Kajikawa

Edo period 18th / 19th century

1615-1868

Inro

Four case inro of rectangle form on a rich roiro ground. Two figures are in gold takamakie and the third is etched into the inro and filed with gold lacquer with an interior in nashiji.

The figures that can be seen on the front are Daikokuten and Bishamonten, on the reverse is Hotei with children. Hotei and Daikokuten are playing the game Go while being watched by Bishamonten who is the lucky god of war and battles. Bishamonten is watching over with his furious posture taking the game very seriously while Hotei and Daikokuten and laughing and drinking. There is a sake bottle below the game board with the words of longevity on it.

There is an inro previously from the W. L. Behrens Collection that has the same design by the artist Koryusi. It is well known that lacquer artists would make copies of popular pieces from older examples. Sometimes they would sign with the original creator's names in honour of them or in this case sign with their own.

Signed Kajikawa with gold kao

Size 69mm x 68mm

Ojime

Red coral bead

Anonymous

Late Edo period, 18/19th century

1615-1868

Inro

Four-case inro on a Roiro ground, gold, silver takamakie with details of kirigane and e-nashiji and aogai leaves. The interior is nashiji and red lacquer. Design of a wooden framed pen under a Paulownia tree. The paulownia tree is prized in Japan for its beauty but most of all the use of its timber.

Unsigned

80mm x 50mm

Anonymous

Meiji period, 19th century

1868-1912

Inro

Seven intricate flower motifs depicting different flowers. Intricate mixed metalwork in copper, silver, gold, shakudo, and shibuichi on a solid silver case using iroe takazogan technique. Each depicting a different flower praised in Japan. On one side is the Amaryllis, Peony, and Futaba-Aoi and on the other Peach blossom, Narcissus, Camellia, and Apricot blossom. The flowers follow the seasons of the year in their order.

Unsigned

Attributed to Nobutsune

50mm x 40mm

Ojime

Gold Bead, flowers with grass hopper.

Anonymous

Late Edo period, 18/19th century

1615-1868

Inro

Four-case inro in a dense gold leaf individually laid hirame ground border, with silver lacquer frame around an inner panel of fundame ground with gold and silver takamakie chrysanthemums and bamboo poles. A nashiji interior.

Unsigned

88mm x 63mm

Ojime

Copper bead with inlayed flowers and birds.

Anonymous

Edo period mid-19th century

1615-1868

Inro

A three-section lacquer inro depicting a dove or pigeon perching on a branch. Gold hiramakie and takamakie with aogai shell and kirigane inlay on a roiro ground. An inro from the Museo Orientale in Venice has an almost identical design on a red lacquer ground.

Pigeons are thought of as the attendants of the deity Hachiman. In Japan, pigeons have been venerated as sacred birds at Hachiman shrines since ancient times and are loved by many. Pigeons and doves are often found in Japanese art, especially in paintings.

Unsigned

Size 74mm x 64mm

Mincho

Late Edo period, 18/19th century

1615-1868

Inro

Four-case inro of upright form and rectangular section, the ground of simulated wood grain (mokume) in grades of nashiji, lacquered on either side with Noh masks representing youth and old age in gold and slight-coloured takamakie, the interior of nashiji.

Signed Mincho

80mm x 60mm

Ojime

Red coral bead.

Anonymous

Late Edo period, 18/19th century

1615-1868

Inro

Five-case inro in very high relief, on a black roiro ground with gold and silver takamakie with details of Kirigane. The interior in nashiji. A dammed enclosure with an open sluice gate with rushing waves. On the surface water, two birds swim with one flying over high.

Unsigned Attributed to Kajikawa

97mm x 45mm

Ojime

Mixed metal bead

Kajikawa
Late Edo period, 18/19th century
1750-1868

Three-case inro on a rounded eight-sided design, using a rich roiro ground. A wide range of colours has been used for the plumage of the birds in takamakie. Aogai inlay has been used for leaves and feathers with hiramakie details and kirigane highlights have been used on the rocks. On one side a Ho-o bird is in flight surrounded by clouds and on the reverse is what seems to resemble a parrot but is more likely to be a depiction of a female Ho-o bird, in Chinese painting of the Han dynasty it was common to depict a male and female phoenix pair together. The strong similarity in plumage colours would suggest this. The interior is gyobu lacquer lining consisting of large flakes of gold leaf.

Signed Kajikawa, after the painter Ko Hogen with gold seal.

82mm x 62mm

This inro was previously owned by George Herbert Naunton, one of the most well-known collectors of Japanese art around the beginning of the 20th century and best known for his large tsuba collection. The inro was published in JAPANESE ART & HANDICRAFT by Henri L. Joly & Kumasaku Tomita in 1915, a catalogue of exhibited items collected from the biggest collectors of Japanese art at the time including pieces from the royal collection. The exhibition was to raise funds for the Red Cross Charity during WWI. This inro is listed as number 52. Plate XCVIII and is described to have been previously owned by the Daimyo of Izumi and brought in to Europe in 1905.