Code: 10179
Dimensions:
Japanese pair of Oriental turtle doves with details finely worked in gold, silver,
shakudo, shibuichi and copper standing on kawara roof tiles embossed with a tomoe mon (emblem with swirling commas) and autumnal trailing leaves signed with chiselled characters Bokusui ju,Toshiyuki 墨水住, 壽之 (made by Toshiyuki, residing near the Sumida River, Tokyo), late Meiji period 1868-1912.
The tomobako wood storage box inscribed: Yane hato okimono 屋根鳩, 置物 (Okimono of doves on roof tiles).
With blue label on the reverse lid: Bijutsuten, Seishukan,Tokyo Ginza nichome, denwa Kyobashi 132 美術店, 生秀館, 東京銀座二丁目, 電話京橋一三二 (Seishukan, Fine Art Shop, address Ginza 2-chome, Tokyo, tel.no. Kyobashi area 132).
The Oriental turtle dove (kame hato 亀鳩) is a symbol of loyalty, fertility and is the messenger of the Emperor Ojin, later deified as the archery and war god Hachiman, worshipped by the Samurai warrior class.
