Japanese Pure Silver and Mixed Metal Okimono – Ozeki Company

Japanese Pure Silver and Mixed Metal Okimono – Ozeki Company.

As part of our Japanese works of art collection we are delighted to offer this enchanting high quality Meiji Period (1868-1912), pure silver and mixed metal okimono individually artist signed and further sealed by the highly acclaimed Ozeki company. This large scale sculpture depicts a majestic pair of pure silver Manchurian cranes upon a rocky outcrop within a lively waterway, the rock-work formed as green patinated bronze upon a heavily cast pure silver base, the rock further highlighted with gold encrustations. The silver base has been finely carved to replicate turbulent crashing waves upon the rocks and is signed to the underside with the coveted Ozeki seal. Each crane has been painstakingly carved from pure silver with contrasting shakudo tail feathers and mixed metal extremities, the birds individually artist signed Hoshu, referring to an artist named Kihara Hoshu. Upon the rocky outcrop crawl a pair of minogame ( long tailed turtles) each manufactured from shibuichi with gold decorated tails, an absolute joy of extreme high quality as you would expect from arguably the most notable retailers of the Meiji Period, Ozeki Yahei and his son Ozeki Sadajiro.

Literature :

The artist Hoshu was a member of the Tokyo carvers association and is recorded as actively taking part and winning medals at national exhibitions between 1897-1909, his exhibits primarily recorded as birds.

Ozeki Yahei 大関弥兵衛　was especially well known in the west as a broker for the highest quality metalwork objects. Ozeki commissioned works from such leading metalworkers as;

Unno Moritoshi 海野盛寿,
Yamada Motonobu 山田元信,
Kaneyasu Masatoshi 兼康正寿,
Ikeda Minkoku 池田民国                               – all of which appeared in exhibitions under the brand name Ozeki 大関.

Condition Report :

Fine condition throughout .

Approximate Sizes :

Height : 18″ 46 cm

Width :  15″ 38 cm

Depth : 10 1/2″ 26.5 cm

Free worldwide delivery and a certificate of authenticity are included within the price of this item.

Dimensions

This object includes complimentary, Insured Shipping / Delivery within the UK

This object includes complimentary, International Insured Shipping

This object is eligible for a Certificate of BADA Provenance

Condition report