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Subject:Soft metal dish has me baffled
Posted By: Kevin Sherlock Thu, Jul 24, 2014 IP: 65.207.30.3

This dish is about 4"x3" and would easily pass for a soap dish. It is made of a very soft metal you can easily bend with your hand. It is great work but I would like any info to make me like even more.
What is that entity up in the sky emitting light? Has anyone seen anything like this before?



Subject:Re: Soft metal dish has me baffled
Posted By: Bill H Fri, Jul 25, 2014

The three-clawed dragon is stylistically Japanese. As to other aspects, I'll yield to those more familiar with Japanese iconography, except to say that if the rays aren't emitting from a flaming "pearl of wisdom", they are also similar to those associated with the rising sun as seen on flags and other emblems of the country

Best regards,

Bill H.

Subject:Re: Soft metal dish has me baffled
Posted By: Kevin Sherlock Fri, Jul 25, 2014

Thank you Bill.
I've scoured the web looking at rising suns, three clawed dragons and pearls of wisdom. Naturally, I've still hit a stone wall as far as understanding the piece. I'm not really sure why it has captivated my interest so much.
Hopefully, someone with the iconography knowledge you mentioned will step up and put this to rest for me.
I could literally ball this dish up into ball it is so soft. Been stored away for a long time in an old ladies attic.

Subject:Re: Soft metal dish has me baffled
Posted By: adam Fri, Jul 25, 2014

Probably paktong an alloy of silver and other metals, its softness makes it suitable for this sort of work

Subject:Re: Soft metal dish has me baffled
Posted By: Anthony J Allen Sun, Jul 27, 2014

Hi Kevin,
I think you will find it to be Japanese and made from antimony circa 1900 or a little later.
Paktong was a Chinese alloy and not to my knowledge associated with 3 clawed dragons.
Regards
Tony


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