Japanese Hibachi Brazier Box by Amaru

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Japanese hibachi brazier box made of wood and copper, with exposed dovetail joints at all four corners, made in japan … Read more Japanese hibachi brazier box made of wood and copper, with exposed dovetail joints at all four corners, made in japan in the mid-shōwa period. A utilitarian piece halfway between a merchant box (kakebako) and a kitchen household box, representative of 20th-century japanese carpentry in its most honest reading.in the japanese tradition, open wooden boxes were used in kitchens, workshops and shops as versatile containers: for salt, flour, small tools, stationery or weights. The hollow handle carved by hand on one of the sides allowed it to be lifted with a single hand. Its ostensible construction — joints exposed, never hidden — reflects the japanese principle of revealing the quality of the craft rather than concealing it.it is built in light wood (probably paulownia or sugi) with the four corners assembled with exposed dovetails, internal corner reinforcements and a recessed base that acts as a plinth. The lateral handle, drop-shaped, is carved directly from the board and keeps its original thickness without losing solidity. The surface carries no more than an oil finish, applied to seal the wood without hiding it.the patina is warm and very even: the wood has taken on a settled honey tone, with the grain entirely legible and the dovetail heads reading as small darker trapezoids that visually order the corners. The interior retains the trace of its former contents, giving the piece the character of a lived object. The structure is completely firm.thanks to its domestic scale and constructional honesty, it sits naturally in wabi-sabi, japandi, minimalist, contemporary mediterranean or rustic-kitchen interiors, where it works as a storage basket, a planter for small plants, a utensil organiser in an open kitchen or a decorative piece on a shelf. Its exposed joints are its best ornament.detailsdimensions: width: 29 cm depth: 29 cm height: 24 cmstyle: japanese utilitarian box and brazier, shōwa periodmaterials and techniques: light wood (probably paulownia or sugi); exposed dovetail joints; copper interior; handle carved directly from the board; oil finishplace of origin: japanperiod: shōwa perioddate of manufacture: circa 1930–1960condition / notes: good. Warm natural patina. Use marks consistent with age.this piece is part of the collection of amaru antiques, barcelona.one of a kind piece See less