Toshishige

Meiji period, 19/20th century

1868-1912

Koro

A stunning koro (incense burner) in shakudo, shibuichi, gold and silver. Decorated in chiselled relief chrysanthemums of open flowers and closed buds, the cover in densely overlapping chrysanthemum flower heads and silver inner lining.

This koro artist was Toshishige who has produced it for the well-known Nogawa company who specialised in metalwork for the export market.

Signed Toshishige Koku, Nogawa company

Size 133mm x 105mm

Anonymous

late Edo / Meiji period, 18th/19th century

1615-1912

Hanagusari charms

A very fine collection of mixed metal Hanagusari charms in copper alloys, silver, gold, shibuichi, and shakudo. They consist of a spinning top, pine cone, small box with birds, clam, drum, weave gourd, eggplant, den-den daiko drum, gourd, Fukura Suzume bird, pouch, sake bottle, buriburi, Fukura Suzume and acorn. All have articulated loopholes.

Many have been made in highly fine detail with wire inlay as thin as a hair. Others have screw fittings that open the bead with compartments or display fine inlay work such as the spinning top. Many alloys and metals have been used such as silver, gold, shibuichi and shakudo for the body finish and inlay work.

Hanagusari refers to the chain links and always end with a “charm” these are mostly found on makeup pouches and other sagemono. The chain and charm act as a weight to hold the pouch from falling through the obi “belt”.

Unsigned

Average size 15mm x 15mm

Genryusai Seiya

Meiji period, 19/20th century

1868-1912

Jardinière

A bronze jardinière decorated with a continuous band of elephants playing in the water, cast in high relief and on four elephant supports. Elephants have not been in Japan for many centuries and any that were there around the 19th century would have been brought from overseas.

In early Japanese art, the elephant is pictured most likely with the artists having never seen an elephant in person. By the time of the Meiji period, Genryusai Seiya and other artists would have seen real elephants most likely in the zoological gardens of Tokyo which was opened in 1882 giving a far more realistic depiction of exotic animals in art.

Signed “hand carved” Genryusai Seiya

32cm x 22cm

Ichiryu Tomoyoshi

Meiji period 19/20th century

1868-1912

Silver box

A beautiful solid silver box working in gold and shakudo. The box has a figure inlaid on the lid dancing holding what seems to be a rabbit to his head. Intricately inlaid gold has been working into the precious alloy of shakudo to create the man's kimono with silver used for the surface of the man's skin.

The work is signed on the reverse in a shakudo tablet with the name Ichiryu Tomoyoshi who was the 5th generation of the well-known makers of sword fittings of the Edo period. Ichiryu Tomoyoshi unlike his predecessors made metal work for the export market during the Meiji period.

Signed Ichiryu Tomoyoshi

Size 52mm x 24mm

Fukui

Meiji / Taisho period, 19/20th century

1868-1926

Box

A heavy iron box set in gold and silver inlay with a brown-black lacquer finish. Depicting a  lake at the foot of mount fuji with a hut and temple gate among pine trees, bamboo surrounds the sides of the box. The interior is a gilt brass liner with bamboo and sparrows on the lid and chickens carved on the base.   

Signed Fukui

Size 150mm x 102mm x 50mm

Hojukoku

Meiji period, 19/20th century

1868-1912

Koro

A very fine silver and enamel koro incense burner in the shibayama style on ivory panels. The body of the koro is of solid silver and cloisonne floral designs using enamel. The two panels are in the finest carving using the shibayama technique, In both mother of pearl, coral, semi-precious stones, tortoiseshell, and amber being used to show an eagle preying on songbirds and a peacock in a hanging basket. Fine filigree silver work will allow the smoke from the incense to pass freely as it burns.

Signed Hojukoku

155mm x 128mm

Anonymous

Meiji period, 19/20th century

1868-1912

Okimono

A very large cast bronze lion. In 1882 the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo opened and for the first time, the Japanese saw animals never seen before. Many artists from all over Japan would have travelled to the zoo to see the animals and study them. In the late 19th century many works of art were created in the forms of animals most likely being inspired by the animals in the zoo.

Unsigned

700mm x 480mm