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A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 1
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 2
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 3
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 4
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 5
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 6
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 7
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 8
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 9
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 10
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 11
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 12
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 13
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 14
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 15
A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period image 16
SILVER AND INLAID SILVER WORKS OF ART

Various Properties
Lot 512*

A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects
By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period

7 November 2013, 14:30 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £98,500 inc. premium

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A remarkable and fine quality complete set of twelve articulated silver insects

By Takase Torakichi (Kozan, 1869-1934) of Kanazawa, Meiji/Taisho Period
Comprising:
1) A tonbo (dragonfly), signed Kozan, 7.5cm (2 7/8in) long.
2) A kabutomushi (rhinoceros beetle), signed Kozan, 4.7cm (1¾in) long.
3) A semi (cicada), signed Kozan, 5.5cm (2 1/8in) long.
4) A kamakiri (praying mantis), signed Kozan, 9.7cm (3¾in) long.
5) A kuwagatamushi (stag beetle), signed Kozan, 7.7cm (3in) long.
6) A hachi (hornet), signed Kozan, 5.8cm (2¼in) long.
7) A shoryo batta (oriental long headed locust), signed Kozan, 8.5cm (3 3/8in) long.
8) A kirigirisu (bush cricket), signed Kozan, 6.5cm (2½in) long.
9) A kamikirimushi (longhorn beetle), signed Kozan, 7.1cm (2¾in) long.
10) A batta (grasshopper), signed Kozan, 7.5cm (2 7/8in) long.
11) An ageha-cho (swallowtail butterfly), signed Kozan, 6.5cm (2½in) long.
12) A tonbo (dragonfly), signed Kozan, 5cm (2in) long.

Each insect realistically rendered, the leg joints, head, wings, tail and antennae intricately constructed of smoothly moving parts, with the original hyohonbako (Insect Display Case), the top of the lid titled Konchu (Insects) and signed Kozan with two seals. (13).

Footnotes

Kozan was the eldest son of Takase Kanatake. In 1883, he started working in the export department of Ikeda Sesuke's ceramics export company in Kobe and, in 1887, transferred to the metalworking division of the factory's Kyoto branch, where he learned metalworking techniques from Tomiki Isuke. In 1893, he started a business selling metalwork both domestically and abroad. In 1910, the Crown Prince travelled to Kyoto, where he purchased several of Kozan's astonishingly realistic articulated insects.

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