A wonderful black lacquered wooden house shrine 仏壇 (butsudan) with a lot of excessive details.
The gilded interior of the butsudan has detailed shrine elements decorated with many different auspicious symbols, like phoenix birds, cranes, lotus flowers and chrysanthemums. Please take a close look at the photos of the interior to get a grasp of the various details.
The altar is made to house three votive figures.
The altar is raised by galleries with bird and flower design and with underneath a pair of sliding doors enhanced with refined maki-e lacquered lotus flower design.
The shrine can be closed off by a pair of black lacquered interior doors with gold lacquer lattice work lined with golden mesh silk. And by a pair of black lacquer outer doors with gold lacquered cartouches fitted with decorative metal hardware and a large sliding lock shaped as a Pauwlonia crest in front.
Outside of the inner door the butsudan is equipped with two drawers.
Placed on a base which is red lacquered at the bottom, featuring a hidden pull-out tray with iris flower design in maki-e lacquer.
The butsudan has green ropes attached at both sides for easy transport.
When acquired new, in Japan these shrines are extremely expensive to buy!
Period: Japan – Late-Shôwa period (Late-20th century).
Approx. dimensions:
Height 148.5 cm, Width 60 cm with closed doors, Width 105 cm with open doors, Depth 59 cm.
Please refer to the photos for a clear condition reference.