Page 64 - Wolley & Wallace, July 1, 2020 Japanese Works of Art UK

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A FINE JAPANESE LACQUER INCENSE BOX, TRAY AND INNER COMPARTMENTS,
KOBAKO
MEIJI PERIOD, 19 CENTURY
TH
Shaped as five volumes of the Tale of Genji, decorated in gold and silver hiramaki-e, tamaki-e and
nashiji and with details in red lacquer, the cover bearing the tale’s title, Genji Monogatari, and with
rectangular panels enclosing shishi and dragons, the inner tray decorated with an ornate barge on a
meandering river next to a pavilion, a reference to chapter 24; the four smaller boxes underneath
with symbols of the four seasons: pomegranates (winter), iris (spring), chrysanthemum (autumn) and
morning glory (summer), the sides with geometric brocade patterns of aogai shell inlays, attributed
to the Zohiko studio, with tomobako wood box, 4.8cm x 9.9cm x 13cm. (11)
£8,000-12,000
Heronden Hall, Tenterden, Kent Provenance: from the collection of Heronden Hall, Tenterden, Kent.
See the Metropolitan Museum of Art, access. no.38.25.165a-c for another kobako shaped as five
volumes of the Tale of Genji. Also, Philadelphia Museum of Art, access. no.2010-44-1 for a related
accessory box, tebako, decorated with similar panels of dragons and shishi.

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