A lacquer smith’s box and cover, Japan, Showa period 昭和時期 日本慮漆長方蓋盒

Created in the Showa period, these work tables were a by-product of lacquer production in Japan as they were where the lacquer smiths mixed lacquer before application. Over t.mes , as colourful layers accumulated, their initial utilitarian function would diminish.

The present box and cover, with its stark contrast created through variegated red and black lacquer, could serve as both a functional storage tray for tea utensils as well as an aesthetic piece for appreciation in a tea ceremony.