Japanese bronze hawk signed Gyoko Meiji period

Japanese bronze hawk naturalistically modelled with its wings outstretched and head lowered, the beak, eyes and claws worked in shakudo and gilt the feather work finely carved with rich brown copper patination and shakudo, perched on a gnarled rootwood base signed in a rectangular reserve plaque Gyoko 暁光, Meiji period 1868-1912.

The artist Akasofu Gyoko 赤祖父暁光 (given name Sotojirō) lived in Tokyo producing from his workshop cast metalwork sculptures.
His recorded figures of birds are hawks and eagles but he also produced large-scale models of samurai warriors. He was a member of the Tokyo Cast Metalworkers’ Association (Tōkyō Chōkinkay) active in the second half of the Meiji Era.

Size hawk without wood base: H 24cm (9.44" in.) x W 60cm (23.62" in.)

Reference: 'Splendors of Meiji Treasures of Imperial Japan' by J. Earle no. 93, 223 & 224.

Also see 'Meiji no Takara 明治の宝 Treasures of Imperial Japan, the D. Khalili Collection', Metalwork part II, No.110.