By a member of the Nomura family, Edo period (1615-1868), 18th/19th century The inrobuta (flush-fitting lid) embellished in gold and iro-e hiramaki-e with an old map of the world, annotated in katakana and Chinese characters, the inside of the lid lacquered in gold hiramaki-e and applied with two ceramic clams from one of which issues forth Chinese figures in intricate and exotic landscape scenes representing the Shinkiro ('Clam's Dream'), the inside of the box with a fitted round board, black-lacquered with a wave-patterned ground containing a removable oval suzuri (ink-grinding stone) and a silver suiteki (water-dropper) in the form of a crescent moon, the side of the box applied with the junishi (12 animals of the East Asian zodiac) carved in relief in pale-olive and white pottery, each within a rectangular reserve on a lacquered ground of turbulent waters; signed on the underside of the box Nomura Kigo/Sonoato sei. 3.3cm x 23.1cm (1¼in x 9 1/16in). (4).