Kobe, 1952 | Sterling Silver Jewelry Cabinet with Carved Floral Decoration
This Kobe jewelry cabinet from 1952 is a rather rare and refined piece of old silverware, combining sterling silver, Japanese floral carving and practical storage. It takes the form of a small cabinet with double doors at the front. At the center of the doors is carved a vase of flowers in full bloom, flanked by plum blossoms, chrysanthemums and foliage in an elegant, delicate composition. The door edges, hinges and central clasp feature more sculptural scrolling foliage and metalwork decoration, so that despite its small size the piece has the complete proportions and layered craftsmanship of classical furniture. The surface retains the grey-silver, dark brown and partly bright silver tones formed by the natural oxidation of old silver, and wear and scratches from age are visible in places, unlike the uniform bright finish of modern polished silver. This naturally formed patina and variation in tone give the piece a stronger sense of age and make the high and low relief of the carved patterns stand out more clearly.
