Tsuishitsu Chaire with Fukujuso Design by Mitsuo NAKAJIMA

A cylindrical lidded chaire in the tsuishitsu technique. The body is built up in successive layers of coloured lacquer, and the carving exposes them as fine horizontal bands of yellow, green, blue, aubergine and black, interspersed with thin red lines. The banding continues on the interior wall. The cover is carved in relief with a fukujuso (pheasant's-eye) blossom of glossy black petals outlined in gold, with a raised gold centre, set among gold-brown leaves against a textured blue ground. Fukujuso is a traditional New Year auspicious motif; its name reads literally "happiness, longevity, plant". The underside is black lacquer with a gold ring around the signature. With tomobako, the lid inscribed tsuishitsu chaire "Fukujuso", the inside signed Mitsu saku and sealed Nakajima Mitsuo.

NAKAJIMA Mitsuo was a lacquer artist trained in the choshitsu (carved lacquer) tradition of Kagawa Prefecture. He worked as a live-in disciple (uchi-deshi) of Otomaru Kodo (1898–1997), who was designated a Living National Treasure for choshitsu in 1955. Nakajima exhibited with the Japan Kogei Association for more than three decades, from the 15th to the 53rd Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition, showing chiefly choshitsu and tsuishitsu boxes, trays and tea utensils. He received the Chairman's Award at the 27th Japan Traditional Kogei Exhibition (1980) and the Shikoku Branch Encouragement Award at the 52nd Traditional Crafts Shikoku Exhibition (2009).

Condition: Excellent; minor scratches to the base.