A gold-lacquer rounded rectangular ryoshibako (document box) and cover Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, late 19th/early 20th century The inrobuta (flush-fitting lid) with a kinji ground decorated in shades of gold and takamaki-e with kirikane highlights and details inlaid in shell possibly with flowering inu hoozuki (black nightshade), the design continuing over the lid and over all four sides of the box, beneath a gold-lacquer sixteen-petalled kikumon (chrysanthemum crest) appearing prominently on the lid, the interior of rich nashiji and the rims mounted with silver; unsigned. 14.5cm x 29.3cm x 22.5cm (5 11/16in x 11½in x 8 7/8in). (2). 注脚 Provenance: An English private collection, and according to the current owners, this gold lacquer box was gifted by the Crown Prince Hirohito (later Emperor Showa) of Japan to David Lloyd George, then British prime minister, on a visit to Chequers in 1921.