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I have had this bronze for many years but never really worked out what it is. The decoration looks Chinese but the three clawed dragon looks decidedly Japanese. From the beveled rim I assumed that there was once a reticulated cover. The body is corroded through in a couple of places and he has lost a couple of claws. The "seal" on the base look very odd and poorly done. I would welcome some enlightenment on what has sat on my cabinet for the past 20 years. I add a link to the web page that has some high res images

Link :Images of three clawed dragon bronze

It is Japanese. The seal reads partially 'Dai Nippon' (Great Japan), indicating that this is a Meiji era piece. I should date it ca 1875-1880s.
I could have a try to read that seal further if you could post a sharper image of it.

Guy.

The piece definitely is Japanese, as the mark begins with "Imperial Japan" (Dai Ni-hon - or Dai Nip-pon). The small size of the mark within your photo doesn't bode well for accurate translation. So unless someone with a better eye than I shows up to take on the job, please provide a better close-up of the mark.

Thanks,

Bill H.

Hi Thanks for the responses all very helpful. I have tried to make some hi res images of the seal and added them to the top of the page of the web link. It is so poorly cast that no matter what I try with the lighting the second and last characters are little more than blobs.

Chris

Did some additional research because this is an interesting piece.

Your item is a 'suiban' (flower vessel or jardiniere for the tea ceremony). I could identify the seal mark 'Dai Nippon, Toto (no) ju, Toun iru' (大日本東都住渡雲鋳 - Great Japan, Toto resident, casted by Toun).
Toto is an alternative name for Tokyo.

The artist is Kimura Toun, pupil of Murata Seimin.
This is early Meiji metalwork from the 1870s and not made for export.

Similar suiban made by Toun:
http://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/opere-arte/schede/6c070-00107/

Other item bearing the same seal can be viewed here:
http://www.kaiungaku.com/shin-oki61/e0858.html

To my surprise, I found also a reference to an object in the 'Catalogue of Specimens of Japanese Lacquer and Metal Work Exhibited in 1894'. London, containing a description that matches with your suiban. I wonder if this could have been the object in your possession.
the catalogue can by viewed also online (look for #40), 'Toto' is misread in the description as Kyoto:

http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Catalogue_of_Specimens_of_Japanese_Lacquer_and_Metal_Work_Exhibited_in_1000905744/95

Guy

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