Container - Turtle-Shaped Kogo Incense Container (乾漆 亀香合) by Sakita Hiroshi (崎田宏)

【Important notes】

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【Product details】

This exquisite incense container takes the form of a turtle, a traditional symbol of longevity, stability, and good fortune in Japanese culture. It is a fine example of contemporary Wajima lacquerware by Sakita Hiroshi (1955–), a distinguished lacquer artist based in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture. Sakita studied under Suzutani Tetsugoro—one of the foremost masters of modern Wajima maki-e and widely regarded as one of the last true artisans of the tradition.

Sakita Hiroshi’s works have been repeatedly selected and awarded in major national exhibitions, including the Japan New Crafts Exhibition and the Ishikawa Prefectural Art and Crafts Exhibition.

The container’s body is finished in black lacquer and adorned with maki-e, a decorative technique in which gold or silver powder is delicately sprinkled onto wet lacquer to form intricate designs. The turtle’s shell features embedded gold leaf that gives it a dynamic, luminous appearance, while the rear section is finished in nashiji, a technique that uses fine gold flakes to produce a pear-skin-like shimmer. The interior is also fully coated in luxurious nashiji.

The piece comes with its original double box set: a black lacquered outer box and a plain wooden inner box, both signed and sealed by the artist. A signature cloth and printed artist biography are also included.

There is slight lifting and minor abrasion to the gold-leaf decoration. Please refer to the photos for further details.

Dimensions: approx. H 2 cm W 4 cm D 6 cm

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Thank you for your interest, and happy bidding!