Lot 5. A Lacquer Casket Commissioned by the Portuguese, Momoyama period, late 16th century © Christie's Image Ltd 2016

The rectangular casket with domed hinged cover, decorated in gold hiramaki-e and inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a black ground, the cover with prunus, camellia with flowering vines and tachibana, the front with kiri [paulownia], prunus and peony, one side with morning glory and tachibana, the other side with vines and autumn flowers, the back with further vines and flowers, each panel bordered with inlaid bands and namban tendril, copper gilt fittings engraved with stylised flowers - 18.3cm. wide

Note: For similar examples, see Sakai City Museum ed., Namban shikki - shitsugei ni miru tozai koryu [Namban lacquer wares - lacquer art and the exchanges between East and West] (Osaka, 1983), p.37, 39; Edith Strasser and Mark Hinton, Ex Oriente Lux - European and Oriental Lacquer from the BASF Lacquer Museum Cologne (London, 1977), p. 72, no. 142; Sezon Museum of Art and Shizuoka Prefectural Museum of Art, eds., ‘Porutogaru to Nanban bunka’ ten: mezase toho no kuniguni [‘Portugal and Namban culture’ exhibition : Via Orientals] (Japan, 1993), p. 194-195, no. 168 (the Confraria de Nossa Senhora da Luz collection, Arraiolos); and Fundação Oriente, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga, Arte Namban: os portugueses no Japão (Lisboa, 1990), p. 55, 100, no. 53.