A handmade work of art for the Buddhist traveler. The elegant black and gold shrine was intended for Japanese taste and not for export.The wooden box frame that is light weight has been covered on the outside in black lacquer and on the inside in gold lacquer. The gilded metal mounts that are very ornate and show off very well against the plain black background. Even the hinges on the doors are ornate with gilt pins. The doors open outward and become a stage for the inner figures which would have been in the shrine. These are now absent. The open shrine is all aglow with gold lacquer. The floor of the inner shrine is a dark reddish brown. The base is black lacquered. The top of the shrine is slightly domed.There are no producer marks or labels.MEASUREMENTS 8 ??a€ (21.6 cm) tall x 6a€ (15.2 cm) wide x 5a€ (12.7 cm) deep. Weighs 1 lb 7.3 oz (660 g)CONDITION There is lacquer loss on the domed roof edge and on the base edge. There are lacquer cracking and loss on the doors. There are groves on the back from damage but these havena€?t had lacquer loss. There is wear to the black lacquer on the back making it not shiny. There is wear to the gold lacquer especially on one door. The front latch is missing a peg that would hold the latch.An wonderful traveling shrine with its gold and black. Much hand work on this antique piece.Item ID: A-1083