Description: A RARE LACQUERED GOURD DINNER SERVICE, BY UMEZAWA RYUSHIN. Circa 1910. Comprising five trays, five rice bowls, five soup bowls, ten mukozuke, five shoyu-ire, five hashioki, five sake cups, one sake ewer, one teapot, three further sake cups on a stand and a large sweet bowl. The trays are finely decorated with flowering vines and fruits in hiramaki-e in gold and coloured lacquer on seido-nuri ground, a kashiki with autumn flowers in hiramaki-e,two wooden storage boxes, (46) 瓢箪製懐石膳セット、銘隆真 Umezawa Ryushin (1807 -1891), the third son of Shibata Zeshin, studied maki-e under Ikeda Taishin (1825 – 1903). The gourd is a symbol of good fortune and health. Dried and lacquered gourds are often displayed at shrines and houses in order to exorcise evil spirits. This dinner service is likely being commissioned to entertain important guests for a tea ceremony dinner. Notes: Asian Art