Japanese Lacquered Kodansu Table Cabinet - Meiji Period Religious Item A simple hand carved elephant

A simple hand carved elephant made in the naïve style using sustainable materials

Reference: Comparable examples illustrated in Karen Mazurkewich’s Chinese Furniture: A Guide to Collecting Antiques

brass carrying handles

The body of the lamp is ingeniously formed as a stylised peacock

5 x 53 (w x d x h) cms

Japanese Lacquered Kodansu Table Cabinet - Meiji Period Religious Item A simple hand carved elephantThis striking black & gold Japanese kodansu table cabinet dates from the Meiji period (1868 30 Jul 1912) and is in excellent condition. The artwork on this kodansu is of very high quality. The doors are richly decorated with large peacocks and butterflies within an outdoor scene. The metal mounts are intricately engraved in Karakusa. Kodansu like these were made for export to The Western market. The Meiji era was a period of great change in Japan as