{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O120938"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O120938/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT2985/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT2985/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT2985","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AT2984","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC9352","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O120938/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O120938","accessionNumber":"W.158:1 to 3-1922","objectType":"Inrō, netsuke and ojime","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The <i>inro</i> is a container made up of tiers. Japanese men used them because the traditional Japanese garment, the kimono, had no pockets. From the late 1500s onwards, Japanese men wore the <i>inro</i> suspended from their sash by a silk cord and a netsuke (toggle). They originally used it to hold their seal and ink or a supply of medicines. However, it rapidly became a costly fashion accessory of little or no practical use. Most <i>inro</i> are rectangular with gently curving sides. \r\nLacquer was most commonly used in the manufacture of <i>inro</i> since it was highly suitable for storing medicines. Lacquer is the sap from the tree Rhus verniciflua that grows mainly in East Asia. After processing, it is applied in many thin layers to a base material.  The craft of lacquering, as well as making <i>inro</i> bodies, is highly complex, time-consuming and expensive. On this example, the gold lacquer is inlaid with fishes in shell, horn and stained ivory in a style typical of the late 1800s. \r\nFrom the 1700s onwards, many artists signed the <i>inro</i> they made. This example is signed Kakosai, who is known to have worked in the late 1800s.","physicalDescription":"Inrō, with netsuke and ojime, depicting fishes against a background of foaming waves. Gold hiramakie and takamakie, inlaid with pearl-shell, horn and stained ivory on a gold sprinkled ground.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kakosai","id":"A7936"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"lacquer","id":"AAT14916"},{"text":"shell","id":"AAT11829"},{"text":"horn","id":"AAT11826"},{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquering","id":"AAT53796"},{"text":"inlay","id":"AAT53850"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Fundame (gold powder), gold hiramaki-e (low relief maki-e), takamaki-e (high relief maki-e), shell, horn and ivory inlays\r\n","categories":[{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Lacquerware","id":"THES49004"}],"styles":[{"text":"Edo period","id":"AAT106643"},{"text":"Meiji period","id":"x36308"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AT2985","2006AT2984","2017KC9352"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"U","id":"THES297002"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"032","id":"THES361127"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"U","id":"THES297002"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Inro","id":""}],[{"text":"netsuke","id":"AAT184865"}],[{"text":"ojime","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Japan","id":"x29399"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1850-1900","earliest":"1850-01-01","latest":"1900-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Pfungst Gift","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"9.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"5.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"2.1","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Taken from department file","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Inrō decorated with fishes in water, lacquer, by Kakosai, Japan, 1850-1900","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Julia Hutt, <u>Japanese Inro, </u> V&A Publications, 1997; plate 115"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["W.158:1-1922","W.158:2-1922","W.158:3-1922"],"accessionNumberNum":"158","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1922,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Inro","Netsuke","Ojime"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-13","recordCreationDate":"2006-02-10","availableToBook":true}}