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Can anyone help identify this box? I believe it is Japanese but I do not know what it is called or what it was used for. I am also interested to know its approx age and maker.
There are two lids and the top lid has been repaired. The bottom has an impressed characters mark and is very difficult to see. The box is about 4" square. The painted flowers are slightly textured.
Any information is sincerely appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Japanese tea caddy.

This is a Japanese tea caddy, the function being evidenced by the presence of an inner lid for extra protection. I've seen painting of a similar style on the same type of crackle-glaze pottery with Kyoto Kinkozan Studio markings. The poorly impressed mark on your piece seems to have a "Zan" on the end, but I can't get my eyes around the rest of it.

Here's an auction result for similarly painted Kinkozan tea wares, including a caddy of a different shape, attributed to the 19th century. If it was mine, I'd probably make a more conservative call of late Meiji-Taisho era, or about 1900-1925.

Best regards,

Bill H.

URL Title :Kinkozan Tea Wares

A Japanese Kyo-yaki (Kyoto ware) export tea jar, probably late 19th century (Meiji period). I cannot read the signature/mark.

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