Inrō Containing Buddhist Votive Figure

Lacquered shagreen inrō, decorated on one side with two large gold-stemmed lotus flowers, containing a small inner lacquered box decorated with narrow lines of gold enamel. The inner box opens in two halves to reveal a small figure of standing Buddha carved from pale-colored wood and decorated with gold on crown, robe and stand. The shagreen case, of which the two halves are strung together on a small cord that permits cover to be slipped on an off bottom section, wrapped in a scarf on cream silk printed with writhing dragons.