Three-case Lacquer Inro
Both sides with a ground of wine red combed lacquer waves, on one side lapping around the sun, on the other inlaid with a shell duck. The top has a mon of two overlapping wheels in gold hiramakie. Red lacquer interiors
Unsigned. Probably before 1800
6.7 cm
Although one associates combed waves with Shibata Zeshin, this inro dates from at least a century before he experimented with the technique. By all accounts Zeshin adopted the technique, said to have been invented by Seigai Kanshichi, who was active around 1700.
MR5197
