Box Set 126 Tokens Mother of Pearl Lacquered Wood Gilding Japan Monogram 19th Century

Token box or box, in lacquered wood* enhanced with gilding decorated with friezes of vine branches (vine leaves and grapes) as well as bouquets of flowers surrounding the MO monogram; interior with 5 small boxes forming compartments with 126 finely engraved mother-of-pearl tokens with the same monogram, from Japan for export, from the 19th century.
This box is in good condition and is of good quality. It is indeed a set because the box and the tokens bear the same monogram. There are 78 long tokens (6.3 cm x 2 cm), 30 round tokens (dm 3.3 cm) and 18 small tokens (4 cm x 2.7 cm) or 126 tokens.
Please note: some accidents and missing parts on the box (see red arrows), wear of the gilding in places, dirt, scratches and wear of time, see photos. * Japanese lacquerware:
During the Edo period (1615-1868), due to the new organization of court life and the transfer of the capital to Edo (present-day Tokyo), the art of lacquerware spread throughout the country. Kyoto and Nagasaki supplied export lacquerware, while each center specialized in the production of a type of object intended for the domestic market. Some workshops produced utilitarian pieces, mainly tableware; others, the best, were in the service of the great aristocratic families and worked exclusively for them to produce exceptional pieces. The use of lacquer objects was governed by sumptuary laws and was extremely codified. Only the elites could own very beautiful pieces, which were more objects of prestige than of use. Among these sumptuary pieces, let us mention those which made up the wedding trousseau. Their production sometimes required ten years of work at the workshop which was entrusted with the order. The princesses of the great families made the trip to the shogunal capital on the occasion of their marriage, accompanied by a procession which gave them the opportunity to display their sumptuous trousseau. It contained many chests, filled with multiple objects (sometimes several hundred) for all uses: board games, incense sets, toilets, writing sets, book shelves, clothes racks, dishes, smoking sets... all objects more richly decorated than the others, and each one responding to a very specific use. In reality they were little used, if at all, being rather designed to be ceremonial objects. (extract Les laques du Japon by Véronique Cieslik).
Dimensions
Dimensions 30 cm x 25.5 cm / thickness 6 cm

Reference: E10 732
All the photos are on:
www.antiques-delaval.com

Ref: 21QNKB3M4H