A rare blue and white kosometsuke shell-shaped, incense box and cover, kogo made for the Japanese market, circa 1600-1640

Delicately carved to one side of the panel in shallow relief with a central cylindrical vase holding a fan, feathers and implements, with two smaller vases,

Naturalistically carved in shallow relief with lotus and lingzhi to the head and prunus, peony and pine to the shaft and narcissus to the ruyi-shaped terminal. 

The mythical animal recumbent with its front and back legs tucked under its body, the stone of a whitish-pale green tone, with minor russet inclusions and

The sides worked in shallow relief with a retreat in a mountainous river landscape, with a handle to each side, the flat upper surface worked with

      Of flattened ovoid shape, the interior well hollowed, the stone of a white to yellowish-white tone Height: 6cm   Provenance: Purchased in Ludlow,