A JAPANESE LACQUER SUZURIBAKO (WRITING BOX AND COVER)

A JAPANESE LACQUER SUZURIBAKO (WRITING BOX AND COVER)
TAISHO OR LATER, 20TH CENTURY

Of typical rectangular shape, the cover decorated with gold, silver and red lacquer hiramaki-e on the black roiro lacquer ground, with a pair of chickens in a garden, one a large rooster with long tail feathers standing on a war drum, the instrument decorated with scrolling clouds and stylised dragons; the inside in gold nashiji with a metal suiteki (water dropper) and an inkstone, 4.5cm x 21.2cm x 25.2cm; in a tomobako wood box. (3)

Provenance: an English private collection, Somerset, purchased in Japan.

In Japanese lore, a chicken on a drum is a symbol of peace as a war drum fallen into disuse, becomes a perch for a cockerel.