Japanese Maki-e Lacquer Portable Sagejubako Theme of Three Winter Friends

Sagejubako is a portable lunch or picnic set that became popular in the early Edo period when an additional meal was added between breakfast and dinner. It normally consists of a handled carry case and sake bottles, serving trays and tiered food storage boxes called "jubako". This set is rare not only because it appears to retain all the parts (it includes a carry case, seven trays, two sake bottles with lower compartment, a four-tiers jubako), but also because it is lavishly decorated in the motif of "Three Winter Friends: Pine, Bamboo and Plum blossom", one of the designs preferred by the scholarly type. Executed in gold hiramaki-e, takamaki-e and kirigane on black background, the three motifs were used in various combinations across the entire surfaces to decorate the trays, sake bottles, jubako and also exterior top of the carry case. The carry case itself is wonderfully constructed with an all-around lattice wall of overlapping coin design, a symbol for good fortune. All interior of the containers was finished in a vermilion red. The set was finely crafted with bold composition and painstaking workmanship.
The set is likely dated to the second half of 19th century (early Meiji period). There are a minor loss and some stable aged cracks in addition to expected patina, nevertheless it remains a beautiful and well-preserved example.