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Hello Mr. Lee and Company,

This is a very heavy bronze vase, with an incredible chestnut patina. It features two monkeys clinging to the side from the neck down to the main body. It measures approx. 9" tall and 5 1/4" across. Signed in calligraphy letters on the bottom. If we have ever ran across a piece that would look natural in a museum, this is it.
Any help identifying would be greatly appreciated.
Norb Novocin









Link :Bronze Vase

Norb,

The brown coating on this slightly amusing vase is not a "patina" in the sense of a surface developing over time with handling, exposure or wear, and it is not as durable as the surface chemical treatments applied to, say, Tiffany bronzes.

The two characters on the bottom could have been inscribed any time after this was made. In Japanese they probably read "sei shun," perhaps new spring. The first character can also be read "sho" and make an aural pun to mean "long spring." While this may conceivably be a studio name it is more likely to be simply auspicious emolument. Given the difference in metal color between the inscription and the footring, the two characters may not have been inscribed close to the manufacture date. I am no expert on modern Japanese metalwork but doubt this has much age.

Best regards,
Judy

Judy,

The first character is also read as "masa" I believe. I have been looking for the second character in my "Japanese Art Signature" book but have yet to find it. There are a lot of "masa-somethings" listed in my book that are metalworkers. It could be the artist's name.

On another note, this vase is overhyped by the owner. Compared to some Japanese bronze work I've seen, this is a very simplistic design.

Cheers,
Stan

The correct reading of the name is "Masaharu" and some metalworkers using this name were active during the Meiji period. You could do some more research in this direction.

Best regards,

Guy.

Hi all,
Thank you for your responses. We may have sound like we are overhyping the vase, please pardon me. I am a marketer at heart and it really is quite stunning to me, though it may be simplistic to others. Thanks again for all your insights,
Norb

Norb,

Perhaps there were just a few things that were looked over.

1. A casting flaw in the form of a blister,which caused the bronze on the surface to frit;located just to the right side of the first monkey lower arm.
2. Polishing paste located in the crevices of the water pond.
3. Darker patination within the nicks and pitted areas.
4. abrasion marks on the base, due to over cleaning, or to highlight characters to show detail.

Several areas show a re-patination; in other words the bronze had been cleaned, but patinated since the last cleaning.

The simple details, but very charming visually, reflects true Japanese taste. I think this vase was made in a private foundry, which the mark may indicate. There were many such private firms in Japan during the Meiji and Tashio periods, however an early Showa period date is most likely.

Norb, this vase is pure Japanese, and lacks the verbose and over crowded design features so common on the bronzes that were intended for export to the west.

This is a case where simple is better, and just plain beautiful!

Regards, Ed

Hi Ed,
Thanks so much. It is actually up on eBay right now. # 260030493928 and you are right, I think it is gorgeous. Thanks again,
Norb

URL Title :eBay Sale

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