Set Of Three Miso Bowls With Lids, Finished In Black Urushi Lacquer And Gold Maki-e, Taisho Period

This matching set includes three traditional bowls designed for serving miso soup, crafted from deep black Japanese urushi lacquer. The lids are adorned with an asymmetrical design executed in gold powder using the maki-e technique.

The finely crafted botanical motif features a naturalistic composition typical of Japanese aesthetics. It combines large, stylized leaves (reminiscent of lotus or farfugium leaves) with delicate wildflowers and long, supple grasses bent by the wind. The asymmetry of the design lends an elegant sense of movement to the set. The interior of the bowls, as well as the undersides of the lids, feature a perfectly smooth, unadorned black lacquered surface.

As with most high-quality pieces from this period, these bowls feature a very lightweight turned wooden core.

Technical Specifications

Type: Set of 3 lidded bowls (miso soup)

Materials: Lightweight wooden core, black urushi lacquer, gold powder decoration (maki-e)

Period: Taisho period (1912–1926)

Dimensions: Diameter: 12 cm | Total height (with lid): 9 cm

Condition

Very good overall condition. The black lacquer retains a beautiful sheen, and the gold decorations are generally well preserved. There is some minimal wear and tear and very slight scuffing, which is normal for the period (visible particularly on certain areas of gold; please see the photographs).