A rare, elegant, and unusual lacquer kendai (lectern) in the form of gagaku (traditional imperial court music and dance) implements By Toyo (unknown), Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, early 20th century Finely lacquered in gold iro-e takamaki-e and gold hiramaki-e and nashiji, formed from three assembled parts: the pedestal base shaped as a rectangular drum fitted with a single frontal drawer, the exterior sides of the drum embellished with stencil-like sprigs of peony blossoms beneath a narrow border of butterflies alternating with wisps of cloud inlaid in shell relief, the narrow outer edges further applied with silver-metal studs, raised on four short shippo-tsunagi-shaped (linked-cash) feet, which in turn supports two elaborate arms connected across the middle by a pair of drumsticks and across the bottom by an oval panel decorated with two overlapping inscribed shikishi-ban, one signed Toyo, the right arm in the shape of a hand drum, the left in the shape of a torikabuto (dancer's cap), richly lacquered in polychrome maki-e with geometric motifs and simulated tasselled adornments of the courtly instruments, details of silvered metal, both arms supporting the slightly sloping rectangular book rest for the placement of the music script, the left, right and front sides of the reading table decorated in gold lacquer relief with the scattered 12 characters denoting the juniritsu (12-pitch scale, a standardized gamut of 12 notes, also known as Chinese chromatic scale, see below), the reverse edge of the book rest in the form of a ryuteki (dragon flute), the underside of the lectern lacquered in gold hiramaki-e with stylised butterflies, flowers and ferns surrounding a cockerel applied in silver high relief within a circular panel, fitted with two hooks suspending two removable, heavy, ornately beaded tasselled cords, with a silver-lacquered rectangular bunchin (weight) and a red-lacquered wood, custom-made tomobako signed on the exterior of the lid with a large red seal Toyo and titled in gold lacquer on a silver rectangular panel Gakkigata maki-e kendai (Book stand in the form of musical instruments) and retaining the original elegantly cushioned and purple silk-lined interior. 42cm x 33cm (16½in x 13in). (5). 注脚 The juniritsu 十二律 (12 pitches) around the sides of the lectern transcribe and read: 黄鐘 (kosho) – A 大呂 (tairyo) – A♯ 太簇 (taiso) – B 夾鐘 (kyosho) –C 姑洗 (kosen) – C♯ 仲呂 (churyo) – D 蕤賓 (suihin) – D♯ 林鐘 (rinsho) – E 夷則 (isoku) – F 南呂 (nanryo) – F♯ 無射 (bueki) – G 応鐘 (osho) – G♯