SHOKASAI AND SHIBAYAMA LINEAGEAn Inlaid and Gold-Lacquer Four-CaseInroMeiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th centuryThe lenticularkinji ground decorated in gold and slight-colouredtakamaki-e, goldhiramaki-e,kirikane, and Shibayama style with Kosekiko (Chinese: Huangshigong) kneeling on rocks and holding up a fallen shoe towards Choryo (Zhang Liang) shown on the other side, crossing a bridge on horseback and holding a rolled scroll, the dragon that saved Choryo from a river looking up at him from the waves, signed on the base in gold lacquerShokasai andShibayama within a shell-inlaid rectangular reserve; with a circular lacquered and inlaid metalojime and a gold-lacquer two-part domed circular netsuke embellished with a meandering, flowering plum branch;unsigned.The inro: 8cm (3 1/8in) high; the netsuke: 3.2cm (1¼in) diam.