Gold Makie Peony Mon Inro Lacquer Kitten Netsuke Coral Ojimi Edo Sagemono 根付

19th Century Lacquer Inro Sagemono
Neko and Botan
Kitten and Peony
Signed: Kansai. Circa: Edo, 19th century
Inro: H 1.65 in. (4cm), W 1.5 in. (4cm), D 0.75 in. (2cm)
Netsuke: H 1 in. (2.5cm), W 1 in. (2.5cm), D 1.4 in. (3.5cm)
Condition: blemish on makie mon, o.a. Good!

The maneki-neko 招き猫 is a Japanese figurine commonly believed to bring good luck to the owner. They are often made into a netsuke as a talisman and good luck charm. As shown here in this prestigious child sagemono accompanied with a large pink coral ojime, and a hand-carved red lacquer netsuke of a toy-like neko couching above a small fan. The oval-shaped single case child inro is made of natural kiri (paulownia wood), decorated with two peonies in taka-makie 高蒔絵 on one side, and on the opposing side a family mon in frosted gold leaf (keshifun 消粉) over a lacquered wavy wood grains. Signed on the base in Kanji script: Kansai. A recorded prolific lacquer artist by Raymond Bushell in The Inro Handbook, pg. 100.