A JAPANESE LACQUER NOVELTY MUSICAL JEWELLERY BOX IN THE FORM OF A CARRIAGE in the form of an Edo period carriage, in black lacquer decorated with gold foliate panels and brass mounts, the two shafts folding with a hinge, with a shaft rest, the lid opening to reveal a red felt lined single tray with the clockwork pinwheel below, playing a single tone, 36cm long (fully extended), 20cm high

In ancient and medieval Japan, the imperial family and nobility rode in carriages drawn by oxen, called ‘Gosho guruma’. Such beautifully appointed vehicles decorated with a gold, lacquer and motifs were a popular subject for decorative art objects and textiles.