Jubento Box
Jubento box, complete with base and lid, 5 tier black lacqued exterior with mother of pearl inlay, boxes are red lacquered. “Three Friends of Winter” motif. Solid wood core, 5 box with lid and base. Small chip on one corner Provence: Sent to USA from Korea 1946. A gift from a Korean friend during the Korean occupation.
Base: 13.5” x 13.5” x 4” Each box is 9” x 9” x 2.5” Overall height = 17”
Inherited
Yes
Hello, this item is a mid-20th-century East Asian lacquered stacking food or presentation box, more correctly described as a lacquered jubako-style nested box rather than “Jubento.” The black lacquer exterior, red lacquer interiors, square stacking trays, separate base and lid, and mother-of-pearl inlay with plum, bamboo, and pine motifs fit Japanese and Korean decorative traditions. Given the stated 1946 Korea provenance, this may be Korean-made for domestic or gift use under strong Japanese stylistic influence, or a Japanese-style piece circulating in Korea at that time.
The set appears complete and decorative, but the value is held back by visible edge chips, lacquer losses, surface wear, and some likely losses or lifting in the inlay. The size, complete stacking form, and attractive mother-of-pearl decoration help it, but it is not a high imperial or museum-grade lacquer piece. Collectors would value it mainly as a decorative mid-century Asian lacquer box with family provenance.
Fair Market Value: $250–$500 USD
