Lacquer (urushi) refers to various objects—especially wood, but also Papier Mâché, glass, ceramics, metal and, today, plastic—coated with lacquer, polished, then decorated in several layers more of designs in other colors. Lacquer works include a variety of everyday objects: small or large containers, tableware, hair decorations, endless types of bowls, boxes, trays, a variety of small objects carried or worn by people, and larger objects such as furniture (e.g. pianos).

A long tradition of lacquer work goes back several thousand years. Asian lacquer is distinct from other types used in Europe, Russia. It is an urushiol lacquer (i.e. toxic, oil-based) derived from the cured sap of the “lacquer tree,” Toxicodendron vernicifluum, a relative of “poison sumac/oak” in the West. It is not safe for hyper-allergenic people until it is cured. Harvesting the sap requires immunity to its effects (itching, rashes). The tree yields lacquer sap the way rubber trees do: cut the bark and collect the dripping brown sap. Lacquer trees grow to be harvested in about ten years and represent a major industry in Asian countries. Much processing (especially straining) of the sap is required before it can be used.

The most typical is black lacquer created by adding iron oxide to the sap; but reddish brown, and cinnabar red (adds ferric oxide) are also quite common. Multi-colored combinations of lacquers are especially notable. Over time the color palette has expanded and, in the Meiji era, became ever more decorative—with the European market in mind.

Lacquer is not just a matter of painting an object but of a commitment of several artisans to seek perfection. Weeks and months or more often transpire between stages of a work. It is said that if a master makes 100 pieces, 100 pieces will be perfect! Each production stage requires time to “dry” in a special chamber where moisture is added to the air to create a chemical transformation or “curing” by which the lacquer becomes impervious. Each stage also requires copious polishing before adding the next layer in building the final images. Lacquer artisans woefully observe that they are less “creators” than “polishers”—a clue to a lower profile for the  creative design in favor of the long period of technical execution.

Maki-e (蒔絵, literally: sprinkled picture) is Japanese lacquer sprinkled with gold or silver powder as a decoration using a makizutsu or a kebo brush. The technique was developed mainly in the Heian Period (794–1185) and blossomed in the Edo Period (1603–1868). Maki-e objects were initially designed as household items for court nobles, they soon gained more popularity and were adopted by royal families and military leaders as an indication of power. 

To create different colours and textures, maki-e artists use a variety of metal powders including gold, silver, copper, brass, lead, aluminum, platinum, pewter, as well as their alloys. Bamboo tubes and soft brushes of various sizes are used for laying powders and drawing fine lines. As it requires highly-skilled craftsmanship to produce a maki-e painting, young artists usually go through many years of training to develop the skills and to ultimately become maki-e masters. Kōami Dōchō (1410–1478) was the first lacquer master linked to specific works. His maki-e works used designs from various Japanese contemporary painters. Kōami and another maki-e master, Igarashi Shinsai, were originators of the two major schools of lacquer-making in the history of Japan. 

Takamakie (or “raised maki-e”) is one of the three major techniques in maki-e making. Developed in the Muromachi Period (1336–1573), the technique of takamakie involves building up design patterns above the surface through a mixture of metal powder, lacquer and charcoal or clay dust. 

Another special kind of maki-e is togidashi maki-e, where a black lacquer without oil is put on the metal decoration as an additional coat. 

Text in italics by Momoyama gallery

Small, highly decorative lacquer storage boxes serve as jewelry boxes and for organizing sewing supplies, etc. These are readily available and are popular with collectors. Even smaller boxes organize small items for regular use. One is a money box; coins are entered into a slot that leads to a locked drawer.  Other boxes organize various minutia. The Japanese seem to have a box for every purpose (see Inro). Below is an Edo period (1603 – 1867) jewellery box open and closed.

Boxes makeup a large portion of Japanese antique lacquerware, usually with maki-e or painted decoration.

Bunko boxes, of which the collection has a dozen or so, are literally “writing boxes,” for storing books and correspondence.In earlier eras, they were also used to store kimono accessories and other small treasures. They are a prime source for large-scale maki-e compositions that sometimes extend  over the sides of the box. Size of ca. 40x30x14 cm is typical.

Jūbako. These are multi-tiered boxes (25 x 23 x43, 5 tiers) for serving food. Usually, they are highly decorated black lacquer on wood, with undecorated red lacquer interiors and gold maki-e on the top rims of each tier. They often are made with 3-5 tiers with a lid (sometimes a separate base) for the top box and a second lid when creating two groupings on a long table). They are mainly used for the lavish variety of traditional New Year’s food (osechi,) and other special occasions.

Each box is filled with smaller rectangular and triangular ceramic dishes that all fit snugly together in each tier, (each dish features its own special taste delight. The entire stack of boxes, all filled with a diverse selection, is brought to the table. After first exclaiming the visual delight of the jūbako itself and the display of foods in it, it provides small tastes of many traditional favorites (see above, from Wikipedia, “Osechi”).

The two sets of stacked boxes pictured from the collection are typical. One is lavishly covered with gold Togidashi maki-e bamboo leaves, and takamaki-e rose-colored plums. The other is covered with foliage and takamaki-e berries design. Jūbako are often used only on special occasions and between uses, protected in their own storage box (tomobako). They are thus often in pristine condition despite their age and valued use. Smaller, round ceramic jubako are used in the kitchen year-round for preparing daily meals and storage of spices, tea, etc., and smaller lacquer jubako are used to store jewelry, etc.

Fubako (25x9x6) are letter boxes. Not only do they store letters worth keeping, but it is said that letters from one respected friend to another were traditionally hand-delivered in a fubako. They tend to be designed, at least on the top, with maki-e.

Glove boxes are larger but otherwise indistinguishable from letter boxes and, as with those, highly decorated with maki-e.

Tomobako are storage/presentation boxes. Usually, plain wood is made to fit the dimensions of what will be contained and thereby protect it when not in use, or for sale. Some merchants sell them without their original contents, and some boxes are signed—though it is unclear whether by the artist or the box maker.

Lacquer Trays (obon). The flat and large surface of trays is ideal for expansive designs of lacquer. An added value is that lacquer resists damage and is useful for serving food. The tray can also be displayed on a shelf as decoration in smaller homes. No end of subjects are portrayed, usually in Togidashi maki-e lacquer which has a polished and usefully flat surface. Other treatments afford variety to any collection of lacquer trays. One below is made of laminated pieces of different woods in a design that is then given a lacquer coating, all on an under-base of lacquer.