4 Sun 4 Steps Hakone Museum
€95.00
No tax
A rare late mid-century collectible (circa 1970s-1980s). This 4 Sun Japanese secret box celebrates modernist art with a striking wood inlay depicting the famous Hakone Open-Air Museum sculptures.
Important Vintage Condition: As a genuine historical artifact, the living wood has settled over decades. The sliding panels offer a distinct, stiff friction typical of pre-owned antiques, requiring a gentle, intuitive touch. We strongly encourage you to review the photos to appreciate the raw patina and authentic history of this modernist puzzle.
Modernist Art Meets Traditional Craft
Crafted during the late Shōwa era (1970s-1980s), this Himitsu-bako is a bold departure from traditional landscape motifs. The main panel pays homage to the abstract sculptures of the Hakone Open-Air Museum (opened in 1969). This piece perfectly illustrates how master artisans adapted the century-old Moku-Zougan (figurative inlay) technique to embrace contemporary, modernist aesthetics.
A Masterful Yosegi Patchwork
Complementing the abstract art, the body of this 12 cm (4 Sun format) box features a highly unusual and sought-after patchwork design. Rather than a single repeating pattern, the artisan juxtaposed large blocks of various traditional Yosegi-Zaiku geometries. This creates a visually dynamic, multi-textured wooden sculpture that stands out in any collection.
A Pure 4-Step Mechanism
The box conceals its interior through a classic, straightforward sequence of 4 steps. The slight signs of wear on the natural wood are the permanent echoes of hands that tried to unlock its secrets decades before you. We thoroughly test the structural integrity of every vintage find to ensure the mechanism remains fully solvable.
Technical Specifications
Era: Vintage (1970s - 1980s)
Condition: Some signs of wear
Difficulty: 4 opening steps
Materials: Natural premium woods, Moku-Zougan and patchwork Yosegi inlay
External Dimensions: 12 × 8 × 5.4 cm (4 Sun Format)
Included: Solution
Our Guarantee
We celebrate the genuine character of our historical pieces. For our buyers' peace of mind, this box is securely packaged and dispatched directly from our facility in France, ensuring fast delivery with absolutely no hidden customs fees within the European Union.
MHAK-4-4-O/BT
1 Item
Data sheet
- Wood
- Natural premium woods, Moku-Zougan and patchwork Yosegi inlay
- Dimension
- External: 12 × 8 × 5.4 cm
- Sun
- 4
- Steps
- 4
Used
A rare late mid-century collectible (circa 1970s-1980s). This 4 Sun Japanese secret box celebrates modernist art with a striking wood inlay depicting the famous Hakone Open-Air Museum sculptures.
Important Vintage Condition: As a genuine historical artifact, the living wood has settled over decades. The sliding panels offer a distinct, stiff friction typical of pre-owned antiques, requiring a gentle, intuitive touch. We strongly encourage you to review the photos to appreciate the raw patina and authentic history of this modernist puzzle.