A grey-lacquer square section three-case inro by Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuo, 1663-1747), and a lacquer hako-netsuke by Shibata Zeshin (1807-1891)


The inro: Edo period (1615-1868), 18th century; the netsuke: Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1890sThe inro with a shibuichi-nuri ishime ground imitating metal, two rectangular faces carved in low relief with archaic script, the cord runners in the form of a row of four butterfly-shaped cleats inlaid in shell, each attached with a metal ring on a ground of elaborate tasselled brocade, the interior of matt shibuichi-nuri lacquer, signed with two seals, Kan surrounded by rain dragons on the base and Naoyuki on the top; the square rounded box netsuke lacquered with tied sheaves of rice overhanging a stream on a chado-nuri ground, signed on the reverse in subori at the lower right Zeshin. The inro: 7.2cm (2 5/8in), the netsuke: 3cm x 2.5cm (1 3/8in x 1in).
|ProvenancePhilippe Burty Collection.PublishedLouis Gonse, L'art japonais, Paris, Maison Quantin, 1886, p.262.Exhibited Louis Gonse, Catalogue de l'Exposition Rétrospective de l'Art Japonais, Paris, Maison Quantin, 1883, p.145, no.268.