Old willow wicker mallet – Japan, circa 1920. Set of two.

This set of two antique Japanese trunks consists of two kōri made of willow wicker with solid lids, tightly woven on a wooden frame, and reinforced edges with fabric and leather. It originates from Japan, from the Taishō period, around 1920, when wicker was hand-woven for the storage and transport of clothing. In the Japanese home, the kōri (行李) was the everyday trunk: it stored and transported kimonos and textiles, protected by a light and breathable weave. Wicker trunks, known as yanagi-gōri, were produced in large numbers around Toyooka and often came in nested pairs. The body and lid are woven from willow strips on a wooden frame, in a tight weave that gives rigidity to the whole. The edges and corners are reinforced with sewn fabric strips and leather applications, which frame the weaving and protect the corners. All the work is manual. The wicker has taken on a warm honey-coloured patina, lighter on the faces and darker on the reinforcements with use. The fabric retains its aged tone, and the weaving shows wear and some losses due to age, in a whole that reads as a lived material. As a decorative object, it can be used as a storage trunk, a low side table, or a piece at the foot of the bed. It integrates into wabi-sabi, japandi, contemporary rustic, and Japanese-inspired interiors, where it adds a natural texture and a sense of travel. Details. Dimensions: Length 76 cm – Depth 45 cm – Height 25 cm. Style: Taishō period. Materials and techniques: Woven willow; fabric and leather reinforcements; wooden frame. Place of origin: Japan. Period: Taishō period. Date of manufacture: Circa 1920. Condition / Observations: Good. Weaving intact with a warm patina; fabric and leather reinforcements preserved, with wear and some losses due to age. Wear consistent with age and use.