Kiriko lacquer box by Hyoetsu Miki II

A lacquer box of facetted (kiriko) shape, resembling a cut gemstone. The bottom section has an upright rim to locate and precisely put in place the cover. The exterior of the box is covered in layers of brown lacquer with a glossy finish. The interior and the base are lacquered black. The box is contained within its original wooden storage box (tomobako). The inscription on the lid of the tomobako reads: “Kiriko, tebako” (A small box in facetted design). The inscription on the back of the lid reads: “Rakuyo, Hyoetsu” (Hyoetsu, Kyoto) and the seal of the artist in red.

This box is accompanied by a pamphlet, showing that it was exhibited at the Takashimaya Department Store, at their Namba Osaka branch, between the 9th and 15th of December (no year is given on the front cover of the pamphlet). The pamphlet is entitled Miki Hyoetsu Shitsugei shinsaku koten (The solo exhibition of Miki Hyoetsu introducing his new works), proving that Miki Hyoetsu II was an important artist. The artist Miki Hytsu II (1910 – 2011) was given the name Sadazo. Sadazo was adopted by Hyoetsu the First (1887-1979) and succeeded as Hyoetsu II in Showa 24 (1949). He was the brother of the lacquer artist Tsukamoto Masayoshi. He gained various prizes at the domestic exhibitions in Japan and placed his work at the most prestigious exhibition by the Japan Art Academy (Teiten) in 1938. In 1937, he also won a silver prize at the Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1937.