Lacquer Information Sought

[hddennis]

Inherited this lacquer box from an elderly Japanese woman years ago. I know she always cherished it and her father was one of the first dealers in the West to sell Japanese antiques so I've always thought this was something special. It measures 2 5/8 inches by 1 1/2 inches. Am I correct in my thought that these are representations of Mons? Any idea of age and possible usage? Thanks in advance for any ideas or thoughts.

Howard Dennis

 

[ROKUJURO]

Very nice!

AOI leaves and HANABISHI are indeed found in MON (no plural "s"), but in this case I am not sure. It could also be meant for decoration only.
If your measurements are correct, the box is tiny! Perhaps for incense (KÔGO)? Or OKASHI?

[hddennis]

ROKUJURO, Thanks so much for the response. Yes, those are the correct measurements. 

 

 

[SteveM]

Medicine/pill box, is my guess. The hanabishi on the sides look like a mon (shippo-ni-hanabishi). The aoi mon on the top look like decoration, but could be an allusion to a crest.

 

https://irohakamon.c...ppounihanabishi.html

[hddennis]

SteveM, Thanks for your response and very informative link.

 

Howard Dennis

[Matsunoki]

Howard, the generic term for your box is “kobako” ie small box. Looking at the condition and decoration it is most likely  early Meiji but good quality. I do not think the decoration is intended to specifically represent family  kamon. When “pure”  kamon are used on lacquer the intent is much more obvious ie they use actual Mon with no ambiguity. However having said that, at that time the use of kamon in art became a very loose matter for example Imperial and Government kamon were plastered over all sorts of things that had no connection to actual original affiliations.
Your brocade or diaper pattern designs together with natural subjects were often used on lacquer from this period. If you search Bonhams past lots for kobako you will find many to compare in a great variety of shapes, designs and techniques. These boxes  probably did not have a specific purpose beyond just a pretty useful little box more likely used by the ladies of the period be they Merchant or Samurai. (Merchant is far more likely although like many things at that time….they appealed greatly to the early Gaijin)
 

[hddennis]

Matsunoki, Thank you for that response. The woman who owned this, Fujiko Matsumoto,  was desended from Samurai hierarchy and I always thought that had something to do with her love of this but I also know she lost her mother at a very early age and this may have been one of her last connections with her mother. Oh how I wish I had asked more about it's past.

 

Howard Dennis