Description TAKAHASHI RYOUN: A MONUMENTAL BRONZE VASE WITH A SEA EAGLEBy Takahashi Ryoun, signed Takahashi RyounJapan, late 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912)The bracket-lobed sides supported on a spreading foot and rising to a tall, gently waisted neck with a flared foliate trumpet mouth, the sides and base of the neck finely carved with a stream surmounted by the applied bronze crashing waves and rockwork base on which a sea eagle is perched, the majestic bird neatly detailed with finely incised plumage, sharp claws, curved beak, and gilt eyes with shakudo pupils. The base with a square seal mark TAKAHASHI RYOUN.HEIGHT 61.5 cmWEIGHT 14.1 kgCondition: Very good condition with minor wear, few minuscule nicks, occasional light scratches. Some typical casting flaws.Provenance: The Strong National Museum of Play, accession number 76.3310 (lacquered to the underside). Margaret Woodbury Strong (1897-1969) grew up in a prosperous family of collectors. Her interests ranged so widely that by 1960 she had amassed more than 27,000 collectible items and works of art. The vast majority of her collections related in some way to play and as her accumulation grew, Margaret planned a museum to house her collection. It eventually opened to the public in 1982, and grew dramatically over the following decades, expanding its collections, facilities, and resources, now spanning over 285,000 square feet. Today, the Strong National Museum of Play (known as just The Strong Museum or simply The Strong) is the only collections-based museum in the world devoted solely to the study of play.Auction comparison: Compare a related bronze vase with a silver eagle, 68.5 cm, at Galerie Zacke, 27 January 2022, Vienna, lot 351 (sold for 13,904 EUR). Another large work by this artist, depicting Daruma, was sold at Zacke, Fine Japanese Art, 28 October 2020, Vienna, lot 27 (sold for 17,696 EUR).