ELEGANT COIFFURE SET WITH DRAGONS.
Japan. Meiji period. About 1900. Arthur & Bond Yokohama.

Silver; wrought in high relief with a fond of hammered finish. The set consists of a round mirror with a dragon forming the round handle; a spherical box; a hair brush; a comb; a cloth brush; a small jar (broken) with silver lid; a small tablet with a dragon above waves and a monogram MU (Mary Unger); a pen holder; a nailfile and the handle of a knife. Also adorned with a similar dragon design; but from another context; a small spherical vessel. A powder tin with iris from Arthur & Bond. Total weight 1.84kg Condition A/B.

1. Hand mirror; L.23cm; Arthur & Bond; Yokohama; Sterling.
2. Box with lid; round; ?9cm; H.8.4cm; Arthur & Bond; Yokohama; Sterling.
3. Hair brush; L.23cm; Arthur & Bond; Yokohama; Sterling.
4. Comb; L.20.2cm; without mark.
5. Cloth brush without handle; L.18.7cm; Arthur & Bond; Yokohama; Sterling.
6. Small jar (broken) H.5.5cm; without mark.
7. Tablet; 24.5 x 9.8cm; Arthur & Bond; Yokohama; Sterling.
8. Pen holder; L.17cm; without mark.
9. Nailfile; L.14.2cm; without mark.
10. Handle; L.10.8cm; without mark.
11. Spherical vessel; H.3.3cm; mark: Yoshikatsu
12. Powder tin; iris; H.9.3cm; Arthur & Bond; Yokohama; Sterling.

Provenance:
-Mary Elisabeth Unger (nee Babbit; 1871-1944) collection. Born in Cleveland; since 1900 married to botanist Alfred Wilhelm Unger; who managed the export market garden Boehmer & Co in Yokohama; Japan. She supported her husband in his business by writing texts for woodblock print cataloges (published by Hasegawa; Takejir?; which contributed to the worldwide success.Art trade; Van Ham.