JAPANESE YIELDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26616, 12 November 1947, Page 5

JAPANESE YIELDS

PRESENT FOR THE PRINCESS RARE GOLD LACQUER BOX Rec. 11 p.m. CHICAGO, Nov. 11. The commander of 8.C.0.F., Lieu-tenant-general H. C. Robertson, used high pressure methods to obtain from a Japanese a rare lacquer box which will be presented as a wedding gift to Princess Elizabeth on behalf of 8.C.0.F., Japan, says the Tokio correspondent of the Chicago Tribune, Walter Simmons. He writes: “Hokobei Nishimura, the eighth generation member of Japan’s most famous lacquer-making family, had always refused to sell the box, which some considered the most perfect specimen of gold lacquer in existence. It was made 150 years ago by the fifth generation of the family and took 10 years to complete. It is traced in gold in almost microscopic detail and shows 53 posting places on the old trail between Tokio and Kyoto. Visitors have been told it is nominally valued at 16,000 dollars, but would never be sold. General Robertson, who had previously bought five rare sake cups from Nishimura, demanded that he should be allowed to buy the famous lacquer box on behalf of the troops. “Nishimura refused. General Robertson persisted. Nishimura continued to refuse and General Robertson renewed the demand until Nishimura yielded. General Robertson promised .the treasure would remain in the British royal family and the Nishimuras would be given enough gold to make another similar box. The family will spend the next 10 years trying to duplicate the work of their ancestors. Nishimura said, he yielded to General Robertson because ‘ I couldn’t resist one of such high rank.”’