An unusual pair of gold-lacquer tall ovoid jars and Shojo (drunken spirit)Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century
Each constructed in two sections, one with a shojo seated in front and holding an open fan, the other with a standing shojo, holding an empty sake cup under one arm, the jars of black lacquer decorated in gold takamaki-e with details of sprinkled gold powder and simulated sake cascading beneath a rim embellished with a narrow band of archaic characters and over the shoulders, each vase with a removable metal liner, each shojo wearing an elaborately decorated robe similarly lacquered in gold takamaki-e with foliate motifs on a red ground; unsigned. Each jar: 20.7cm x 14cm (8 1/8in x 5½in). (2).