Japan 1890 Meiji Period Bronze Koro Censer In Cloisonne Enamel With Jade Lid
Japanese Koro from the Meiji Period (1868-1912).
Beautiful antique ten sides fluted koro censer, created in Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912), circa 1890's. It was carefully crafted in solid bronze with copper wires and embellished with applications of polychromatic cloisonne enamel with silver and gold flakes, depicting organics and natural motifs such butterflies and flowers.
The lid on top is embellished with a sphere of 13 mm carved from natural green nephrite jade.
Has a total weight of 360.7 Grams and a measurements of 134 mm by 127 mm (5.25 x 5 Inches).
Meiji period, is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization by Western powers to the new paradigm of a modern, industrialized nation state and emergent great power, influenced by Western scientific, technological, philosophical, political, legal, and aesthetic ideas. As a result of such wholesale adoption of radically different ideas, the changes to Japan were profound, and affected its social structure, internal politics, economy, military, and foreign relations. The period corresponded to the reign of Emperor Meiji. It was preceded by the Keiō era and was succeeded by the Taishō era, upon the accession of Emperor Taishō.
Koro, is a Japanese censer, incense burner, perfume burner or pastille burner is a vessel made for burning incense or perfume in some solid form. They vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction, and have been in use since ancient times throughout the world. They may consist of simple earthenware bowls or fire pots to intricately carved silver or gold vessels, small tabletop objects a few centimeters tall to as many as several meters high. Many designs use openwork to allow a flow of air. In many cultures, burning incense has spiritual and religious connotations, and this influences the design and decoration of the censer.
Cloisonné is an enamelling technique in which the pattern is formed by wires soldered to the surface of the object to be decorated, which is usually made from copper, forming cells or cloisons, each of which holds a single colour of enamel paste which is then fired, and ground and polished. The champleve technique also uses an enamelling technique, but the cells are formed by carving into the surface ot the object, or in the casting. The cloisonne technique has been in use since the 12th century BC in the west, but the technique did not reach China until the 13th or 14th century. It became popular in China in the 18th century. Initially bronze or brass bodies were used, and in the 19th century copper, at which time the quality of th eitems produced began to decline. Chinese cloisonné is the best known enamel cloisonné, though the Japanese produced large quantities from the mid-19th century, of very high technical quality. In the west the cloisonne technique was revived in the mid 19th century following imports from China, and its use continued in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods.
Butterflies, Japan perceives the butterfly to be a 'soul of the living and the dead', as a result of the popular belief that spirits of the dead take the form of a butterfly when on their journey to the other world and eternal life. In Japanese culture, butterflies carry a number of meanings but are most closely associated with the symbolism of metamorphosis and transformation. Its curvaceous shape is commonly met with affection as a symbol of good luck, good health and prosperity.
It is in great condition, with the normal traces of use.
INVENTORY REF: D0000MNNK/.1112
