Vintage Japanese Sewing Box / Haribako (22M-151-5)

This is a vintage Japanese sewing box called Hari Bako that was constructed out of Japanese ash (Tamonoki), Horse chestnuts(Tochinoki) and Paulownia (Kirinoki).

Its age is from the Taisho period (1910's-920's) and it was originally used to store sewing accoutrements, spools of thread, a pin cushion with pins and other tools used by a seamtress or tailor.  Present day purposes would include using it as a jewelry box, a keepsake or small collectibles box, a stationary box on a desk or a cosmetics box on a dresser.