Originating in the fifteenth century, an inro was originally a Japanese seal case, used to carry the owner's seal for signature of documents and pigment. Later the inro was modified by adding compartments and was used to carry aromatic herbs, tobacco or medicine. It was suspended from the sash around the owners waist (obi), by a cord secured by a toggle (netsuke). Wood covered in lacquer was the favourite material, though carved wood, ivory, porcelain and pottery, and bamboo were also used. For specialised use iron was employed. The finest examples come from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries and were decorated with gold or silver in delicate complex patterns, the favourite motifs being birds, beasts, gods, flowers, blossoms, dragons, and clouds, often depicted in an asymmetrical manner, often whimsical, often near abstract. To collectors, the variety of the lacquer is of great interest, whether it is flat, raised, incised more...

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Meiji period Japanese three-case lacquer inro 'Chinese Subject'…

Meiji Lacquer Inro with Chinese Subject and Netsuke

Meiji period Japanese three-case lacquer inro 'Chinese Subject' double-faced ojime, silk cord, netsuke: boxwood manju

A Japanese Meiji period black lacquered Inro decorated with…

Meiji Landscape Inro

A Japanese Meiji period black lacquered Inro decorated with landscape, 10 x 4.5 cm

An old Japanese black lacquer inro, the five-section body with…

Japanese Black Lacquer Inro with Gilt Highlights

An old Japanese black lacquer inro, the five-section body with red lacquer and gilt highlights, green bead attached, length 8.5 cm.

A Japanese Inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), a four case inro on…

Meiji period Japanese Inro with Peonies and Shishi Design

A Japanese Inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), a four case inro on a brown ground decorated with peonies in mother of pearl, and hiramakie and takamakie, the reverse featuring a Shishi (foo dog) ready to leap, also decorated in fine takamakie (high relief)…

Japanese black lacquer Inro, of slender rectangular form, with…

Red Shou Lacquer Inro with Toggle and Ring

Japanese black lacquer Inro, of slender rectangular form, with a raised shou motif in red, set with toggle and finger ring, length 10 cm

A Japanese lacquer Inro, signed Kyuzan, Meiji period…

Kyuzan Lacquer Inro with Scattered Family Symbols

A Japanese lacquer Inro, signed Kyuzan, Meiji period (1868-1912), a gold / bronze lacquered four-case inro, details in gold hiramakie of Karakusa (scrolling grasses) and Chirashi-Zu Kamon (Scattered family symbols). With accompanying staghorn netsuke, the…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), on a black…

Edo Lacquer Inro with Akikusa and Praying Mantis

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), on a black Ro-iro ground, with details in gold hiramakie, depicting a classic Akikusa (Autumnal grasses & flowers) theme and praying Mantis as the moon rises above the horizon (verso). Accompanying netsuke…

A Japanese carved red lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), a…

Edo Period Japanese Red Lacquer Scholar Inro

A Japanese carved red lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), a fine inro carved in low and sunken relief with a gathering of scholars in a landscape framed by mountains and streams and bridge (verso), the ground in a diamond pattern, fitted with a carved…

Three Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867) and Meiji…

Japanese Lacquer Inro Collection

Three Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867) and Meiji period (1868-1912), the first a four case inro on a black ground with gold and polychrome makie Karako playing, with a chrysanthemum theme bone netsuke, the second a three case inro of stylised…

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), the first a…

Edo Lacquer Inros with Netsuke and Polychrome Relief

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), the first a four case inro depicting a boy flying a kite in a form of a cat and a large brown bag with a small mouse and the reverse with a man who has caught a giant Tai (Snapper) fish, all in polychrome…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 19th century,…

Edo period Japanese lacquer dragon inro with cloisonne ojime

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 19th century, early four case inro with dragon design in gold hiramakie and red kirikane highlights, cloisonne enamel ojime and attractive rootwood netsuke, the inro 9.5 cm x 5 cm. Provenance: A private…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), a four case…

Meiji Period Lacquer Inro with Horse and Woman

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), a four case inro on a gold ground depicting an old woman pouring a horse out of a gourd with foliage and mountain scene on reverse in hiramakie relief. The netsuke in staghorn of a stylised chrysanthemum,…

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), the first,…

Japanese Lacquer Inro, Edo Period

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), the first, an early three case inro on a dark ground of a tiger crouching on the ground in a bamboo forest with accompanying wood netsuke, the second a four case inro on a Kinji ground showing a classic…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, early 19th century, an early and fine…

19th Century Japanese Lacquer Inro with Horses and Pines

A Japanese lacquer Inro, early 19th century, an early and fine five case inro, of slender form depicting a theme of horses and pines rendered in hiramakie, takamakie and kirikane, with fine ensuite hexagonal hako netsuke, the inro 9.5 cm x 3.5 cm.…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 19th century,…

