Vintage Japanese Lacquered Box — Wood, 1950, Showa Era (SKU: 25M-320-1)

Antique Japanese Lacquered Box — Scenic Pagoda and Mountain Landscape, Early 20th Century (SKU: 25M-320-1)
Where Mountains Whisper and Pagodas Dream

This enchanting antique Japanese small lacquered box is a pocket-sized portal to a serene landscape. Set beneath a rising mountain ridge and drifting birds, a golden pagoda stands quietly amidst rolling waves of lacquered brushwork—etched with extraordinary detail and spiritual calm. The scene is rendered in maki-e style, where gold design is meticulously dusted onto a lacquer surface, creating a timeless image with both shimmer and soul.

Though petite in size, the box holds a grand sense of place—evoking the poetry of distant temples, the hush of mountain air, and the elegance of Japanese minimalism. Whether used for jewelry, keepsakes, or as a display piece, it invites stillness and story into any setting.

• Origin: Japan

• Era: Likely Taishō to early Shōwa Period (1920s–1950s)

• Material: Lacquered wood with gold maki-e design

• Use: Personal box for small valuables, jewelry, calligraphy accessories, or incense

• Features:

  • Hand-painted scenic motif with flying birds and a traditional pagoda

  • Smooth rounded edges and deep lacquered luster

  • Interior likely finished in traditional vermilion or black lacquer

• Dimensions: 5 3/4"W x 4 1/4"D x 1 1/2"H

• Condition: Excellent vintage condition with gentle wear, adding character and authenticity

As you hold this box, you carry a piece of Japan’s poetic past—where form meets feeling, and the quiet beauty of a mountain shrine is forever preserved beneath layers of midnight lacquer.