By Ryubundo, signed Ryubundo zoJapan, Meiji period (1868-1912)The mythical turtle finely cast standing foursquare with its front legs bent as it slightly turns and slowly raises its head, looking ahead with gilt almond-shaped eyes, its long and feathery tail elegantly swept to one side, the carapace and scaly skin naturalistically rendered. Signed RYUBUNDO zo to the underside with a hallmark/stamp below.LENGTH 24 cm, WIDTH 21 cmWEIGHT 1,800 gCondition: Very good condition with minor surface wear and minimal casting flaws.Provenance: British private collection.Auction comparison: Compare a closely related silver model of a minogame by Nogami Ryuki,of much smaller size (11.4 cm wide), at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Works of Art, 19 March 2014, New York, lot 3164 (sold for USD 6,875).