An unusual matching gold lacquer and silver-inlaid ryoshibako (document box) and suzuribako (writing box) set
By Chikueido Eishin (1849-1915), Meiji Period
Both bearing a basketwork ground and overlaid with a silver openwork design, the writing box decorated with maple leaves floating on a stream, partially concealing the characters Akakabe (Red Cliff); the document box with cherry blossoms strewn on the stream and hiding the characters Nantei; the interior of each bearing a nashiji ground, the suzuribako with a river scene with mountains in the distance; the ryoshibako with a pavilion amid pine trees and stands of bamboo on a rocky hillside, beside a rushing stream with a rustic bridge in the foreground, all embellished in takamakie and hiramakie with details of kirigane and togidashi, the rims mounted with silver, unsigned; each with tomobako, titled and signed by the artist Chikueido Eishin zo with seal Eishin. The suzuribako 24.2cm (9½in) x 22.2cm (8¾in) x 5.7cm (2¼in); the ryoshibako 41.3cm (16¼in) x 32.1cm (12 5/8in) x 13.3cm (5¼in). (4).
