A Black-Lacquer Suzuribako (Box for Writing Utensils)
Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989), early 20th century
The lustrous black lacquer ground of the kabusebuta (overhanging lid) embellished in gold togidashi maki-e with a heavy rainstorm falling over a temple partially concealed in a cedar grove, a mountain range in the distance, the inside of the lid and the box similarly lacquered on a richly sprinkled kinpun ground with a continuous scene depicting three chidori (plovers or dotterels) flying over a meandering stream, around which are deftly scattered nine kanji and hiragana characters 'Sue no kusa ka wa fuyu ka re te' inlaid in shell, two adjusting to the shape of the rock, forming the second and third lines of a poem (see below) by Kagawa Kageki (1768-1843), the inside of the box fitted with a removable ita (baseboard) containing a suzuri (ink-grinding stone) and a copper suiteki (water dropper) in the form of a cluster of maple leaves, the underside of the box signed with a seal Shuetsu; with a tomobako storage box inscribed outside the lid Suzuribako uta maki-e (Box for writing utensils with maki-e poem design), inside the lid with an inscribed poem about the Shirakawa River composed by the late-Edo-period poet Kagawa Kageki and signed Heian Shikko Koda Shuetsu with a seal. 2.5cm x 21.5cm x 18.5cm (1in x 8?in x 7?in). (6).