Antique Pair of Meiji Style Mixed-Metal VasesBird, Bamboo and Rock Panels in Copper, Gold and Silver Tones

On each vase, a small bird flies past a tall rock and a stand of bamboo, picked out in soft shades of copper, gold and silver. Set side by side, the two scenes mirror each other.

Each vase is a tall baluster shape with a flared neck, made of brass-tone metal with small loop handles at the shoulder. The front holds a round panel showing bamboo, a craggy rock and a bird in flight. These are inlaid or applied in metals of different colours, and finished with fine engraved lines. The neck and foot are engraved with scrolls and small diamond-shaped panels. When Japan banned the wearing of swords in 1876, many craftsmen who had made sword fittings turned their skill with coloured metals to vases and boxes for export. Pieces like these show that skill in miniature.

The vases are in very good antique condition, with an aged patina. They have come through more than a century together, and they're ready for a new home. They suit a mantelpiece, a pair of side tables, or either end of a bookshelf.

The pair in brief: two Meiji style mixed-metal vases with bird, bamboo and rock panels, each weighing over 1.3 kg (2.9 lb).

DETAILS

Size: Height 24.5 cm (9.6 in) · Diameter 10 cm (3.9 in), per vase — a little shorter than a sheet of letter paper
Material: brass-tone metal, mixed-metal decoration in copper, gold and silver tones
Style-Period: Meiji period style · late 19th to early 20th century
Weight: over 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) per vase
Shipping: professionally packed, fully insured, worldwide · we handle the paperwork and pay all import duties · nothing to settle on delivery
Condition: very good antique condition · aged patina
Returns: accepted within 30 days
Sold as a pair

Read our condition standard. Please ask if you need additional photographs or measurements.

A decorative style is not a guarantee of a particular maker or date. See the individual listing for the stated attribution and period.

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Maison Jaspers pays US tariffs and import duties. For other destinations, local import taxes and duties may apply and are payable by the recipient. Contact us before ordering if you need destination-specific guidance.

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Notify us within 30 days of delivery if you wish to return a piece. No reason is required. You pay return shipping for a change-of-mind return.

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