I’ve easily watched over 200 Japanese movies, old and new, and I’ve gotten into the habit of not only listening to the dialogue for language nuances, but also watching for cultural, architectural, and furnishing concepts. Last night I was watching Fight, Zatoichi, Fight and I saw an Inro in use for I think the first time (I might have just never noticed it before). What does that mean? A new post of course, and I think I found a very nice example to write about.

First I must say I dont know a whole lot about these objects, but they are probably the most well know type of sagemono (hanging objects) that were suspended from the obi. Kimono do not have pockets, so the only way people had to carry things around was by hanging them from their sash. The literal meaning of inro is seal container and the original design was basically a small box that held the Hanko (personal seal) and some type of inkpad. Later additional layers of boxes were added to hold anything else wanted to be carried. The boxes were strung together with silkin cord that ran through a Himotoshi (channel or aperture), tightened up with an Ojime (moveable bead) and hung from the obi with a Netsuke (sculptural object or toggle) to secure it.

This piece is a fine example of taka-maki-e (raised maki-e), where the design is built up of layers of lacquer mixed with metallic powders, in this case, cranes flying amidst the clouds. The inner sleeve area has nashiji-nuri (peach skin lacquer) where a base layer of lacquer is sprinkled with nashiji-ko (metallic flakes) and then coated again with lacquer. After that, it is polished to expose the flakes which give it that sparkly appearance. The ojime is a human skull made out of what looks like ivory, which is highly possible because this is from the late 1700′s, and the netsuke is made out of Edo glass.

This piece seems to have some provenance. Signed by the artist Kajikawa, purportedly used by a chief retainer of a Hirosaki daimyo, and due to the fact that you rarely find all three of the parts remaining together, it’s no doubt a museum quality piece and can command its high price tag of $10,000. Im starting to think I need to open my own museum so I could buy this kind of stuff; benefactors needed!

If I had a zashiki or dei (main entertaining tatami room), this is one piece I would definitely want to put in it. An amazing Sendai tansu with beautiful hardware. This was definitely a showpiece for an affluent merchant to display while he was entertaining guests.

Although I believe this to actually represent the fourth stage of Sendai evolution (late Meiji or early Taisho) due to the fact that is a stacking piece, the floriate button on the lockplate is non existant, meaning that it has a double action lock (urajo), it has mokko style handles which replaced the earlier warabite style, and the lockplates are also embossed and incised with beatiful depictions of what I think are shishi (lion-dogs of protection).

Exhibiting a nice Kijiro laquer finish over a nice reddish stain on the Keyaki wood, this piece definitely presents an impressive display of craftsmanship.

Another nice thing I would like to point out is the corner hardware (which I believe is called herikanagu). Nicely incised, this also points out how with the introduction of sheet metal at the end of the Meiji era, the craftsmen were able to spend more time on the decoration instead of just on fabrication of hardware, therefore adding to the aesthetic qualities of the pieces. And hey, if I was a wealthy merchant that had to hide my wealth due to the Edo era edicts, once the Meiji restoration hit, I would have jumped on all this ornamentation as well.

Here is a nice example of a Japanese writing box. These were used, as the name implies, to store the necessary items for writing as well as providing document storage. Here you would find a suzuri (inkstone), sumi (ink), fude (brushes), paper, paperweights, hanko (personal seal), as well as any other things related to writing. What is interesting to me is how the original Kakesuzuri chests (of which this is not one) influenced the original funa dansu (sea chests). Another interesting note is how kakesuzuri persisted as the name for this type of chest, and was changed depending on what region you were in to suzuri bako.

This piece got my attention because it was the first time I came across a chest with some true provenance. This is signed and dated by the maker, Kimura Magoemon, in 1880, and lists who it was made for, Sakamoto-san of Sekimura. Sugoi, ne! With a little TLC this could be a nice inclusion to your collection. The price is cheap, $250.00, but the auction is up in mere hours. Going once, going twice…

First off, sorry for the lack of posts this week, work and holidays often get in the way of my true interests, and I think most of my American readers were tied up similarly. So, on with the show.

Exhibited here is your typical Naga-Hibachi. Most Americans confuse the small metal barbecues that you can find in supermarkets (near the charcoal) which are actually called Shichiren with Hibachi. Apparently the confusion came about when shichiren were being introduced to the west, and the true name seemed to be too hard for us to pronounce. So, as with most things foreign, we decided to use an easier word to suit our needs, and hibachi must have rolled off the tongue easier. Even better, we also misuse the word hibachi to describe a flat iron grill which is actually called a teppan. You might be familiar with this cooking apparatus if you’ve eaten at Benihana’s. I could keep this train going, but I’ve gotten a little off topic.

A true hibachi is a wooden box that has a copper liner into which you place charcoal. Older versions were called hibitsu (fire coffer) and basically consisted of a hewn block of wood with clay lining the inside for fireproofing. While later versions (after the boxes) were sometimes round and made out of porcelain (round wooden versions were also popular). A hibachi is primarily used for a heat source to keep water hot for tea as well as providing the only heat source, outside of the kitchen, in a traditional home. You could use it to light your kiseru (pipe), or insert incense sticks for aroma. As tea was customarily served to guests, you usually hung out around the hibachi. The addition of drawers were used to hold items like tongs, your tobacco pouch, or tools for tea preparation.

Naga-hibachi represents the Kanto (basically Edo or Tokyo) regional version of the firebox. They usually had drawers down one side or along the bottom, or both as seen in the picture above. Any useable surface space was adjacent to the firebox and sometimes had a lid to cover storage compartements. Drawer handles were typically warabite (fern hand) with the wood being Keyaki (Japanese Elm). The joinery was typically hanken-shiki (finger joint), but hibachi were also one of the only types of household furnishings that could also have dovetail joints. The piece above states that it has dovetails, but I couldn’t see them in the pictures. For more info on this piece click here or on the picture. When I come accross the other styles, I will of course post about them.

Here we have another fine example of Nihonmatsu region cabinetmaking. I won’t go into so much detail, as I previously described the style here in a previous post. I just want to point out the things that I find interesting with this piece that I haven’t seen before.

The coolest attribute that this piece has are the brass butterfly sliding keyhole covers. The butterflies and the various positions they are placed in lend and amazing lightness to the piece. Depending on the position the covers are left in, it almost seems as if there are butterflies flitting all across the tansu. The contrasting brass color helps them to stand out, creating an amazing visual element, enticing the eye to wander across the piece. I especially like the way the butterfly actually cantilevers over the edge of the jomae (lockplate) on the safe door. Totemo sugoi, ne! The lockplates also have nice depictions of cherry blossoms, bamboo, and pine boughs.

I also would like to point out the butterfly protective plates for the warabite handles and how they are unusually canted to either side, furthering the floating effect. This has got to be one of the most aesthetically enticing pieces I’ve ever come across. Click on one of the pictures to go to the listing for more images, you won’t regret it.