MORIYA SHOTEI (1890-1972) A Lacquered-Wood Natsume (Tea Caddy) and Cover Showa era (1926-1989), mid 20th century (3)MORIYA SHOTEI (1890-1972)A Lacquered-Wood Natsume (Tea Caddy) and Cover Showa era (1926-1989), mid 20th centuryEmbellished in gold and silver takamaki-e, the cover with a pair of suzumushi (bell crickets), the inside with curving strands of susuki (miscanthus) scattered with silver dewdrops, the design extending over the neck of the base, lacquered over a polished wood ground; signed on the underside of the box with a red seal Sansho; with a wood tomobako storage box inscribed on the lid Mushi no ne natsume (Natsume with the 'Sound of Insects'), the inside the lid inscribed Shotei saku with a red seal Sansho. 6cm x 8cm (2 3/8in x 3 1/8in). (3).Born in Kyoto, Moriya Shotei studied from 1908 with Shirayama Shosai (1853-1923), completing a piece left unfinished at his master's death, and went on to become a regular exhibitor at the Teiten national salon and its successor iterations from 1929 until 1942, as well as showing at the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco (1939-1940). He held a solo exhibition at Tokyo Art Club in 1961 and in his later years was much involved in chanoyu (the 'tea ceremony'), making tea caddies and writing-boxes.