Traditional Japanese Art for a Bright Future "Signs of Good Fortune" from the collection of Susan Tosk

A fine lacquer yuto (hot water ewer) with imagery of auspicious peacock feathers, done in hiramaki-e gold lacquer on roiro black lacquer.  Two mon (family crests) are done in hiramaki-e, the three tones of gold lacquer indicating high rank.  Two aristocratic mon of the Nabeshima clan of Saga is formed of two gyo-yo (a piece of suits of armor). This and he Imperial kiri mon (paulownia) indicates the vessel celebrated uniting two great families.