I thought I had better post this box from that other site having mentioned it in my last post about my Jupiter Japanese writing box. Here's Jupiter if you haven't seen it.
So ................................. Starry, Starry Night was inspired by contemporary Japanese boxes, and in particular the work Suda Kenji. He has the status of a 'Living National Treasure' - Holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property, Moku-kogei (Fine Woodwork). He is an exceptional 'Fine Woodworker' with his own gallery and studio in the small town of Ganura-cho, in the Gunma Prefecture of Japan. I had the privilege of meeting Suda san and visiting his gallery and workshop in May 2019.
My box measures 460mm x 150mm x 150mm. It is the second version of this particular style that I have made, and was a commission for a very good friends wife who so liked the first one I made!! It then inspired Jupiter a Japanese writing box that I made for him.
The box is two small chests of drawers sitting on a separate tray. As is often the case with 'antique' Japanese boxes, Starry, Starry Night is not a symmetrical piece, the two chests being different sizes. The outside of the two chests have book matched burr elm veneers with highlights of rosewood and lace wood. A black banding, horizontal on the small chest, and vertical on the larger chest - so asymmetrical, are sprinkled with gold dust 'stars', and larger 'stars' formed from shell and opal dots. This 'stars' theme goes across all elements of the box.
Once unlocked these two chests can be separated, turned around and placed back on the tray so that the drawers are accessible. There are two drawers in one chest and three in the other, all made of lime with a black banding across their fronts.
The 'chest' can also be left off the tray so that it can be used separately, or as a place for the contents of drawers.
The tray is made from Jarrah and walnut, and has inlays of lace wood, with more 'stars' of shell and opal dots.
Inside the largest drawer are three small boxes. They are also made from lime with gold sprinkled interiors, with a continuation the burr elm, black band and 'stars' theme of the main chests.
In typical Japanese woodworking fashion, Starry Starry Night has no visible joints. A feature of western woodwork, often done to demonstrate our prowess as craftsmen, but generally frowned upon in Japanese woodwork! The drawers and the small internal boxes have mitred corners strengthened with small 'secret keys'.
Starry, Starry Night is presented in a typical Japanese - Tsutsumi, gift wrapped fashion. It is contained in a cedar outer storage box, called a Tomobako. As well as its outer Tamobako, it is also gift wrapped in a traditional Furoshiki fabric square, made by my wife. This adds more 'suspense' and mystery to what lies inside. The Tamobako and Furoshiki are both tied with traditional Japanese Sanada Himo cotton tapes.
So why Starry Starry Night?
Well ..... the box is decorated with many small shell and opal dots which reminded me of stars at night here in Western Australia where light pollution is minimal. But it is the drawer knobs which eventually inspired the name.
They are made of blue glass cabochon stud earrings found on AliExpress. The 'picture' on them is a miniature of Vincent van Gogh's famous 1889 painting 'The Starry Night'.
A book about Van Gogh's life provided the inspiration for Don McLean's song 'Vincent', released on his 1971 American Pie album. The song is often erroneously titled after its opening refrain, 'Starry Starry Night'. In July 2020, Don McLean's original handwritten lyrics for the song sold for just US$1.5 million. I doubt that my box will ever make it to that!!
You do beautiful work! I have a lot of wood that I've purchased over the years when I was working just because I liked the figure. I'm thinking of making something like this.
Thanks Petey, and DL. DL - Stary's main construction is veneered marine ply rather than solid timber. I went down the veneer route after doing a course with Andrew Crawford, a UK box maker. I find the veneered ply gives more opportunities for creativity without worrying about the possible movement of solid timber and then having to incorporate solutions to overcome movement into the design. I was also given a load of veneer...... A lot of my inspiration over the last few years has come from Suda Kenji's work, which you can find on the internet if you search hard or his book - Japanese Fine Woodwork - Pure and Refined Elegance. BUT he invariably uses solid timber..... Which I find amazing.
Thanks for the response! I was considering using veneer on Baltic birch ply, because many years ago I wanted to get into marquetry and bought the wrong kind of veneer...thus a lot of what is unusable for marquetry, which I never got to, and likely never will, at this point in my life. I looked at Suda Kenji's work and some of his videos. Amazing skill, is all I can say. I ended up buying a chest from Gerstner instead of making another for my carving tools. So much of the dimensional lumber I'm finding these days is so bowed/warped/cupped/twisted that I've pretty much given up on it except for maybe framing.
Good to hear from you DL Yes getting solid down to usable sizes is an issue, another reason for my preference for plywood!! But having said that the Japanese shelves I've just posted were made from two different lots of ply - the just cupped when sawn!!
OH no, no! My own fault I bought what I thought was a good cheap deal and got some pine CD structural ply. I don't usually use such large pieces as I did on the shelves ..................
Bummer! I'm going to hit up some stores tomorrow to see if I can find some lumber for a box for my eldest son. I want to make it for his Air Force memorabilia. And I don't want to do a glue-up. Wish me luck!
