Meiji Period Samurai Tiger
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GUEST:
This piece has been in my family for about 100 years. My great-great-uncle Wilfred was in the British army stationed in India, and he shipped it back to England with his things before he himself was shipped to South Africa for the Boer Wars.
APPRAISER:
And it went where? To...?
GUEST:
Back to England, to his mother.
APPRAISER:
Then eventually it came here?
GUEST:
Yes.
APPRAISER:
And tell me, where do you think this was made?
GUEST:
Well, we've always assumed it was Chinese because the man looks Chinese, but we really don't have any history on the piece.
APPRAISER:
Okay, it's Asian, but it happens to be Japanese.
GUEST:
Oh, interesting.
APPRAISER:
Now, if you notice, he has swords, samurai swords.
GUEST:
That's good to know.
APPRAISER:
And his robes have Japanese decoration on them. That's a Japanese robe, not a Chinese robe.
GUEST:
Ah!
APPRAISER:
The tiger is typical of a Japanese tiger complete with the fierce look, the popping eyes, and this is what we call decorated in enamels over a biscuit. This is not glazed, it's unglazed, and it's from the Meiji period-- 1868...to about 1880, I'd date it. And it's a beautiful piece and it's in perfect condition. I've never seen one as...
GUEST:
It's been cherished.
APPRAISER:
With this age, of this type that has never been damaged. Everything about it is perfect. Even the sandals that he's wearing are perfectly detailed.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
Meiji porcelains-- Japanese late-19th-century porcelains of this type-- are bringing a lot of money. I would say at auction, $2,000 to $3,000 would not be a surprising price. It might bring more, considerably more.
GUEST:
Thank you, we...I love him.
APPRAISER:
Thanks for bringing him.
Appraisal Details
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