourd Writing BoxChokusai 直 斎 (ac. early Shōwa period)Shōwa period (1926 – 89), 1930sH 3" × L 9 ¾" × W 3 ¾"(7.4 cm × 24.5 cm × 9.5 cm)Suzuribako writing box made from a natural gourdand decorated on the outside with a blossom ininlaid mother-of-pearl and with gourd leaves. Theleaves are formed in takamakie raised gold lacquer,silver lacquer, and inlaid pewter, with added finedetails in hiramakie gold lacquer. The inside andbottom are in black lacquer, while the rims are insilver lacquer. The pure silver suiteki water dropperis in a crescent-moon shape and the original suzuriink stone is highlighted with gold lacquer along thetop edges.The writing box comes with its original kiri-woodtomobako box; inscribed on the top of the lid is»Raden makie: hisago, kotobuki no nogi« (TheGourd: A Fleeting Moment in a Long Life; GoldLacquer with Mother-of-Pearl) and signed onthe reverse: »Made by Chokusai of Kyoto« witha red seal reading »seal mark of Chokusai.«22