Japanese Wajima lacquerware double-layered tea box with chrysanthemum petal pattern

Length: 21cm, Width: 21cm, Total Height: 14.2cm

This Japanese Meiji-era Wajima-style double-layered tea box features a chrysanthemum petal design with a gold -leaf enamel finish. It employs the renowned Wajima technique of "gold-leaf enamel," a unique and exquisite craftsmanship. The carving is fluid and sharp, intricate yet orderly, resulting in a dazzling and luxurious finish.
The entire piece is decorated with chrysanthemum and floral patterns carved using the "sinking gold" technique, then filled with gold. The floral branches are delicate, intricate, and complex, yet not chaotic, with the decoration covering the entire surface and gleaming with gold. "Wajima lacquerware" originated in the Kanbun era of the Edo period in Japan and is the name of lacquerware produced in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. "Wajima lacquerware" uses high-quality diatomaceous earth (Wajima base powder) from Wajima in its lacquer, resulting in a sturdy and durable base. The process of carving patterns on the lacquered surface and then filling them with gold or silver powder is called "sinking gold."