Japanese bronze hawk with silvered body signed Masatsune Meiji period

Japanese bronze hawk with silvered body naturalistically modelled with its wings folded and head lowered, perched on a bronze tree stump with the beak, eyes and claws inlaid in shakudo and gilt, signed in a rectangular plaque Masatsune chū 政常鋳 Meiji period 1868-1912.

Masatsune 政常 was a very accomplished artist in birds subjects during the Meiji era.

Reference:

For other bronze birds by this artist see “The Golden Age of Japanese Okimono-The Dr. Kanter Collection”
Metalwork chapter no. 248.

“ Meiji no Takara明治の宝: Treasure of Imperial Japan The D. Khalili Collection” Metalwork part II, no. 104-105.