Vase in a baluster form ornamented in relief with a design of a sparrow perched on a branch of seeding millet. Of red bronze inlaid in silver, shibuichi, shakudo, red bronze, green bronze, and gold, the vase raised on a hammered and applied silver base. Signed with a carved signature by the artist: Kazuhide Koku or Carved by Kazuhide, and with an inlaid gold, seal-form signature (Sato Kazuhide, 1855 – 1925). Late Meiji era, circa 1890 – 1910.

Sato Kazuhide worked for the Imperial Household and exhibited at a number of the great, international expositions, including the Paris Exposition in 1900. For other examples of his work in the Khalili Collection, c.f. Meiji No Takara: Treasures of Imperial Japan: Metalwork Part I & Metalwork Part II, numbers 9 and 134.