【Important notes】 ・International buyers are responsible for any import duties, taxes, and charges not included in the item price or shipping cost. Please note that VAT paid to Catawiki is separate from and does not cover import duties or customs charges in your country. You may still be required to pay additional fees upon delivery, as determined by your local customs authorities. ・Shipping Details: Most items are shipped via Japan Post EMS (airmail). If you are in a hurry, we can arrange shipping via DHL or FedEx upon request for an additional fee. ・Damage and Issues: If you receive a damaged item, please contact us immediately. The damage must be reported to your local post office within 7 days of delivery, and promptly to us and Catawiki support. 【Product details】 This elegant hira-natsume (flat tea caddy) was created by Saijō Issai (西條一斉, 1937–), a distinguished contemporary lacquer artist renowned for his refined maki-e work and tea ceremony utensils. Born in Osaka, Saijo Issai began studying under his father, the maki-e master Okutsu Yōhō (奥津洋方), at the age of seventeen. Throughout his career he has received numerous honours, including the Special Prize of the Governor of Osaka Prefecture. His works are appreciated by tea practitioners of many schools and are regarded as fine examples of modern Japanese lacquer artistry. As inscribed on the accompanying signed wooden storage box, the decoration depicts Odori-giri (Dancing Paulownia). Large paulownia leaves appear to float gracefully across the glossy black lacquer surface, rendered in finely executed gold maki-e. Delicate flowers are highlighted with luminous blue-green raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), creating a striking contrast against the dark ground. The shimmering raden beautifully evokes the noble bluish-purple tones traditionally associated with paulownia blossoms. Maki-e is a traditional Japanese decorative technique where gold or silver powder is sprinkled onto wet lacquer to produce intricate designs. Raden is a decorative technique that uses thin pieces of mother-of-pearl inlay, valued for their iridescent colours and elegant brilliance. The paulownia has long been regarded in Japan as a symbol of nobility, prosperity, and good fortune, making it a particularly auspicious motif for tea ceremony utensils. The underside of the tea caddy bears the artist's signature "Issai" in gold maki-e. The piece comes with its original signed wooden storage box featuring the artist's handwritten inscription and seal. The tea caddy remains in very good vintage condition with only minimal signs of wear. The underside of the wooden storage box shows minor scratches and areas of discolouration from removed price labels. Please refer to the photos for details. ※Please be sure to read the【Important Notes】section below before purchasing. Dimensions: approx. H 5.8 cm W 8 cm D 8 cm ・Please make sure to review all the provided information, description, and images before placing your bid. The items shown in the photos are what is included in the lot. If anything shown as included is missing upon delivery, please contact us immediately. ・Some display stands or other items in the photos may be photography props and are not included in the sale. Please read the description carefully to confirm what is included. ・We make every effort to accurately represent the product's colors and textures in our photos. However, due to differences in monitors and device displays, as well as photographic conditions, slight color variations between the photos and the actual product may occur. We ask for your understanding in advance. Thank you for your interest, and happy bidding!