Koro or incense burner in the form of a sunflower blossom atop which has alit a butterfly. Of carved and assembled gold and silver, the butterfly of carved shakudo inlaid in gold, the interior incense well of hammered silver. Signed on the reverse with a chiseled signature by the artist: Biko Saku or Made by Biko (Nihashi Biko, the go or art name of Nihashi Rihei, who also used the go of Nihashi Yoshihira, 1896 – 1977). Early Showa era, circa 1930 – 1940.

Nihashi Biko was born in Tenryu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. After graduating from elementary school he became a pupil of Unno Bisei. In 1920 he entered the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, graduating in 1925. The same year he was honored with a commission of silver crane ornaments for the Taisho Emperor’s silver wedding anniversary. He began exhibiting at the Teiten in 1929, winning the tokusen or gold prize that year and in the two succeeding years. His talent for marubori or caring metal in deep relief was exceptional, and it was a far more difficult technique than that of metal casting.

A masterpiece of Japanese metalwork.