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A Tribute to Hokusai - A Marquetry Jewelry Box

RJ1403, member

21 users recommend

Multi-paneled marquetry jewelry box with interpretations of 18th century Japanese woodblock prints

Box lid design — “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”

Front panel design — “Fuji Seen from the Sea”

Left panel design — “Inume Pass in the Kai Province”

Right panel design — “Umegawa in Sagami Province”

Multi-paneled marquetry jewelry box with interpretations of 18th century Japanese woodblock prints

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I absolutely love the 18th century woodblock prints from the great master Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) showing the force of nature and the beauty of Mt. Fuji.

Here is a jewelry box which encompasses 4 of Hokusai’s masterpieces, created in marquetry. The inside is fitted with 2 sliding trays lined with Japanese washi paper.

The four panels include:

Top Lid—“The Great Wave off Kanagawa”, from the series “36 Views of Mount Fuji”
Front Panel—“Fuji Seen from the Sea” from the series “100 Views of Mt. Fuji”
Left Panel—“Inume Pass in the Kai Province” from the series “36 Views of Mount Fuji”
Right Panel—“Umegawa in Sagami Province” from the series “36 Views of Mount Fuji”

The list of woods and materials that I used for this box include: big leaf quilted maple, fiddleback mahogany, American holly, Chechen rosewood, Hawaiian koa, maple, buckeye burl, poplar, ebony, birch, spalted quilted maple, precious & semiprecious crushed stones (malachite, azurite & turquoise), acrylics and pyrography.

This box is currently on display in the Northwest Fine Woodworking Box & Container Show in Seattle, WA.

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It started with a teapot - box #2

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A Simple Lift-Lid Box

Comments (8)

rsbarga writes: Beautiful work, true craftsmanship. Congratulations on winning First Place and Peoples Choice awards and I am sorry to hear that it was stolen.
Posted: 2:04 am on December 12th

RJ1403 writes: An update on this marquetry box—I submitted it for consideration in the 32nd Annual Box & Container Show sponsored by Northwest Fine Woodworking in Seattle (http://www.nwfinewoodworking.com/). I was notified on December 1 that the box received both First Place and the Peoples’ Choice Award. An East Coast collector also purchased the box at the show.

That was the good news. The BAD news was that, right before the award announcement was made, the box was stolen from the show!! Argghhhh!!!

Anyway, I was very honored to receive the awards, and I am off making a replacement box for the kind collector that wanted the box for Christmas.
Posted: 1:31 pm on December 3rd

bustndust writes: I have a print of The Great Wave off Kanagawa hanging in my hallway and have alway wondered how one would attempt to use that scene in marquetry. Now I know. Truly a work of art.
Posted: 2:54 am on November 19th

newbie22 writes: Amazing craftsmanship, a work of art in itself. I like how the Maple is not just the background in every picture but adds to the beauty of each piece. Job well done!
Posted: 8:55 pm on November 17th

OldShavings writes: Fantastic. Hokusai would be stunned and flattered by your work, were he alive today.
Posted: 8:28 am on November 12th

RJ1403 writes: Biffe, what wood are you using for the bedpost? Of course, holly and ebony will give you the more traditional "yin yang" design, but this may be too plain for your bedpost. I happen to love using quilted maple, as figured as possible. Perhaps quilted maple and mahogany, or even a rosewood.
Posted: 7:09 pm on November 9th

biffe writes: absolutly beautyfull.
i would like to make a ying yang inlay in a bedpost
any sugestions wich material i best use ?Its gone be the first time i do this :)
Posted: 8:53 am on November 9th

OmarAngelPerez writes: Beautiful!

Posted: 5:51 am on November 9th

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