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Any help on this is appreciated :) Kind regards in advance. I believe it is bronze and Chinese but I am uncertain if it is made to look old or actually old.









Link :Fortuna

This is a Japanese usubata used for flower arranging (ikebana). See link below. The patina looks too light. Has it been polished (bad)? See below for one being used.

Cheers,
Stan





URL Title :Ikebana

Your bronze isn't Chinese or a censer but a 'flower-arranging' (ikebana) vase called 'usubata'. Its base-mark appears to be a seal script form of 東陽, which means 'Eastern Sun' (implicitly 'Rising Sun' I believe) and is associated with the Japanese "Toyo" corporation. I found Toyo decorative bronze items online with the same ancient style seal-writing mark, and others which had modern paper labels with the Toyo company name in English and the characters 東洋, meaning 'Eastern Sea' or 'Oriental'. Perhaps Japanese experts in the forum can add to this and clarify whether there might be two different Toyo companies making decorative bronzes. Here are some links to items found under the Toyo name. I tend to believe your usubata and the similar one found online may both be vintage items, no older than early 20th century, 2nd quarter or later.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Toyo-Japanese-Bronze-Statues-Farmer-Wife-Man-Woman-Vintage-Figures/254527622830?hash=item3b43074eae:g:TtgAAOSwWWxeW683

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ORIENTAL-BRONZE-CRANE-DRAGON-URN-VASE-TOYO-JAPAN-LACQUERED-/184212308248

https://www.chairish.com/product/2228963/antique-japanese-cast-bronze-usubata-flower-vase-for-ikebana

Best regards,

Bill H.

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