Inrō with Ducks on Swirls

Signed Tōyō Japanese

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 199


Inrō are small, light, tightly nested boxes worn hanging from a man’s obi sash, as a Japanese kimono had no pockets. The term’s literal meaning, "seal basket," probably refers to an early function, but later they held small amounts of medicine. Once they became fashion items, inrō were carefully selected according to the season or occasion and coordinated with the attached ojime (sliding bead) and netsuke (toggle) as well as with the kimono and obi. Moore and his team surely studied the rich motifs and sophisticated production methods of the inrō he collected.

Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan

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Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan
Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan
Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan
Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan
Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan
Inrō with Ducks on Swirls, Signed Tōyō (Japanese, active second half of the 18th century), Inrō: four cases; gold, silver takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, gold foil application, mother-of-pearl inlay on red lacquer ground; ojime: fire agate bead; netsuke: Kappa; carved wood, Japan

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