The Kura - Japanese Art Treasures

Robert Mangold has been working with Japanese antiques since 1995 with an emphasis on ceramics, Paintings, Armour and Buddhist furniture.

Early Edo p. Tokugawa Clan Raised Lacquer Tray


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Directory: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Lacquer: Pre 1700: Item # 1475285
The Kura
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23 Murasakino Monzen-cho
Kita-ward Kyoto 603-8216
tel.81-75-201-3497
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sold, thank you

From the Shoguns table to yours…why not? This is a lacquer tray elevated on scrolling legs decorated with squirreling tendrils and Mitsuba-Hidari Aoi Domoe (Left Swirling Triple Hollyhock) crests from the Shogun family. The flat surface is festive red with chirashi-mon design (scattered crests) duplicating that on the outside. The table is 38 cm (15 inch4s) square, 20 cm (8 inches) tall and in fairly good condition considering its age. There are chips to the edges and other mars typical of use.
It is said that the reason Tokugawa Ieyasu adopted the Aoi, which was originally the crest of Kamigamo Shrine, as a family crest, was that he wanted to prove the dignity of the origin of his samurai family as parishioners of Kamigamo-jinja Shrine, which descended from the Nitta-Genji clan. There are many versions of the Mitsuba Aoi crest of the Edo Shogunate, those in use by the government, and those in use by branch families and tributaries, however the left swirling crest (as seen here) was restricted for the use of the direct lineage of the Shogun. It is, in fact, quite a rarity.