An inlaid bronze pear-shaped vase


By Suzuki Chokichi (1848-1919), Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1870s-1880sThe body worked in gold, bronze and silver relief inlay with a bag of minomushi (bagworm moths) suspended from trailing branches of kaki (persimmon) fruits and worm-eaten foliage, the neck and foot decorated with repeated geometric motifs in fine flat inlay of silver, gilt and hido (red copper); stamped on the base Dai Nihon Kako tsukuru (made by Kako in Great Japan). 20.5cm (8in) high.