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A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges.
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 2
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 3
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 4
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 5
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 6
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 7
A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges. - Image 8

A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges.

A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges.

The main surface depicts a two-story pavilion next to a garden and flanked by a swirling pine tree. A lingbi stone can be seen in the bottom left corner. This is a classical idyllic scene clearly influenced by the work of Chinese artisans and rendered in beautiful iridescent rainbow mother of pearl.

A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges.

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Description

A 17th or early 18th century Ryukyu mother of pearl inlay lidded box with fillet edges.

The main surface depicts a two-story pavilion next to a garden and flanked by a swirling pine tree. A lingbi stone can be seen in the bottom left corner. This is a classical idyllic scene clearly influenced by the work of Chinese artisans and rendered in beautiful iridescent rainbow mother of pearl.

Twisted copper wires are a feature on Chinese Yuan dynasty and Early Ming dynasty lacquers and were used as means of strengthening the edges. This is a tradition Ryukyu craftsmen continued to use up until the 17th and 18th centuries as we see them employed on this box.

The decoration seems consistent with other similar Ryukyu inlays of the period although its possible the box is earlier.

Boxes of this size and shape were perhaps used in Japan for the tea ceremony and are typically built from lacquer over a thin wooden core.

Size: 7.5 x 2.5

Japanese box

For more on the Ryukyu islands see:

Ryukyu lacquerware from Okinawa and its relationship to the history of the ryukyu islands & China

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