ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX
ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX

ANTIQUE 19th CENTURY JAPANESE URUSHI LACQUER BOX

$919.00 Sale • Save

Extremely rare 19th century antique Japanese urushi lacquered wooden box featuring gold brass and mother of pearl ducks inlaid motif.

17cm x 14cm x 6cm, in good condition. Acquired in 2024 from the Tokyo Heiwajima Antique Fair. To find an original urushi box in this condition for its age is extremely rare. Stunning offer from our private collection. 

The art of URUSHI:

The history of the Japanese lacquer urushi box spans over 9,000 years, evolving from a prehistoric survival tool into an ultimate symbol of imperial and samurai luxury. Crafted from the toxic sap of the urushi tree, these containers were designed to safely store sacred relics, documents, cosmetics, and calligraphy tools. 

An urushi box is made by carving a stable wooden base, applying dozens of ultra-thin layers of processed urushi tree sap, curing each layer in high humidity, and frequently polishing the surface to a deep, durable gloss. This meticulous craftsmanship can take anywhere from several months to over a year. Before the final clear or colored coats, decorative techniques like maki-e (sprinkling gold or silver powder onto wet lacquer) or mother-of-pearl inlay may be applied. The piece is then meticulously buffed using fine charcoal and polishing powders (like deer horn powder) until it achieves its signature mirror-like, water-resistant sheen.

Samurai Patronage and Global Export

Muromachi & Edo Periods (1338–1868): The rise of the samurai and daimyo elite fueled massive demand for opulent, museum-quality suzuribako and stacking food boxes (jubako) featuring complex raised gold takamaki-e and pear-skin nashiji backgrounds.

European Trade: Through the Dutch East India Company, urushi chests and boxes reached Amsterdam by 1610, stunning European royalty who later tried to imitate the finish as "japanning".

We partially subsidise your shipping costs, we charge $10.00 flat rate per order for all domestic purchases Australia-wide. International shipping will be calculated automatically by our shipping partner at checkout, if you need to bulk ship int'l please email info@glassetc.shop for more details. We will carefully package the item/s to ensure shipping quality with insurance coverage for the full price you paid for the item. In the event that the item arrives damaged or broken, you must email us 1 photo of the shipping label on the package, 1 photo of the packaging inside and 1 photo of the broken item, upon our receipt of the photos that are evidence of loss/breakage, we will issue a full refund to the orignal method of purchase. Please contact our store if you need further information about shipping.

Color Brown
Type Decor
Style Urushi box

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