I traded for this rocker 15 years ago from a picker friend. This friend told me the rocker came from a Pennsylvania estate. at the time of the trade I noticed other pieces he had that were from the same group of furniture. I told him that the 3 Hepplewhite backed chairs looked very good. He auctioned the chairs that same year and recieved 5,000.00 for the 3 after Butterfields cuts. I know this rocker comes from a very interesting group of furniture.
I had a friend who was attending a appraisal school here in S. California (San Bernardino). I was told by my friend that her teacher who viewed photos of the rocker, said it was mid 18th C. and was very excited about it.
There is one modern screw unfortunately, it is on the bottom of the front leg by the right skate of the rocker. other then that it looks very original and in very good condition.
It's a four panel black lacquer room divider or dressing screen. Each panel is designed differently of mother of pearl abalone shells, with cranes (egret, birds) cherry blossom flowers, also each panel has a landscape scene on the bottom and the top have different fruits and flowers
I am trying to figure out if Noritake ever used the mark on the bottom of this piece. It is a wreath with Made In Japan incorporated into the circle, and an MG in the center. The M has all the lookings of a Noritake, but my book has no marks with an interwoven MG. The tray was most likely for cigars, and has three spots for such. The main color is a deep brown with three patterns of the same kind; gold braches with flowers comprised of circles. Colored dots fill the petal circles, comprised of light pink, golden yellow, and maroon. There are white squiggly lines with dot heads leading from outter edge to inner edge. Piece has light-medium crazing.
