A lacquer bunko [document box] | Signed Wajima Keizuka | Taisho period, early 20th century

Freddie traveled all over Japan and purchased where he visited when there was time, and his art collection reflects the regional areas in he visited. One particular example of his local purchases are two large differently sized urushi boxes decorated with in a floral leaf pattern articulated in green urushi, a specialty from Wajima.¹ These boxes are in the technique called Wajima-nuri, which dates to the 15th century and is based in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture. Wajima nuri is famous for its durability achieved through application of multiple layers of urushi mixed with powdered diatomaceous earth (jinoko) and applied over a zelkova wooden base. Green and other colours of urushi are used to create a three dimensional painterly and luxurious feel to the work that is quite distinctive. On the bases the artist signed his name in gold urushi reading Wajima Keizuka or Keizuka of Wajima. Keizuka’s studio opened in the 1920s and is still producing superior Wajima nuri objects today.²

1. See https://kogeijapan.com/locale/en_US/wajimanuri/ for an explanation of the technique.

2. See http://keizuka.jp/.