Wooden box (tagayasan wood) with two drawers, decorated in silver and gold maki-e technique and red lacquer. Flowers are cherry blossoms, nandin and camellia, chrysanthemum, daffodil, plum blossom, peony. The pattern of cut flowers, seshi-moyo, is derived from Chinese styles of decoration. Deep lower drawer with handle on two brackets, shallower upper drawer with one bracket. The drawers are lacquered black on the inside. Probably originally a writing box and would have contained inkstone, papers, receipts, bills etc. Appears to be missing a lid. Also a decoration has been cut off. The lid with a hole in which accompanies this set fits inside top section.
Probably Meiji period. Printed label on base of box reads;'C. H. T. Hawkins'. In ink has been added: '1875 - 1900. Collection of. 747 27. 10, Portland Pl.' Above the label is a printed paper reading: 'fuchi-kashira'. Also in ?chalk? 36.12-19.
