Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)
The quadrilobed body supported on four cabriole legs cast in the form of fierce dragons with tamas in their mouths, decorated in relief with winged dragons flying among scrolling clouds, one clutching a tama in its claws, against a diapered ground, between a band of key-fret to the neck and a band of stylized bats and nyoi-heads to the base, the shoulders applied with C-shaped handles in the form of writhing three-clawed dragons, the cover similarly cast with a key-fret band above foliage and surmounted by a dragon-fish over crashing waves, the shachihoko with a fierce expression marked by bulging eyes, spiky brows and mane, and sharp fangs, the mouth agape in a roar.
HEIGHT 55 cm
WEIGHT 9 kg
Condition: Very good condition with wear. Small losses to the extremities, minuscule nicks, light scratches, and traces of use.
The Chinese character for shachi is composed of two radicals, that for 'fish' and that for 'tiger'. The creature is sometimes referred to as a 'tiger-fish', the face resembling a tiger or the mythical leonine shishi. However, the present example has a long face with the horns and whiskers of a dragon. It was believed that this animal could cause the rain to fall, and as such, temples and castles were often adorned with roof ornaments (crafted in the form of a shachihoko), in order to protect them from fire.
Auction comparison:
Compare a closely related bronze koro, similarly decorated with mythical beasts, 55.3 cm high, signed Seifusai chu with kakihan, dated to the late 19th century, Meiji period, at Christie’s, 15 September 1999, New York, lot 181 (sold for USD 5,175 or approx. EUR 8,900 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).
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