Japanese(?) bronze urns.
17 January 2021
Description

Japanese bronze urn, appropriate 5 feet tall, ceramic tile inlay, dragon on center piece, roosters adorn both sides. Not sure of age or origin. Passed down through 5 generations of McDonald family. Also have smaller bronze urn approximately 3 feet tall with dragons on each side. Top carried a barrel with a rooster on top but rooster is long gone. Barrel still remains.

Provenance

Unknown

Acquired from
Inherited
For sale
Maybe
Answered within about 3 hours
By Sara S
Jan 17, 19:54 UTC
Fair Market Value
$300 - $800 USD
Insurance Value $0 USD
What does this mean?

Hello William,

Happy New Year. Thank you for your appraisal inquiry with Mearto. The items presented appear to be Japanese urns in of bronze and champlevé. One work appears to depict a dragon motif, while the other appears to feature a taotie design.

The estimate provided is based on recent auction estimates and results of other comparable objects in similar motifs and materials. Additionally, the estimate provided applies to each object. Unfortunately, the images uploaded do not illustrate the items in full, only sections of each object. Therefore a reasonable assessment of the condition and age is not attainable; an in-person examination may be needed. The estimate is contingent on a full condition report. Please note asking or dealer prices may vary. Thank you and please take care.

William kunard Jan 18, 17:24 UTC

Thank you Sarah. That estimate seems a little low. Do you have any idea what time frame, dynasty or background is in the history. I live in the Atlanta area. Is there an appraiser/dealer in this area that you recommend who may be able to appraise these pieces in person?
Thanks

William kunard Jan 19, 14:51 UTC

Also I want to clarify that these are pictures of the SAME urn. The dragon is detailed in the center of 3 sections that fit together and the taotie(?) are hanging on the outside of that section. I DO have a smaller piece but did not include pictures of that urn as this one was the main piece I wanted appraised.
Please get back to me on my last inquiry as well as these recent comments.
Thanks,
William

Sara s Jan 20, 04:24 UTC

Hello William. I apologize for the misunderstanding. The title expressed "urns" and the details are quite varying. Thank you for the clarification. Without an image of the object in its entirety, it is very difficult to provide an accurate age attribution and estimate. However, it is likely the object is a transitional piece, due to its variety of designs, perhaps Edo / Meiji, dating the work to mid-19th century. I have adjusted the estimate based on the additional information. However, I would suggest an in-person examination for a more narrow estimate of age and value. If you are looking for an auction house for the object, I had always had a nice experience with Ahlers & Ogletree Auction Gallery.

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