Japanese Music Box + Qi-pao | Vintage Shopping in Tucson

In Tucson, there is a large collection of vintage shops that sell a variety of treasures and trinkets. While exploring 4th Ave, one of the items that caught my eye was this dark lacquerware box. Upon closer inspection the box obviously has some asian origin, but I know that there are knock off items that are often passed off as vintage antiques, so I took some time to do a little inspecting. 

Looking under the box, there was a clearly marked label saying: MADE IN JAPAN, so I gather that it is of Japanese origin.

Turning it back over, the outside cover has a mother-of-pearl inlay border that frames the image of a vivid landscape which contains all symbolic images that represent Japan. Mt. Fuji in the background, a red bridge that connects two islands, a red and blue pagoda, wood block inspired trees, and finally a delicate waterfall. The decor goes beyond the lid of the box, as the exterior,  interior walls, and separated pieces were covered in the vivid images. It really makes you realize how detail oriented the Japanese are with their craft. 

Upon closer inspection, it seems that this was a dual jewelry and music box. (Unfortunately, the mechanics are either missing or in bad shape,  the winding device didn't work). Now that I knew it was a music box and since there wasn't much information on the price tag, I did some online research to figure out why and how it may have been manufactured. Turns out that after WW2, the Japanese started making music boxes such as these for the post-war effort, one of the companies in particular was Sankyo Seki. They mass produced music boxes and eventually became the biggest manufacturer of music boxes and music distributors in the world. There are many vintage Sankyo music boxes on the market today with the most common type being a rectangular wooden box that is colored black .

The characteristics of a Sankyo Seki box is quite vague. There isn't a symbol or signature like pottery to note if it was genuine, so I'm not sure if I found a legit Sankyo music box. However the discovery of this box has opened me up to new knowledge about Japanese music boxes, so I will now be more aware of other treasures I see in vintage markets. 

Another note, I think the price of the box, vintage or not, is ridiculous. $145 for a box that has a broken lock, can't play music, and feels as if it would fall apart the second it touches a solid surface is not worth it. 

I also found a Cheongsam / Qi-Pao hanging in the front on the way out. I got a quick look + photo of it before the shop owner kicked me out but I assume that it is from the 1950s, when the china doll dress was a craze,  the look was shortened and highly sexualized. This vintage shopping experience makes me think about how asian cultures and even others are somewhat fetishized through our objects and looks, yet the very same people who often enjoy these "Oriental Treasures" still discriminate against the citizens of the same origin for being themselves in America.

Info Sources:
https://antiques.lovetoknow.com/vintage-japanese-music-box