Nihonto Chicken Posted October 13, 2015 Report Posted October 13, 2015 Thanks for the feedback on my porcelain bowl, I'm encouraged to ask about another art form I've had for years. Below are pics of a copper alloy, maybe shakudo, tray with bamboo form rim and pine cone feet. Sorry about the sideways mei close-up, was rotated on upload to Photobucket and the PB editor timed out numerous times, too busy jamming ads on the screen to perform a rotation. I included it more to show the alloy detail at the bottom of the pic, the top is mostly sunlight reflection. These are full sunlight photos, the tray is much darker appearing in indoor light. I was told by some bonsai guys years ago at a local Japanese heritage celebration that this is a tray for a flower arrangement, used with a frog set in the middle to anchor the stems. Anyone care to confirm or deny? Can't remember their mei translation, would appreciate that if someone knows it immediately. Also any opinions as to the alloy? TIA! P.S. - How does one put up the expandable thumbnail pics here instead of the full shots? Inquiring minds want to know! Quote
tony edmunds Posted October 14, 2015 Report Posted October 14, 2015 Not sure of its function but I like it a lot. Looks like it could be made of a cast copper alloy maybe yamagane? Quote
John A Stuart Posted October 14, 2015 Report Posted October 14, 2015 I think a bronze tray by a Kyoto artist named Kuroda, Meiji period. It looks multi purpose, as a tray for bonsai or anything requiring a nice footed tray. John 1 Quote
Baka Gaijin Posted October 14, 2015 Report Posted October 14, 2015 Hi John, I agree Kuro 黒 Da 田 The motifs displayed appear to be two of the Shochikubai - "three friends of the cold season" - Pine and Bamboo, the missing third being Plum. Maybe that's a hint as to what might have been contained within it........ 1 Quote
Nihonto Chicken Posted October 15, 2015 Author Report Posted October 15, 2015 Thank you all for your informative responses. I've attached an annotated stickie to the ikebana to retain the info. I suppose that the metal may be bronze, I hadn't considered that as I associate that metal with Chinese work, plus it more often has a reddish brown patina, while my item is more a greenish gray where it is patinated. I know that good shakudo with decent patination is a deep purplish black, but doesn't low gold content shakudo turn more of a greenish gray? Quote
John A Stuart Posted October 15, 2015 Report Posted October 15, 2015 Check out the colour of this Kuroda bronze. John Quote
Nihonto Chicken Posted October 15, 2015 Author Report Posted October 15, 2015 Nice piece, shows both green and gray, so I guess I'll go with bronze! Thanks! Quote
Fuuten Posted November 9, 2015 Report Posted November 9, 2015 Though previously stated, most likely a ikebana display piece, however it might be usable as a foot-bath as well Quote
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