A hand formed brass panel and rim are affixed to the exquisite grain of this mulberry wood box by Honda Yoshiaki exhibited at the 9th Nitten National Art Exhibition in 1953. It comes with the original exhibition invitation enclosed in the original signed wooden box titled Kai-mon Ryoshi Bako (Letter Box decorated with Shells). It is 32 x 15.5 x 5 cm (13 x 6 x 2 inches) and is in an overall fine state of preservation. There is separation due to shrinkage of the wide base wood from the edge on the bottom of the box. As well as a short crack extending from two corners of the top (see close-ups for details).
