KOMA KORYU: A FINE FOUR-CASE LACQUERED INRO By Koma Koryu, signed Koma Koryu saku with kakihan Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Very finely lacquered wood inro with a black ground and embellished with gold, silver and red takamaki-e, hiramaki-e, kirigane and nashiji. Both sides decorated with images relating to the legend of the tongue cut sparrow (shitakiri suzume). One side shows Nasakeji holding a cane and wearing a basket filled with treasure strapped to his back, being led away by a humanoid sparrow, all set below fine, leafy stalks of bamboo. The reverse shows two further sparrows in human dress standing in front of the hidden sparrow village inside a bamboo grove. The inside covered in dense nashiji. The underside signed KOMA KORYU 古満巨柳 saku (made) and kakihan. HEIGHT 10.2 cm Condition: Excellent condition, with extremely minor wear to lacquer. Provenance: British private collection. The legend of the tongue cut sparrow (shitakiri suzume) is a tale of friendship, greed and jealousy. Nasakeji saved an injured sparrow in the mountains and cared for it at home, though his wife did not approve of this. One day when Nasakeji left again for the mountains, his wife cut the sparrow’s tongue and let it fly away. Nasakeji searched for his sparrow friend along with other sparrows and found him in a bamboo grove, where many sparrows lived. They sang and danced for Nasakeji and presented him with a choice of a large or smaller basket as a present. He chose the latter as it would be lighter for him to carry. When his wife found out that there was a larger basket, she rushed to the village to receive it, however in it were deadly snakes, which startled her so much she tumbled down the mountain to her death. Auction comparison: For an inro with a similar design by Yamada Jokasai see Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 2011, London, lot 334.