Japanese Wood Box Haribako Sewing Stationery

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Japanese Wood Box Haribako Sewing Stationery

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Sold Date: 04/13/2008
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Ethnic, Folk & Native American Art

Antique Japanese Wood Box Haribako Sewing Stationery

This box was purchased in Kyoto in November 1971 and comes from my personal collection. I am downsizing to a smaller home in the near future and am beginning to part with some of my treasured Japanese boxes.

A beautiful wood box dating from the Taisho era (1910s-1920s). This five-drawer box is known as a haribako ; it is a traditional, old style sewing box. The fronts of the drawers are kuwa (mulberry wood) and the rest of the box exterior is kiri (paulownia). Drawer pulls are original and made of copper; the top and bottom in the warabite style. The top drawer is divided into two sections, each with its own sliding and removable lid. The same sliding and removable lids are found in the first of the two stacked small drawers and in the large right side drawer with the tassle-style pull. The remaining two drawers were designed without the sliding, removable lids. It is quite unusual to find haribako with the sliding, removable lids in place as they are missing in most cases. Attached to the right side is a pole that supports the upper compartment with its hinged top. Inside is w the pin cushion would have been placed. Beneath this is a small drawer with a pull in the shape of a flower bud. And at the top of the pole is an opening w a measuring stick would have once been kept. T is a bit of corrosion on the top half of the hinge that holds the compartment top and bottom together. Overall, this haribako is in quite wonderful condition. Time and climate have affected it only slightly. T is a bit of wear on the pole front close to w it meets the box. It could be touched up with some dark wood polish, though I never felt the need to do so. The back panel warped at some point prior to my purchasing the box. As a result, two of the small wood pins have separated from the left side, though this does not affect the integrity of the box. This is an ideal box to hold personal items or for use in an office or library. If you have any questions about this piece, please email me prior to bidding. Serious bidders only, please. Thank you.

The box measures 19-1/16 inches high to the top of the pin cushion box, 10-1/4 inches to the main box; 9-1/8 inches deep; and 7-15/16 inches wide. Weight is 5 pounds 11 ounces.

Shipping & Handling Information : You will pay the actual shipping charges, plus a small fee to cover the cost of packing materials used inside the box. If multiple items are purchased, I will combine them whenever possible and charge only the shipping amount for the combined weight and the one small fee for packing materials.

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