A bronze okimono group of three turtlesBy Okazaki Sessei (1854-1921), Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century
Naturalistically cast, showing two smaller turtles attempting to clamber over the carapace of the adult turtle, their tails trailing to the sides, the details finely wrought, their pupils inlaid in shakudo, signed on the base of the largest turtle Sessei within a rectangular reserve, with a large black-lacquered stand of mokko form, supported on four scrolled feet; with a wood storage box inscribed outside on the lid Dosei shiyu kame (Bronze female and male turtles), inside the lid inscribed Meiji yonjusannen gogatsu muika, onkeiji ni tsuki koshaku Nabeshima Naohiro, Nagako (Marquis Nabeshima Naohiro and Nagako on the occasion of an auspicious event, 6 May 1910) and Tokuin. The okimono: 24cm x 20cm (9½in x 7 7/8in); the stand: 10cm x 54cm x 30cm (4in x 21¼in x 11¾in). (3).注脚Provenance:
Nabeshima Naoshiro (1846–1921), the 11th and final daimyo of Saga Domain in Hizen Province, Kyūshū, Japan; Nagoko was his second wife.

Okazaki Sessei received his early training in Osaka under his father, a maker of iron kettles, before moving to Tokyo to study casting under Suzuki Masayoshi. He participated in both domestic and international expositions and became famous for his work on large-scale public works including the statues of Saigo Takamori at the entrance to Ueno Park and of Kusunoki Masashige in the square in front of the Imperial Palace. In his later years he served as Professor at Tokyo School of Art.