It is signed with oval impressed seal to the base for Makuzo Kozan (1842-1916) – the Yokohama maker awarded prizes at 51 international exhibitions from 1876 to 1913. The firm is best known for these distinctive sculptural pieces.
Formerly in the celebrated Walter and Edith Haas collection of Meiji ceramics, it came for sale at Adam Partridge (20% buyer’s premium) in Liverpool on July 10 where, despite a hair crack and a firing flaw, it took £1450 from a bidder on thesaleroom.com.
Bronze censer
Leading this sale of Asian art was a bronze censer with twin chilong handles and four scrolling feet sold at an unexpected £9400 (estimate £100-150).
One of many Qing bronze vessels to carry an apocryphal Xuande seal mark to the base, it was probably 18th century.