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Can anyone help and decipher the signature and symbol of this bronze elephant? The bronze should be from the Meiji period.

Meiji bronze ca 1890-1900, sealed 'Kakuha sei' (角羽製) and 'Sano Takachika' (佐野 隆親).

'Kakuha' (some sources pronounce it as 'Kadoha') is the name of the artist who actually designed and casted this bronze okimono; 'Sano Takachika' is probably the name of an important Tokyo retailer who commissioned these fine objects. The clients were foreign residents in Tokyo and abroad.

A similar elephant only signed 'Kakuha', was auctioned by Bonhams.

Guy.

Guy

Thank you so much for your help identifying the artist and some more details about this elephant. Interesting especially the detail about the retailer. Could not find one object so far to have both seals.

Thanks once more and best regards

Matthias

Matthias,

I did some further research and things became more clear to me.

Kakuha Kanzaemon IX (角羽勘左衛門), real name Kakuha Zenjirô (角羽善次郎), was a member of a lineage of metalworkers from Toyama. In 1869, he started a branch office in the port of Yokohama for export trade of bronze ware and also acting as a retailer for foreign clients in Japan.

The artist is Sano Takachika, sculptor and member of the Tôkyô Chôkô-kai or the Tokyo Association of Carvers and Sculptors. He also is known to have worked for the Imperial family and has many works still held in the Imperial Collection.

Guy.

Just adding that the bronze okimono of the elephant was designed by Sano Takachika and commissioned and cast by the Kakuha workshop in Yokohama. Kakuha commissioned also other sculptors.

Other dealers/retailers active in Yokohama in the Meiji period, producing or selling 'Things Japanese' were Kuhn & Komor, Arthur & Bond, Samourai Shokai and Bisansha.


An okimono of a girl by Sano Takachika, commissioned by Kakuha was sold by Christie's. The name Kakuha is misspelled in the catalogue as Kadoha.

Guy.



URL Title :Sano Takachika - Kakuha

Guy,

Many thanks for the further details and insights. Really appreciate it very much. Just for your info: the size of the bronze is 38x20x29 cm (LxWxH) and weights about 12.5kg. So quite a size.
Unfortunately could not find any info or further bronzes of Sano Takachika on the internet. Will continue to search.

Thanks once more !

Best

Matthias.

Here is a link depicting an okimono of a peasant leading his buffalo bearing the seals of Kakuha and Sano Takachika.

Guy.

URL Title :Peasant and his buffalo

Thanks a lot Guy! Very nice artwork with the same seals. Very glad you found one! Thanks once more for all your help, it's very much appreciated.

All the best and kindest regards,

Matthias

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