18th-early 19th century
overall, with lid on: H. 4.5 × Diam. 5.7 cm (1 3/4 × 2 1/4 in.) vessel only, without lid: H. 2.7 × Diam. 5.7 cm (1 1/16 × 2 1/4 in.) lid only: H. 2.4 × Diam. 2.5 cm (15/16 × 1 in.)
Huangpu ware: light gray stoneware covered all over with white slip, the decoration painted in localized areas of discontinuous dark brown glaze. From the Huangpu kilns, Tongchuan, Shaanxi province
9th centuryChineseLacquer on wood with decoration in black and gold utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design), takamaki-e (high-relief sprinkled design), and nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground) techniques; shakudo (copper-gold alloy) fittings
19th centuryJapaneseCarved ivory
19th centuryChineseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold, silver, and sabi urushi (thick lacquer paste) utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design), takamaki-e (high-relief sprinkled design), nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground), and e-nashiji (pictorial "pear-skinned" ground) techniques and with glazed-ceramic and raden (mother-of-pearl) inlays; stone and lacquered-copper fittings
18th centuryJapanesePale green neprhite; the inscription picked out in gold
19th centuryChineseEnameled blue-and-white ware, "wucai" type: porcelain with decoration painted in underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze polychrome enamels; with spurious overglaze red enamel mark reading "Chenghua nian zhi" on the base
17th centuryChineseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold, silver, and sabi urushi (thick lacquer paste) utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design), takamaki-e (high-relief sprinkled design), and nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground) techniques, with applied kirigane (cut gold and silver) and originally with inlays [now lost]; stone and metal fittings
16th-17th centuryJapaneseEnameled blue-and-white ware, "wucai" type: porcelain with decoration painted in underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze polychrome enamels; with underglaze cobalt blue mark reading "Da Ming Wanli nian zhi" within a double-square set within a "ruyi" cloud-scroll border on the base
16th-17th centuryChineseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design), nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground), and kanagai (sheet gold and silver appliqué) techniques; metal fittings
15th-16th centuryJapaneseLacquer on wood with decoration in gold utilizing the hiramaki-e (low-relief sprinkled design), nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground), and e-nashiji ("pear-skinned" ground) techniques; metal interior fittings
17th centuryJapaneseBox containing reproductions of seventy-one works by Duchamp
20th centuryFrench