

The fully articulated body of the reptile realistically rendered, with a movable lower jaw, fangs and tongue and with eyes cleverly inlaid in yellow horn. The surface of the wooden scales has a warm golden brown patina. It is signed Masakazu in an oblong mother-of-pearl reserve underneath the jaw.

The highly naturalistic carved lobster has long spiny antennae, ten legs, mandibles, a segmented body and a fan-shaped tail. Even when touching the okimono, the sound it makes resembles the crawling of the lobster on the seabed. Every single joint is moveable and attached by a tiny ivory pin, which shows the absolute craftsmanship of the maker.

_Sri Lanka, 1st half 17th century_ _H. 10 x W. 23.2 x D. 16 cm_ A similar box in the collection of the National Museum of Colombo is illustrated in Portugal e Ceilão, Pedro Dias, Lisboa 2006, p.179.