A FINELY LACQUERED OSTRICH EGG
Japan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912)The speckled egg is decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e, gold hiramaki-e, nashiji and kirikane with Manchurian cranes walking in a lush landscape with numerous bushes and flowers. The inner is entirely covered in fine gold nashiji. The lip of the lid and the bottom are inlaid in silver. The handle on the lid is made of ivory carved in the shape of a flower with its leaves made of incised tortoise shell. The matching fivefoot boxwood stand is carved with scrolls of mythical birds and foliage in high relief. (2)HEIGHT 24 cm (the complete set)Condition: Two feet of the stand show old repairs. The lid has a few tiny age cracks, with a v-shaped crack also visible on the underside of the lid. Very minor losses to tip of tortoise shell leaves. Overall still very good condition!Provenance: From an Austrian private collection. Kept in the same family since the first half of the 20th century and thence by descent.