Featured Japanese Kogo/incense box painted with gold chrysanthemum

Just bought this lovely little Kogo/incense box with golden chrysanthemum all over the Nashiji ground, hoping it might be the earliest example in my whole collection. The patina and style do give me 18th century vibes. It’s less than 6cm in diameter. What do you think?

 

It is a sweetie. The size, maybe made for travel?

Me too.

 

The size can also be a good indicator of period fashion unfortunately there are not much similar examples available for online research. Also it seems that Japanese dealers tend to label any tiny box a Kogo but for European antiques they have pill box, patch box, trinket box, etc…

 

I think I've heard that 16 petal chrysanthemums are Imperial...has that any basis in fact?
If so, an 18th C example such as this one might have some unique provenance!

 

I was wondering that myself. Is there a set number of petals for a chrysanthemum design?

 

All I know is "ooh pretty". I do have a book of Mon about somewhere. Alas there are no English words (or French , German, Spanish, Dutch, Polish, Russian etc) or as I recall any words at all.

 

"The Japanese Imperial Mon (or Kikumon) is the official emblem of the Emperor and Imperial family, a stylized chrysanthemum with 16 petals, symbolizing Japanese sovereignty and used like a national coat of arms on items like passports."

That is the AI response to the Google query "Japanese Imperial Mon"

 

I think it is true but although it’s a cute little box, I don’t think it’s anywhere near royal quality lol so didn’t take it too seriously. No sure what level of restriction they have when comes to such mon/pattern, it may also differ in different time which can provide more clues for the date of manufacture

PS: just realized my chrysanthemum is actually double layered, so 32 petals in total. But that’s also imperial I think

 

But here’s a 16th century example with similar chrysanthemum all over, but with 17 petals:

 

PS: in the third image I posted you can see an area of kintsugi. It’s certainly been loved over the centuries!