A GOLD LACQUER BOX AND COVER AND FOUR KOGO (INCENSE... Lot n° 9

A GOLD LACQUER BOX AND COVER AND FOUR KOGO (INCENSE CONTAINERS) FOR THE INCENSE MATCHING GAME Japan, 19th century Of rounded rectangular form, the kinji ground finely decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e to depict two fish as well as an aogai-inlaid awabi and a smaller clam and conch, one fish with a glass-inlaid eye, the exterior and interior sides of the box and cover of dense nashiji, the base of sparse nashiji and with a circular aperture. The box contains four flush-fitting rectangular boxes and covers, each decorated in iro-e takamaki-e and hiramaki-e with nashiji to depict different views of Mount Fuji, the sides and interior with nashiji to match the larger box. SIZE 5.6 x 15.3 x 11.8 cm Condition: Good condition with some wear, few light surface scratches, expected age cracks, minor flaking to lacquer, few minuscule chips. Provenance: British private estate. This set was used in an incense game called jishu-ko (literally ‘ten types of incense’). Before the competition begins, three different kinds of incense wood are burned and named for the guests. Then follow ten rounds in which the master of ceremonies burns small pieces while the guests try to identify each, recording their answers on paper slips. The rounds include three of each of the original types of incense, as well as one piece of a fourth kind, the ‘guest incense’ (kyaku-ko).