By Mochizuki Hanzan (18th century)
Of oval section, with a fitted cover opening to reveal a floret spout with an ivory stopper, the body decorated with a large Komodo Dragon rendered in shagreen in high relief, the eyes inlaid in glass and the claws ceramic, the creature scrambling on a large inlaid-pewter rock with coral, color stone and gold wire encrustations, the surrounding area embellished with iridescent shell against a black-lacquer ground, the cord-runners lacquered with scrolling vines in gold hiramakie , the top of the cover inscribed in gold hiramakie, Chomeishu (sake for long life) and with a lengthy recipe for the brew, interior red lacquer and fundame, ceramic seal Hanzan; fitted with a lacquer bead ojime decorated with colored lacquer florets and inlaid brass wire, and a wood netsuke carved as a snail on a lotus leaf-shaped bucket with an ivory butterfly cleat “repair”
5 1/2in (14cm)