AN IMPRESSIVE JAPANESE JIZAI OKIMONO MODEL OF A HAWK

AN IMPRESSIVE JAPANESE JIZAI OKIMONO MODEL OF A HAWK

MEIJI PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

Realistically rendered, the raptor with an articulated head, wings, tail feathers and talons, the eyes inlaid in gilt with black pupils and the beak possibly in shibuichi, with hidden numbers inscribed underneath the top of the feathers, 23.5cm.

Provenance: from the collection of the late Hubert René Joseph Georges Faure (1919-2020). Hubert Faure was the first husband of Elizabeth (Bessie) de Cuevas, who married when she was nineteen. Bessie was the daughter of Margaret Rockefeller, granddaughter of John D Rockefeller. A bronze bird entitled Poule Cayenne by François Pompon (1855-1933) from the same collection was sold at Christie's Paris on 14th April 2021, lot 184. See lot 355 in this sale for another item also from the same collection.

There are only a small number of iron articulated hawks recorded. A jizai okimono bird of prey by Myochin Kiyoharu is on display at Tokyo National Museum and another unsigned iron hawk from a private French collection is illustrated in Harada Kazutoshi, Jizai Okimono, p.058, no.19. Also, see Bonhams London, Fine Japanese Art, 16th May 2013, lot 563 for another unsigned model.