A cast bronze covered censer


Meiji PeriodOf hexagonal section surmounted by a fitted lid intricately reticulated in smoke and cloud motifs centered by a shishi dog finial, the exterior sides cast in displaying ho-o birds and confronting dragons on a densely composed ground of crisply cast archaistic scroll, supporting opposing handles and raised upon six curling dragon-form feet surrounding the recessed base bearing the makers' mark reading dai Nihon Bunsei nen Seimin chu.6 1/4in (15.8cm) length across censer handles8 in (20.3cm) height overall