Okigoro or figural incense burner in the form of a yamabato or mountain pigeon stooping to look at some tender morsel. Of hammered and assembled silver, carved and cold-chiseled; the upper plumage of cast and cold-chiseled shibuichi extensively inlaid in gold and with clouding nunome gold inlays; the beak of shibuichi; the eyes inlaid in gold and shakudo; the feet of cast and finely cold-chiseled bronze with gilding, and inlaid shakudo claws; the incense well of hammered silver. Signed on the reverse of the lid with a chiseled signature by the artist: Takachika, and with an inlaid gold and shakudo seal-form continuation: Zo or Made By (or Made by Takachika) (Sano Takachika, active Meiji – Taisho era, late 19th – early 20th century). Late Meiji era, circa 1900 – 1912.

With a period, fitted wood box.

According to Victor Harris in Japanese Imperial Craftsmen: Meiji Art from the Khalili Collection, Sano Takachika worked in Tokyo and was a member of the Tokyo Sculpture Association. Apparently he was a master of hammering, metal carving and chiseling as well as inlaying techniques.

Another pigeon koro in the Khalili Collection almost looks to be this pigeon’s mate. Where the Khalili pigeon looks forward, this one bends forward having found a seed at which to peck. The other illustrated, signed pieces by Takachika also belong to Khalili: a hawk on a formal stand and a small Pekinese dog (both incense burners); as well as an okimono or small sculpture of an oni or demon lifting a crystal ball.

For images of these Takachika pieces in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection of Japanese Art, c.f. Meiji no Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan: Metalwork Part II, numbers 120 – 123.

Though a brilliant artist, Sano Takachika may have died young. In more than thirty years, we have only seen this one signed piece by him come onto the market.