description

Box for Sweets (hokai) for the Takasago-ya Cake Shop, dated 1777.

Detail Description

Box for Sweets (hokai) for the Takasago-ya Cake Shop

Japan. Edo period, dated 1777, third lunar month

Red and black lacquer on wood with shell inlay; mounts iron

H59 x W42 x D36 cm (23 1/4 x 16 1/2 x 14 1/8 in.)

Circular crest on front and back 高 (Taka, the first character of the name of the cake shop); sides inscribed 大仏本町二町目, 御菓子所, 高砂屋小和泉陳逹, the address, name of cake shop and presumed proprietor’s name (Daibutsu honcho [honmachi], Nichome, Okashi-doroko, Takasago-ya, Koizumi Chintatsu); interior and underside of lower tray inscribed in ink 安永六歳酉三月吉日,六十三,大仏本町二町目,高砂屋 (1777, third lunar month, auspicious day 63, Daibutsu Honcho [honmachi], Nichome, Takasago-ya); date also inscribed in red ink on black-painted lower section of box



The large box is of wood applied with red and black lacquer and inlaid with crushed abalone shell. The upper section lifts off a shallow, rectangular tray that has the black-ink inscription transcribed above.