THE JAPANESE COLLECTION

Koma Kyuhaku four case inro.

L4

A four case Inro decorated in hiramakie on a roiro ground with Rosei dreaming, his fan inlaid with very thin, but lively, aogai to show the face behind. The reverse depicting the subject of his dream, a court procession, all in togidashi.

Signed: Koma Kyuhaku
Provenance: Christies
Published: Item 320 (inro) 'In Search of Netsuke and Inro' by George A. Cohen.
Dimensions: 8.5cm long x 6cm wide

There were six successive generations of the Koma family of lacquerers using the name Kyuhaku, from the end of the 17th through the 19th century. The subect, the dream of Rosei, was a favourite of them all and the present example probably dates from the early part of the 19th century.

Ojime: Carved layers of black, yellow and red lacquer with mountain landscape.

Netsuke: A wood netsuke of a man drawing a sword from its scabbard, the sword in steel is revealed when the scabbard is moved.  (NL4)  
Japan, late 18th century
Signed: Minko, Tsu