A FINE LACQUERED THREE-CASE SAYA INRO WITH MATCHING MANJU NETSUKE BY UEMURA ENSHU
By Uemura Enshu, signed Enshu
Japan, 20th century, Showa (1926-1989) or Heisei period (1989)

The outer sheath beautifully decorated with coarse brown lacquer, simulating tree-bark, and lacquered with sprigs of leaves with kirikane flakes and shell highlights. The slender three-case inro on the inside, is decorated with a stunning design of three owls on top of each other, their staring eyes inlaid in gold with shell details. They are surrounded by kirikane flakes and the reverse with an
owl in flight amongst leaves, with vertically spread out wings, the featherwork masterfully executed. Both sides made with hiramaki-e and togidashi-e and the underside with a chequered design and signed ENSHU 円秋. The inside compartments with dense gold nashiji.

The manju netsuke consisting of two parts and depicting a squirrel, with a bushy tail and large glaring eyes, nibbling on orange and shell-inlaid fruits. The reverse with signature ENSHU 円秋.

The composition of the inro and matching netsuke is designed to reflect the life in a tree - the owls are living inside the tree and the squirrel is in the crown of the tree nibbling on fruits.

HEIGHT (inro) 7.2 cm, DIAMETER (manju) 4.2 cm

Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: British private collection.