Nichiren Shonin Triad Zushi Shrine — Polychrome Wooden Founder Icon with Gilt Interior Miniature Altar, Fine Metal Fittings and Aged Black Lacquer Case (Approx. 23.5 cm Tall)

Curatorial Overview

This is miniature altar architecture in the form of a zushi (portable shrine): a black lacquer case with metal fittings that opens into a dense, gilt interior sanctum. Inside is a founder-centered Nichiren lineage triad composition, built into a tiered altar stage with small attendant icons above and around the central seated figure.

The interior reads as a dense, gilded spatial field with multiple tiers and small attendant icons above and around the central seated figure. This is how small shrines achieve scale: they use layered platforms, carved architectural panels, and reflective gold to create depth beyond their physical size. The effect is not merely “bright.” It is spatial — the gold interior turns light into structure, making the central figure feel anchored and authoritative.

The exterior case presents as black lacquer with decorative metal fittings. In ritual interiors, black lacquer functions as controlled silence; metalwork acts as punctuation. Together they signal that this is sacred furniture, not a decorative box. The fittings also matter practically: they stabilize doors and edges across repeated opening cycles.

Condition is described as time-worn with surface rubs, chips, and component wear, including metal corrosion, lacquer checking, and age-related cracks. This is normal in devotional objects that were handled and used. The correct institutional posture is conservation realism: preserve what remains, avoid aggressive cleaning, and treat the object as a historical survivor. The brilliance is already there — in the interior architecture and its intact compositional logic.

For collectors and serious households, this is a high-impact object because it combines three layers of value:
1) an identifiable lineage founder icon,
2) a complete zushi architecture (case + interior stage),
3) period surface presence (lacquer, gilt field, metal fittings) that reads as heritage, not reproduction.

Small shrines achieve scale through architecture: layered platforms, carved panels, and reflective gold that turns light into spatial depth. The result is a compact object that carries the atmosphere of a larger altar into a modern footprint.

Dimensions (Approx.)

• Width: 17.7 cm
• Height: 23.5 cm
• Depth: 13.5 cm

Materials

• Wooden zushi case with black lacquer finish
• Gilt interior altar architecture
• Metal fittings / hardware
• Carved wooden figures with polychrome finish and gilt accents

Condition

Time-worn with surface rubs and component aging consistent with devotional handling and age. Reported: scuffs, scratches, chips, parts wear/loss, peeling; metal corrosion; lacquer checking; age-related cracking. Conservation posture: dry, gentle care only; avoid solvents and wet cleaning on lacquer, gilt, and polychrome surfaces.