Beautiful example of an 18th Japanese suzuribako (calligraphy box) made with a gold maki-e lacquer scene of huts near a mountain stream. The interior of the box holds rests for brushes and a compartment for an ink stone as well as a small silver water dropper. The entire inside including the underside of the lid is covered in a lovely dense nashiji (fine gold flakes suspended in clear lacquer) with young pine branches in maki-e lacquer. The larger image on the underside of the lid is of a Japanese red sun caught in the branches of a new pine. Very good original condition.

Age: Edo Period (18th century)

Dimensions: 10" long x 8 7/8" wide x 2" high