Page 76 - 2021 March 16th Japanese and Korean Art, Christie's New York City

54 A MAGNIFICENT LACQUER WRITING BOX
(SUZURIBAKO)

EDO PERIOD (LATE 17TH-18TH CENTURY), SIGNED SHISEN AND SEALED

The rectangular box lavishly decorated in gold,
silver and polychrome lacquer takamaki-e,
hiramaki-e, kiriganeand togidashion okihirame
ground, exterior of top depicts Seiobo (Queen
Mother of the West) by a peach tree and
decorated with a poem in inlaid gold foil,
interior designed with deers rendering at
Kasuga mountain, inlaid silver waterfall with
incised details, moon by mountain of inlaid
gold, interior of base depicts pine, bamboo
and plum, edges with triple-hollyhock crest of
Tokugawa clan; fitted with silver saucer and gilt
bronze water dropper in the shape of torikabuto
(Bugaku performance helmet) with inlaid
shakudoTokugawa crest, base and interior of lid
on fine nashiji ground; with silver rims
10¡ x 9¬ x 1√ in. (26.4 x 24.4 x 4.8 cm.)
With lacquer and wooden boxes

$22,000-28,000

PROVENANCE: This deluxe writing box depicting the Queen Mother of
Tokugawa Tokumatsu (1679-1683) the West (Seiobo) and her attendants on top, is thought
Zuishun’in (1658-1738) to be dated from late 17th- early 18th century. Once
Seiyo (18th century), the 5th chief priest of the owned by the son of fifth Tokugawa shogun, Tokumatsu,
Konbuin Temple, Nara Prefecture this box was likely commissioned by Tokugawa family
for a special occasion. According to the inscription on
the box, this box was given to the chief priest of the
Kobuin temple in Nara by Zuishun’in, the concubine of
the fifth Tokugawa shogun as a gift. The Konbuin temple
is known for the collection of thirty one fukusa(silk
wrapping cloth) given by Zuishun’in in 1713.