Chapters 5 and 6 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 5: A Box of Children's Sweets

The best place to buy Japanese art was in Japan. Short of that, there were a number of Parisian galleries that displayed the art. M. Sichel, a contemporary of Charles, traveled to Japan in 1874 where he discovered a group of lacquer writing-boxes in a remote bazaar. He paid only one dollar for each box which were later valued at over 1,000 francs apiece. However, he sold them to his clients—like Charles and Louise—for far more than 1,000 francs. Japan was a "box of sweets." It created addictions for its art. The Japanese would sell anything, even their most cherished possessions like heirlooms, samurai swords, and netsuke. Among collectors, an insatiable hunt for these treasures began.

The items were alluring and exotic and fit right in with his many other unique collections...