Cabinet for the incense ceremony; black lacquer decorated with a true lover's knot with brocade pattern, clouds in kirikane (cut gold) and geese flying home in takamaki-e (high sprinkled picture), half-moon inlaid in silver and sky. On the sides of the box are landscapes, the foreground depicting hills with plants and vines in autumn colours whilst in the background run distant hills amid clouds, Japan, cabinet: middle 18^th century, boxes: early 18^th century and barrel shaped box for counters, 19^th century.

Cabinet for the Incense Ceremony; black lacquer decorated with a true lover's knot with brocade pattern, clouds in kirikane (cut gold) and geese flying home in takamaki-e (high sprinkled picture), half-moon inlaid in silver. On the sides of the box are landscapes, the foreground depicting hills with plants and vines in autumn colours whilst in the background run distant hills amid clouds. Silk ties on handles of shakudo (a low gold content alloy) and gold representing a backback while the interior and base are decorated in nashiji (pear-skin ground).
The upper section of the interior holds a tray decorated in chrysanthemums in gold takamaki-e, within the tray are a pair of chopsticks and six implements wrapped in silk and gilt paper. In the lower section is a box whose exterior is decorated with chysanthemums in gold and silver hiramaki-e (low sprinkled picture) containing a tray with six boxes of counters. The boxes are each decorated with flying birds on a fundame (fine metal dust) ground and nashiji base. There is a barrel shaped box for counters, a four lobed box for incense, two incense burners in green celadon porcelain with a plain wood lid and ten folded paper boxes.

lover's knot, landscape, incense ceremony

Tomkinson Memorial Gift

Incense appreciation began during the Muromachi period (1336-1573) when incense was imported from the mainland of Asia and collected by enthusiasts. By the Edo period (1615-1868) the game had reached the height of its popularity with incense game sets, such as this, being produced. To play four types of incense would be chosen and only three burnt. Guests would smell the original incense then compete to guess each scent that was burnt or to guess the fourth unburnt scent. To indicate their choice an ivory counter would be placed in a box and the guesses then marked down on paper.
The back-pack, love letters and landscape choked with ivy on this set are references to the wanderings in exile of the poet Ariwara no Narihara, as told in the Tales of Ise.

W.358-1921