A Massive Japanese Silver Incense Burner, Meiji Period . Dragon: Kimura Toun family. Incense Burner: Kagawa Katsuhiro. Marks...

Description

A Massive Japanese Silver Incense Burner, Meiji Period
Dragon: Kimura Toun family
Incense Burner: Kagawa Katsuhiro
Marks to censer: three-character artist's signature, two-character seal mark
marks to dragon: four-character seal mark, three-character artist's signature
32 x 40 x 32-1/2 inches (81.3 x 101.6 x 82.6 cm)
19958 grams (641.6744 troy ounces)

This exceptional dragon-form incense burner was made in two pieces by two makers. The dragon exudes power in its elongated snake-like form, fiercely protecting the covered censer. The surface of the dragon shimmers in finely articulated scales with barbs along the spine. Smooth fluid water-like ribbons flow over, under and around the dragon adding to the sense of motion. The undulating form of its head with a hammered surface and fierce 18k gold eyes, antennae whipping back along barded horns, its mouth ajar revealing fangs and cantilevered tongue. From the chin down its chest lies armor-like overlapping plates, its claws are up and talons extended, grasping the lidded censer it guards. The raised spherical censer with textured ground and high relief repoussé features images of phoenixes flying amidst clouds that extend to a base and pierced lid crowned by a cast writing dragon mirroring the primary dragon in form and detail.

The mark to the dragon is transcribed Toun Chu or cast by Toun. Little is recorded of Toun who was a pupil and successor of the bronze caster Murata Simin (1761-1837) and is known for his lost wax cast bronze dragons which were esteemed by members of Paris' Japonist circle of the 19th century. This lot is a near match to a bronze example in the Musée Cernuschi (M.C. 2082), Paris. Both are marked Toun Chu and are of similar dimensions. The silver and bronze examples differ in the presentation of the Phoenixes circling the censers and the addition of a cast dragon to the pierced silver lid. A few examples of dragons marked Toun Chu have come to auction, including a bronze dragon that sold at Sotheby's Paris on June 10, 2021, lot 232 (presumably missing its censer). No mention of other silver marked Toun Chu has come to light.

The covered censer is marked as cast by Kagawa Katsuhiro (1853-1917). Katsuhiro was appointed artist to the Imperial Court in 1906. Court artists worked in a wide range of mediums and were responsible for creating works of art for the Tokyo Imperial Palace and other Imperial residences. Of the 79 artists appointed Artist to the Imperial Court (1890 - 1944), Kagawa Katsuhiro was one of only two members identified as gold carvers.

The Incense Burner is an extraordinary object from its size and craftsmanship to the purity of the silver and gold employed. The incense burner was thoroughly examined with an XRF (X-ray florescence) analyzer. The dragon, censer and its lid test at over 99% silver. The dragon's eyes are a minimum of 22k gold.





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