A Japanese Gilt Kodansu

A Japanese Gilt Kodansu
Meiji Period, Ca. 1880

Cm 22x10 x 24(h)

A late XIX century Japanese hand painted and gilt Kodansu (jewellery cabinet), in the Meiji taste for the Western export market. The lacquered wooden cabinet is decorated throughout with painted panels, each centred on a symbol drawn from the Japanese repertoire: peonies and prunus blooms, evoking prosperity and renewal, paired with birds in flight as heralds of fortune. The brass mounts are finely chased, with hinges, lock escutcheon and side handles in the customary geometric pattern, all original to the piece. The bombé body rests on a plinth base, with a hinged top compartment opening onto the principal storage below. The underside is signed in Japanese script, a discreet maker's mark consistent with the period. Overall very fine condition with honest age and use related wear to the mounts and to the lacquered finish, the colours and gilding retaining their full brightness.