Imaizumi Nariyuki (Seishi, active circa 1910-1950)

A fine lacquer suzuribako (writing box)
Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early/mid 20th century

A fine lacquer suzuribako (writing box)
Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, early/mid 20th century
Of rectangular form with a slightly domed kabusebuta (overhanging cover) with cutaway sides, decorated on the exterior with a bold design of two cormorants perched on a fence shrouded in mist with kingyoso (snapdragons, Antirrhinum majus) in iro-e takamaki-e with highlights of kinpun on a beige ground, the interior with waves crashing violently against rocks in shades of blue, white, and silver takamaki-e against a reddish-brown ground finished to an ishime surface, the removable inner trays fitted with a silver suiteki (water dropper) cast as a jagged rock and lacquered in silver, gold, and brown, and a rectangular suzuri (ink-grinding stone) with silver edges, rims silver, signed on the underside Nariyuki saku (Made by Nariyuki) and sealed Imaizumi
With a double wood tomobako storage box, the outer box inscribed on the exterior of the cover U onsuzuribako (Writing box with cormorants), the inner box with a paper cover inscribed Imaizumi Nariyuki shi no saku Mitsuwabi (?) so maki-e u suzuribako, inscribed on the exterior of the cover U onsuzuribako, signed and sealed on the underside Nariyuki saku and Imaizumi
10 7/8 x 9 7/8 x 2 1/2in (27.6 x 25.1 x 6.3cm)

Few facts are known concerning the outstanding and highly versatile lacquer artist Imaizumi Seishi but it is thought, judging from the style of his works, that he was active from about 1910 to about 1950; the Irving Gould collection included a suzuribako with a view of Matsushima contained in a storage box signed by Nariyuki and stating that it had been viewed by the Showa Emperor on a documented visit to Ibaragi Prefecture in November 1946. That piece is in fairly conventional maki-e techniques, but Imaizumi especially excelled at the bold relief designs, with newly developed colors, that were also favored by other leading lacquerers such as Living National Treasure Matsuda Gonroku (1896-1986).