Four-case inrō with roosters and hens under a willow – Gold and silver maki-e lacquer – Signed – With manjū netsuke and ojime – Japan – 19th century (late Edo to Meiji period) A four-case lacquer inrō decorated in gold and silver maki-e with red details on a dark roiro ground sprinkled with fine gold flakes. Design One side shows a rooster and a hen standing beneath the trailing branches of a willow, beside a rock and a winding stream rendered in fine gold lines. The reverse continues the scene with two further fowl feeding under the willow by the same stream. The rooster, herald of the dawn, is a long-established auspicious subject in Japanese art. Interior The interiors of the cases are finished in kin-nashiji (gold-flake lacquer). Signature Signed in black lacquer on the nashiji ground. The reading is uncertain, possibly Yūrin (遊臨). Please see the photo of the signature. Netsuke and ojime Complete with a manjū netsuke decorated with flowers in relief on one side and a finely engraved geometric design on the other, and a small yellow ojime in the form of a lobed gourd. Cord replaced. Dimensions Inrō: approx. 8 cm (H) × 5.5 cm (W) × 2.3 cm (D) Condition An antique piece with wear consistent with its age: - The silver maki-e has oxidised to a blue-grey tone throughout - Surface scratches and rubbing to the lacquer ground - Small chips and losses to the lacquer along the rims of the cases - Wear to the edges and cord channels - Later cord Please examine all photos carefully, as they form part of the description. Shipping Ships from Kyoto, Japan, via EMS (Japan Post) or FedEx, fully tracked and insured, carefully packed. Import duties and taxes, if any, are the buyer's responsibility.