A GOLD-LACQUER KODANSU (MINIATURE CABINET)
Taisho era (1912-1926), early 20th century
With a hinged door opening to reveal four drawers, constructed with rounded chiri-i ledges to each edge and with silvered-metal hinges, door catch, and carrying handle, the exterior decorated in gold and aokin hiramaki-e and takamaki-e over a polished gold kinji lacquer ground with embellishments of okibirame gold-foil mosaic, depicting wisteria branches, leaves, and blossoms, the reverse of the door and the drawer fronts decorated in similar techniques on a polished black roiro ground densely sprinkled with gold and silver hirame flakes, depicting butterflies, a stream, and spring plants including katabami (woodsorrel), cherry blossom, plum blossom, sugina (horsetail), and tanpopo (dandelion), unsigned
8 1/4 × 9 5/8 × 6 15/16in (20.9 × 24.4 × 17.6cm)