Another Japanese style box. This one is a classic writing box - suzuribako. It contains most of the accoutrements used in Japanese calligraphy. These elaborate, luxurious boxes decorated with a range of lacquer techniques become very collectable items for 'westerners' from the mid 1800s onwards. You can see more of them here which is where I got my inspiration from.
They command high prices today. A suzuribako was often made as part of a set together with a writing table - bundai, and a letter/document box - fubako.
The design covering the box inside and out is called a katamigawari pattern, essentially a lighten bolt. This divides the surfaces in two with different veneers on each half.
Its quite a simple box veneered with contrasting red maple burl and birds eye maple. Traditionally it would have been different lacquer designs on each half, though they were often red and gold. It was constructed as a sealed plywood box and then cut in half. Splines were used on the corners. The inside has the same katamigawari design as the outside but with the addition of sprinkled gold dust. This was done beforer the box was glued together.
To get the pattern to match on the outside was a difficult job which took some working out!! I didn't apply the outside veneer until after the box had been cut in half and the lid accurately fitted. Cutting the lid off after veneering would have meant the line of the 'lightening bolt' would have been off-set as some of the design would have been lost in the cut.
More difficult than making the outer box was the removable tray for all the calligraphy tools. It is made from jarrah strips with small halving joints, housings and the odd mortice and tenon.
The tray holds most of the classic accoutrements associated with writing boxes of the 1800's
The tools are: Suzuri - ink-stone The most prized item. Fude - brushes. Three of these have a common handle that the tips screw into. Fude oki - Brush rest Kogatana - paper knife Kiri - paper pricker Suiteki - water-dropper
Unfortunately I didn't have room for a Sumitori - ink-stick holder, or the ink stick - sumi. I found all these items either on eBay, AliExpress or Etsy.
The box is finished with around 10 brushed-on coats of polyurethane, sanded down between coats, and then finished with a small orbital sander working through from 600 grit through to 3000. It was then wax polished.
