RYUKI (NOGAMI, TATSUOKI 1865-1932)

A Patinated Bronze Okimono (Table Ornament) of a Minogame (Bushy-Tailed Tortoise)
Meiji (1868-1912), Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, late 19th/early 20th century
Cast in mid-step with its head turned slightly to the right, the twisting head, carapace and skin rendered with great attention to its natural appearance, its exaggeratedly long, feathery tail trailing behind; the underside signed Ryuki. 15.7cm (6 1/8in) long.
Footnotes:
Works by Nogami Ryuki (1865-1932) were exhibited widely including at the Paris Exposition Universelle in 1900. He studied at the Tokyo School of Art under one of the most notable metal craftsmen of the Meiji era, Oshima Joun (1858-1940). See also lot 59.