Japanese bronze vase with rats signed Hasegawa Issei Meiji period

Japanese bronze vase finely inlaid with two rats feasting on a pomegranate, worked in silver, shakudo and copper signed in a rectangular silver tablet Meiji Kanoe-ne shunjitsu, Higashi bi oka fujo nishi, Hasegawa Issei saku 明治庚子春日, 東備岡府城西, 長谷川一清作 (made by Hasegawa Issei, resident to the west of Okayama Castle, in East Bizen Okayama prefecture, on a spring day in the year 1900). 　 

The tomobako wood storage box bearing inscription:
Chukin hanaike, Hasegawa Issei saku, Meiji sanjuu-san-nen saku 鋳金花生, 
長谷川一清作, 明治三十三年作 (cast bronze flower vase made by Hasegawa Issei in 1900, Meiji 33).

The artist Hasegawa Issei 長谷川一清 was active from 1890 to 1920 and exhibited at the 1893 Chicago Columbus Exposition, his art name was Gyokutosai 玉東斎. 

The rat is Daikoku's messenger and the first animal of the Oriental Zodiac, often shown feasting on chestnuts, rice or pomegranates, and is symbolic of bounty and abundance.

All our pieces come with a BADA Certificate of Provenance (The British Antiques Dealer's Association) and are inclusive of free worldwide shipping & insurance.