A dramatic and large Japanese Meiji-era Bronze and Gilded Okimono of a Hunter (signed Miyao)

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This fascinating Bronze and gilded Okimono depicting a Samurai hunter at work.

This statue portrays a fearsome Hunter with an adult Hawk gripped in his gloved right hand and an infant bird peering out of his left. The hawk, with wings outstretched set for flight.

At his feet, a large, covered wicker basket barely contains his bounty including a rather unfortunate looking duck.

The hunters impressive beard blows in the wind and his robes are adorned with gilded dragons, Ho Ho Birds and a Lion dog clasp. He wears a sword and knife on his belt and another basket on his back containing more captured spoils.

(free) Standing on a wooden base and signed to the lower-back with the Miyao mark.

Condition: Excellent

Please don’t hesitate to contact us for additional photographs or to arrange a viewing (in person or virtual).

Takagari (Falconry)

Takagari is the Japanese word for falconry, as in the West, it was a status sport reserved for wealthy nobles that could afford to buy and house the expensive birds.
It was popular among Samurai, the Goshawk and Hawk were popular birds with the Eagle reserved for very high status individuals, it is not unusual to see favorite birds depicted in artworks of the time.

Hawk

The hawk is traditionally a symbol of nobility and wealth, due to the expense of training and caring for the birds.

Samurai

The famous samurai of Japan were a hereditary military nobility caste who help to shape and rule Japan from the 12th Century to their abolition in the Meiji period. In Japan samurai are known as bushi (meaning warrior) they we’re usually associated with a clan or lord and were highly trained officers in combat and strategy. They lived by the code of bushido (way of the warrior) which was Confucian in origin, and taught loyalty, self discipline and respect. They used many weapons including spears, bows and arrows and later on guns, but they are most famous for their swords. The Japanese Samurai blade is made by laminating metal (repeatedly folding) to create a very sharp but brittle edge which could then be combined with a central strip of stronger metal to create a blade. Despite being the best known use of this technique Japan only adopted it in the 1200’s, Western civilizations such as the Celts had been using this method 2000 years before. The right to own and wear swords in public was a privilege granted only to the Samurai, they would usually wear a Daisho (pair) of swords, one larger than the other, there are many sizes and classes of samurai swords but the most common pairing would be the Katana and the Wakizashi.

Miyao Eisuke

Possibly one of the best known and widely celebrated metalwork manufacturers of the Meiji period, the Miyao company was first based in Yokohama before moving to Tokyo in 1890.
They exhibited at many of the Great Expositions to great critical acclaim and won many prizes for their impressive works, they are best known for their metal ware but they also manufactured Shibayama style works and ivory figures.