An early 17th century Japanese export mother of pearl inlaid lacquer 'Namban' chest on a Dutch 17th century or Charles II carved silvered stand

the coffer later altered from originally having a hinged top to a hinged fall front, the silvered stand third quarter 17th century

the coffer later altered from originally having a hinged top to a hinged fall front, the silvered stand third quarter 17th century
Decorated with birds, trees and flowers within shaped and geometric tablets, within rosette-embedded trellis surrounds, the stand carved with volute scrolls, flowers and oak-leaf swags interspersed by sea creature masks, on S-scroll form legs headed by dolphin masks, with later castors, 84cm wide x 49cm deep x 50cm high, (33in wide x 19in deep x 19.5in high)

Related 'Namban' lacquer furniture and works of art with comparable mother of pearl inlay and similar decoration to the offered lot feature in The World of Lacquer, 2000 Years of History, ed. by P. de Moura Carvalho, 2001, Lisbon. The closest of these examples, which are all dated circa 1600 and thus originate from the Momoyama (1573-1615) or the very beginning of the Edo period (1603-1867), are illustrated in Ibid, pp.'s 107, 109-110 and 117, fig.'s 1, 2, 4 and ill. 61.

'Namban' (meaning 'Southern Barbarian' in Japanese) is a type of lacquer defined by its apparent densely layered application onto a wooden base or wood carcass. Early on during this 'Namban' process, mother of pearl is cut in an assortment of geometric shaped segments or shapes which are then inlaid into the lacquered shell, which is what gives such items their distinctive appearance.

The Portuguese merchants who arrived there in 1543 were the first Europeans to establish a formal trading relationship with Japan. This trade arrangement benefitted the Portuguese through the enormous array of rich items including gold, silver and copper, which they were then able to ship back to their own country. Whilst this partnership flourished during the second half of the 16th century and early part of the 17th century 'Namban' furniture, tableware, ecclesiastical items and works of art became some of the most highly prized export goods to arrive back in Portugal.

Although it appears such lacquer was made exclusively for the Portuguese market over the latter part of the 16th century, it is evident that slightly later on these objects were also made for both the Dutch and the English. Records show that during the period 1602-1618 'Namban' objects were supplied to the Dutch and then likewise similar 'Namban-ware' was exported to England between 1612 and 1623, The World of Lacquer, 2000 Years of History, ed. by P. de Moura Carvalho, 2001, Lisbon, pp.'s 105-123

The Anglo-Dutch appearance of the present silvered stand is demonstrated through its interesting Northern European interpretation of the high Baroque, a style which dominated the fine and decorative arts of both countries, as well as most of Europe, during the second and third quarters of the 17th century. Thus it seems feasible to suggest the possibility that the stand was made only a relatively short time after this Japanese lacquer chest actually arrived in either England or the Low Countries, which was almost certainly at some point in the first half of that century.