The lacquer work by the Kajikawa family, the ceramic-inlay by Ogawa Haritsu (Ritsuo, 1663-1747) or Mochizuki Hanzan (1743-1790), sealed Kan 観 and signed Maki-e 蒔絵 Kajikawa 梶川 saku 作 with seal Ei 榮
Japan, 18^th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published: Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 2, Lacquer and Inro, no. 906, illustrasted on pl. XLIV.

The boldly carved wood inro of almost square shape and oval section, bearing a beautiful, natural grain, lacquered in unusually thick takamaki-e with rich gold depicting a continuous image of a craggy rock with leafy hiramaki-e bamboo sprays in gold, next to an imposing snarling shishi, filling out the other half of the composition, inlaid in bright turquoise-blue ceramic. The image spilling over to the upper and lower area of the top and bottom case. Signed underneath Maki-e KAJIKAWA saku [the lacquer made by Kajikawa] with gold seal Ei and further with a red and white glazed ceramic seal KAN [for Ogawa Haritsu, Ritsuo]. The interior cases and rims of gold lacquer.

HEIGHT 7.5 cm, LENGTH 6.3 cm

Condition: Excellent condition with only very minor wear and expected firing flaws to the ceramic inlay.
Provenance: Ex-collection W. L. Behrens (1861-1913). Sold at Glendining & Co Auction, 21 November 1946. A noted private collection, acquired from the above, assembled by the previous owner’s great-grandfather and thence by descent. With old collection labels to the top case.

The Kajikawa family are a famous dynasty of lacquerers founded in the 17^th century in Edo. The combination of lacquer work by the Kajikawa family and ceramic-inlay by Ritsuo is very rare.

Ogawa Haritsu (formerly often referred to outside Japan by his alternative name of Ritsuo) was among the first Japanese lacquer artists to establish an independent reputation outside of the hereditary craft dynasties of Kyoto, Edo, and Kanazawa. Following an early career as a haiku poet, he is thought to have first turned his attention to lacquer design in middle age and soon attracted a wide following thanks to his novel choice of subject matter and pioneering and imaginative use of unusual materials; at some point after 1710 he was hired by Tsugaru Nobuhisa (1669-1747), lord of a domain in northern Japan, for whom he worked until 1731.

Mochizuki Hanzan, thought to have lived from 1743 to 1790, called himself Haritsu II and was a close follower of Ogawa Haritsu (1663-1747) though he was neither his son nor his pupil. His works are sometimes sealed ‘Kan’ and it has become a challenge for scholars and collectors to distinguish some of these works from those of Ogawa Haritsu.

Auction comparison:
For a related lacquer suzuribako with simialrily bright inlays, by Hanzan, and bearing a similar seal, see Zacke, Fine Japanese Art, 3 December 2021, Vienna, lot 165 (sold for EUR 50,560).