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

Details

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, kirigane and togidashi on 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 shakudo Tokugawa crest, base and interior of lid on fine nashiji ground; with silver rims
10 3/8 x 9 5/8 x 1 7/8 in. (26.4 x 24.4 x 4.8 cm.)
With lacquer and wooden boxes

Provenance

Tokugawa Tokumatsu (1679-1683)
Zuishun’in (1658-1738)
Seiyo (18th century), the 5th chief priest of the Konbuin Temple, Nara Prefecture

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Takaaki Murakami (村上高明) Vice President, Specialist and Head of Department | Korean Art

tmurakami@christies.com +1 212 636 2160

Lot Essay

This deluxe writing box depicting the Queen Mother of the West (Seiobo) and her attendants on top, is thought to be dated from late 17th- early 18th century. Once owned by the son of fifth Tokugawa shogun, Tokumatsu, 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.

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