Ogata Korin; Suzuri-bako (writing case); 1615-1868; wood; gold & silver maki-e and inlay on lacquer ground; This Japanese writing case comprises a brush compartment; a stone for grinding and mixing ink; and a small pot for water. During the Edo Period (1603-1867); most literate persons in Japan owned a writing case; though the quality of the craftsmanship would vary according to the socioeconomic standing of the owner. Ogata Korin; one of the most prominent artists of his day; designed the box. The fabrication would have been left to lacquer craftsmen who were highly skilled in the time-consuming application of numerous coats of thinly applied tree sap. The 'sprinkled design;' or maki-e; seen in between the folds of the stream; is made by embedding flakes of gold and silver leaf into a still-wet layer of lacquer.