Butsudan, Shrine - Lacquered wood - Beautiful detailed black lacquered butsudan (house shrine) with intricate reappearing lotus design - Japan - Taishō period (1912-1926)

Nicely detailed black lacquered house shrine (butsudan) ; The two outer doors have a nice even black lacquer layer and are adorned with attractive metal hardware. The long cartouches on the inside of these doors are gold lacquered and surrounded by a black lacquer border. The inner doors of the butsudan are gold lacquered with matching gold coloured hardware. The black mesh is mostly withered, but on some parts a nice karakusa pattern is visible. The lower part of these inner doors are decorated by panels with a lotus flower and leaf design. The buds of these flowers are still closed and on the verge of blooming. The extensive gold lacquered inside of the butsudan has finely detailed hand-carved wooden shrine elements. The roof of the shrine is decorated with flower elements, three phoenixes souring through clouds, and is crowed by a single dragon. The frieze at the top has an open worked hand-carved design of symmetrically stylized clouds. The inner shrine stands on a platform with a rich open worked relief of different birds in nature. Underneath, three drawers with a similar low relief gold lacquer motive of lotus flowers and leaves. Now some are blooming. The inside of these drawers with red lacquer. Beneath these drawers there is a pull-out tray hidden with a red lacquered top for display. The base of the butsudan has three drawers with oval bronze handles and red lacquer on the inside, and two sliding doors decorated with a similar lotus design (as stated before) surrounded by a nice rich gilded border. Behind these sliding doors there is a large space for storage. In good original condition, completely cleaned. With some signs of age and use. What is most noticeable are two damaged chips on the top of the butsudan on the right side. It has all its original hardware. Is probably around 100-120 years old. This shrine is detachable and consists of three parts which is easy for transport. When acquired new in Japan these shrine are extremely expensive to buy! A butsudan, is a shrine commonly found in temples and homes in Japanese Buddhist cultures. A butsudan is either a defined, often ornate platform or simply a wooden cabinet sometimes crafted with doors that enclose and protect a Gohonzon or religious icon, typically a statue or painting of a Buddha or Bodhisattva, or a calligraphic mandala scroll (Wikipedia) . When shipped we will add a certificate of authenticity.