An exquisite carved lacquer cylindrical incense container enclosed in the original signed wooden storage box titled Nuri-ko-tsutsu and signed Chikusem. It is 12 inches (30 cm) long and in excellent condition, signed in a carved seal on the side. This comes from the Sanuki lacquer tradition of Kagawa prefecture on the Island of Shikoku. The production of lacquer-ware in Kagawa (Shikoku) was encouraged by the feudal lord Yorishige Matsudaira (1622-1695) and many artisans took up residence in the area. The patronage of feudal lords and wealthy individuals furthered the development of the Sanuki lacquer tradition. With the rise of the middle class in the Meiji period and import placed upon traditional crats the demand for high-quality lacquerware increased, leading to innovations in craftsmanship and artistic designs. Tamakaji Zokoku and others like him were important in the development of modern Kagawa lacquer art cementing the foundations of the three basic styles we know today.