Edo Period Japanese Lacquer Inro with Horse and Pine Design

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 19th century, tapered form and with four cases, a quality inro decorated with hiramakie and takamakie horses and pines on a kinji ground with sparse nashiji, the netsuke in staghorn, the inro 8.5 cm x 6 cm.…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, signed Jokasai (1811-1879), a fine…

Jokasai Signed Scalloped Inro with Chrysanthemums

A Japanese lacquer Inro, signed Jokasai (1811-1879), a fine four case scalloped inro on black ground and featuring stylised chrysanthemums in hiramakie, the netsuke in stag horn, the inro 7 cm x 6 cm. Provenance: A private collection of Inro and Japanese…

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), the first…

Japanese Lacquer Inros from Meiji Period

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), the first a four case inro depicting Manchurian cranes in hiramakie and takamakie on a gold ground flying across a fast flowing river, with a bone netsuke of a stylised chrysanthemum, the second a three…

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 19th century,…

Edo Period Inro with River Scene and Abalone Inlay

A Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 19th century, a three case inro on a black background, abalone shell inlay and gold hiramakie of a river scene and two boats docked on shore, accompanying lacquer hako netsuke, the inro 8 cm x 6 cm.…

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 18th century,…

Japanese Lacquer Inro, Edo Period (18th Century)

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), 18th century, the first an early three case inro of a Buddhist holy man atop a packhorse in low relief lacquer and a deer horn Ryusa style netsuke, the second a four case inro based on a Tsukushi…

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), the first a…

Japanese Lacquer Inros with Netsukes and Stag Horn Netsuke

Two Japanese lacquer Inro, Edo period (1603-1867), the first a striking four case design of Sanskrit characters in red and black lacquer with accompanying netsuke of a mokugyo (temple bell), the second a four case inro on a dark ground and polychrome…

A Japanese Meiji period 'Deer' inro, 6 cm x 5 cm

Meiji Deer Inro

A Japanese Meiji period 'Deer' inro, 6 cm x 5 cm

A stunning Japanese black urushi lacquer ware inro with gold…

Japanese Urushi Lacquer Inro with Figural Ivory Netsuke

A stunning Japanese black urushi lacquer ware inro with gold nashiji flake interior, agate ojime and carved figural ivory netsuke, by Mei Otoyuki, Edo period, 19th century. Beautifully adorned with scene of Kazusue Kajiwara the warrior who fought in the…

Vintage Inro, hand carved depicting chicken

Carved Chicken Inro

Vintage Inro, hand carved depicting chicken

Small Inro, with gilded fish and flower decoration

Gilded Fish and Flower Small Inro

Small Inro, with gilded fish and flower decoration

A Japanese carved wood Inro, in the form of Ebisu, the god of…

Japanese Ebisu Inro with Fish Netsuke

A Japanese carved wood Inro, in the form of Ebisu, the god of fishermen and luck, holding a fish on his shoulder, his foot on a basket, the netsuke carved as a fish, height 7.5 cm

Vintage hand carved Inro, double fish

Hand-carved Double Fish Inro

Vintage hand carved Inro, double fish

Antique Japanese carved ivory Inro, three sectional with…

Japanese Ivory Inro with Bijin and Flora/Bird Engravings

Antique Japanese carved ivory Inro, three sectional with engraved Bijin and flower and bird to the other side, both signed and with red seal marks

Antique Japanese Inro, Meiji period had carved rosewood inro…

Meiji Period Rosewood Inro: Carved Mice with Mother of Pearl

Antique Japanese Inro, Meiji period had carved rosewood inro with intricate carving depicting mice to both sides with mother of pearl inlayed signature to base and carved mouse ojime and netsuke height 8.3 cm

A large Meiji four case Inro ensemble, decorated with fundame,…

Meiji Inro Ensemble: Mountain Landscape with Rat Netsuke

A large Meiji four case Inro ensemble, decorated with fundame, nashiji and takamaki-e mountain landscape with lake scene. Curled rat netsuke and agate ojime. 11 cm x 7.2 cm

A single case lacquered Inro ensemble, decorated with…

Lacquered Inro Ensemble: Takamaki-e Gold Landscape and Fish Netsuke

A single case lacquered Inro ensemble, decorated with Takamaki-e and Nashiji gold landscape and lake scene. Agate Ojimi and bone fish netsuke.

A Negoro style two case Inro and netsuke, c1840, two cranes in…

Negoro Crane Inro and Hannya Mask Netsuke, c1840

A Negoro style two case Inro and netsuke, c1840, two cranes in a landscape with stylised trees. Plain wood ojimi. Carved wood Hannya mask netsuke, height 6.5 cm

Japanese three section bone inro engraved figural decoration to…

Japanese Three Section Bone Inro with Figural Engravings

Japanese three section bone inro engraved figural decoration to three section inro, height 7 cm.