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Author Topic: Antique Japanese Inro  (Read 2284 times)

roger270

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Antique Japanese Inro
« on: March 26, 2013, 11:16:16 am »
Having a difficult time researching this.  It appears to be metal that does attract a magnet (copper?) but I haven't been able to find anything like it.  If anyone has any ideas on what this is (period, material, etc.)  I'd be grateful.
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mart

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2013, 12:44:58 pm »
Where did you get this ?? 
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roger270

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2013, 12:56:00 pm »
It came from the estate of an American WWII Vet who was stationed in Japan.
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mart

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2013, 01:17:45 pm »
Kind of what I thought !!  I had a set of lamps made similarly,, brass with black laquer then etched through the laquer to reveal the pattern in brass !! Yours could be a mixture of metals  !!   Let me look around !! Yours looks molded then high points buffed to show brass !!
« Last Edit: March 26, 2013, 01:24:04 pm by mart »
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mart

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2013, 03:37:36 pm »
Is it all the same or is only the bottom part metal ??  Give us some detail about it !!

I enlarged it and its not metal, it is carved and painted with a gold laquer !!
« Last Edit: March 26, 2013, 03:44:47 pm by mart »
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bigwull

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2013, 03:45:14 pm »
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bigwull

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2013, 03:50:17 pm »
These were carried by Samurai to show, their wealth,they were also used for carrying medicines,during the 19th century,...i would say this one probably dates from around late 19th early 20th century,..and may have been bartered for,whilst the American GI..was in Japan...its very nice....
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CallieGray

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2013, 04:25:53 pm »
From childhood experience of trying to stick magnets to pennies, I can tell you that if it does attract a magnet, it is certainly not going to be copper.

Callie Gray
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bigwull

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2013, 05:03:25 pm »
You are partly right, but...just because it attracts a magnet...does,not mean it is,nt "copper"...see pic of "copper" 2 pence piece...looks like copper,if left out in the rain..it goes green,..but it still attracts a magnet...how come,you may ask....well, its made of cupro-nickel....with these percentages...  97% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.5% tin....therefore, this Inro...could well be made of copper,
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mart

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2013, 06:16:41 pm »
It is carved and painted so I think metal is out !!  Maybe ironwood ???  He hasn`t answered the other questions !! I thought brass at first by looking at the edge of the bottom piece !! But I didn`t enlarge it till later !!
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Ipcress

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2013, 07:36:11 pm »
Could be late Meiji, could be just after. If there are 4 parts to the inro then you call it a three case inro as you discount the cover. The small bead is called the ojime. The presence of Fuji and Manchurian cranes suggests this is an export piece.
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mart

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2013, 07:46:16 pm »
There are a bunch on ebay !!
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roger270

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2013, 11:14:45 pm »
Sorry, I meant to write that it does not attract a magnet.  The sections "clink" as if they were some kind of metal - although the very bottom part appears to be of a different material - perhaps some sort of stone.
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bigwull

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Re: Antique Japanese Inro
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2013, 02:33:05 am »
When you touch this part..that you think may be stone...does it feel "soft"..and cool,..if so then it is most likely soapstone...which was used a lot by the Japanese
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