Furosaki byobu or short folding screen in two panels, for use in a tea room, decorated with a stylized scene of a kingfisher sweeping low over sunlit water bordered by reeds. Of roiro black, mirror-polished lacquer, gold and colored taka-maki-e or raised lacquers with togidashi or flat-polished maki-e lacquer details, the water in fine nashiji gold flake lacquers; the frame of crushed vermilion lacquers; the reverse in roiro black decorated with nashiji silver flake lacquer clouds. Signed on the lower right corner of the right-hand panel in gold lacquer by the artist: Teiichi (Sato Teiichi, 1899 – 1972, active early to mid 20th century in Wajima). Late Taisho – early Showa era, circa 1920 – 1940.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Kawasemi no Zu, Furosaki or Kingfisher Design, Short Folding Screen; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Teiichi Saku, Made by Teiichi, and sealed.

Born in Wajima City, Sato Teiichi first exhibited at the government-sponsored exhibitions with the 14th Teiten in 1933. After the Pacific War, he exhibited widely, focusing mainly on the national Nitten exhibition. His Nitten entry in 1954 won the tokusen or grand prize. Based on the maki-e techniques he learned when studying in Tokyo, his works display a consistent quality in a wide range of styles.

For another lacquer box by Sato Teiichi, c.f. the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum’s catalogue The Art of Ishikawa, page 117, number 132.