second half 12th century
H. 2.5 x Diam. 8.8 cm (1 x 3 7/16 in.)
Gregory (1922-1988) and Maria C. Henderson (1923-2007), Medford, MA (by 1969-1988), inherited; by Maria C. Henderson, Medford, MA (1988-1991), partial gift and partial purchase; to Harvard University Art Museums, 1991.
Ivory plaques mounted on oak, with gilt bronze fittings
12th centuryItalianCarved ivory
19th centuryChinesePale greenish white nephrite; the inscription picked out in gold
19th centuryChineseLacquered wood: wooden core with light brown lacquer (possibly over a leather substrate) and inlays of mother-of-pearl, sharkskin or ray skin, wire, twisted wire, and metal fillings
18th-19th centuryKoreanHan painted lacquer: reddish-brown and black lacquers over wooden core, with designs painted in lacquer and with metal mounts (probably tin)
2nd-1st century BCEChineseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design), nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground), e-nashiji (pictorial "pear-skinned" ground), and harigaki (linear incising) techniques; metal fittings
17th centuryJapaneseLight gray stoneware with iron-saturated russet-brown and black glaze
20th centuryJapaneseLacquer on wood with Kōdaiji-style decoration in gold and silver utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design) and e-nashiji (pictorial "pear-skinned" ground) techniques
17th centuryJapaneseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold, silver, and sabi urushi (thick lacquer paste) utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design) and takamaki-e (high-relief sprinkled design) techniques and with sheet-lead and raden (mother-of-pearl) inlays; stone and metal fittings
17th centuryJapaneseTemmoku-type ware: light gray stoneware with black glaze, the decoration painted in overglaze iron-brown slip
20th centuryJapaneseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design) and e-nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground) techniques
17th centuryJapaneseLacquer on wood with decoration in zonsei-nuri (incised and painted lacquer) and gold utilizing the togidashi maki-e (sprinkled design revealed by polishing) technique; silk cord
18th centuryJapanese