Japanese Imari-Style Porcelain Trinket Box

This is a small, rectangular porcelain trinket or lidded box featuring a classic Japanese Imari-style decorative palette. The piece is constructed with a fitted, slightly domed lid and a rectangular base. The aesthetic is characterized by a high-contrast color scheme dominated by iron-red, cobalt blue (appearing black in some areas due to heavy enameling), emerald green, and generous gold gilt highlights on a white porcelain ground. The lid's central motif depicts a traditional flower cart (hanaguruma) amid a garden with red peonies and stylized floral sprays. The sides of the lid are banded with alternating red and black cartouches containing gold scrollwork and floral medallions. The sides of the box continue the theme, featuring a long-tailed bird (likely a phoenix or Onagadori) perched among cherry blossoms and pine branches, alongside geometric diaper patterns in gold and red. The craftsmanship shows careful hand-painted details over glazed ceramic. While the specific maker’s mark is not visible, the style is characteristic of late 20th-century Japanese export porcelain (approx. 1970s-1990s). The condition appears good with minor gilding wear along the rim and edges, common with handling. There are no visible cracks or large chips in the image, though some light surface grime is present. The interior likely remains plain glazed white.