Project Information
Wood And Materials Used
Basswood, Indian Rosewood, Gabon Ebony
This is a work inspired by an antique Japanese Incense Kodansu (box in a box) from the Edo period, 1650s-1850s. My original idea for the artwork was to be a story with the Geisha as the central subject, and the story unfolding on the four sides. She was to be waiting for her Man, one of the fishermen below her in one of the boats. However, I realised that fishermen do not have geishas as wives, or concubines, as traditionally, there was a strict caste system in Japan. The geishas would have consorted with upper-class aristocrats, not fishermen. So I had to adapt the plan, and resorted to traditional themes to decorate the sides of the box, with a focus on floral patterns, and some bugs.
The top pull-out tray is intended for the incense burner, made from Indian Rosewood, and the other side for incense sticks. The incense burner has a curved sculpted bottom so one need only to push one end and the other end pops up for it to be removed easily. The four flower-themed boxes in the lower tray are intended to hold the small incense cones that are more common in Japan.
Because I was under strict time constraints, to get this in the mail by a certain date, there were things that didnt get done, touchups, for example. I also forgot to get the measurements. I think it is about 24cm wide X 12cm deep X 12cm high, or so. All stock is 5mm, except the pullout trays, which are 3mm thick. The joints for the trays sides are half-lap, which I thought was a good idea at first, then, after they were glued up, didnt think so because I suspected this might not be strong enough. Turns out this is a common technique for boxes in Japan.
Building the box and interior components was the easy part. The rest, is not easy. You are looking at many many hours of work here.
Thanks for viewing
And have a great day.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
The top pull-out tray is intended for the incense burner, made from Indian Rosewood, and the other side for incense sticks. The incense burner has a curved sculpted bottom so one need only to push one end and the other end pops up for it to be removed easily. The four flower-themed boxes in the lower tray are intended to hold the small incense cones that are more common in Japan.
Because I was under strict time constraints, to get this in the mail by a certain date, there were things that didnt get done, touchups, for example. I also forgot to get the measurements. I think it is about 24cm wide X 12cm deep X 12cm high, or so. All stock is 5mm, except the pullout trays, which are 3mm thick. The joints for the trays sides are half-lap, which I thought was a good idea at first, then, after they were glued up, didnt think so because I suspected this might not be strong enough. Turns out this is a common technique for boxes in Japan.
Building the box and interior components was the easy part. The rest, is not easy. You are looking at many many hours of work here.
Thanks for viewing
And have a great day.
