Beautiful Japanese Antique (Early 20thc) Cupronickel Pair Quail Sculptures, Saisai

Name: Beautiful Japanese Antique (Early 20thc) Cupronickel Pair Quail Sculptures, Saisai
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1160002
Availability: SoldOut

1900 - 1920

Sold by Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art

Description

Striking Japanese antique (early 20thC) cupronickel pair quail sculptures, Saisai. Signed by the artist (large one only). Comes with original box. Small: 12.2cm wide x 8.5cm deep x 9.3cm high, weight 722g, Large: 14cm wide x 9.5cm deep x 14.3cm high, weight 952g (total weight with box 2.3kg).

Excellent condition. Rare sculpture.

Cupronickel is an alloy primarily composed of copper and nickel, often with small amounts of other elements like iron and manganese for added strength. Despite its high copper content, cupronickel appears silver in colour and is known for its excellent corrosion resistance, particularly in seawater. This makes it a valuable material in various applications, including marine engineering, heat exchangers and coinage.

Cupronickel has a history stretching back over a thousand years, with its earliest known use in China around 300 BCE. The Chinese called it ‘white copper’ and developed a process for creating it by heating and mixing copper, nickel, and saltpeter. It was also used in ancient Greek coins. The term "cupronickel" itself is derived from the German "Kupfernickel," which initially referred to the mineral nickel arsenide, a naturally occurring ore that miners mistakenly believed to be copper. It is commonly called ‘German silver’ or ‘nickel silver’, despite the fact it doesn’t contain any actual silver. It was developed to mimic the appearance of silver, while being more affordable and durable.

Physical Dimensions

Height

14.3cm (5.63")

Width

14cm (5.51")

Depth

9.5cm (3.74")

Declaration

Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art has dated this piece to the 1910s.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1160002

Dealers Internal Reference

AD1220

Description

fig 1. Beautiful Japanese Antique (early 20thC) Cupronickel Pair Quail Sculptures, Saisai — fig 1. Beautiful Japanese Antique (Early 20thc) Cupronickel Pair Quail Sculptures, Saisai

Excellent condition. Rare sculpture.

“

Cupronickel is an alloy primarily composed of copper and nickel, often with small amounts of other elements like iron and manganese for added strength.

Antik Dragon Japanese & Other Fine Art

Despite its high copper content, cupronickel appears silver in colour and is known for its excellent corrosion resistance, particularly in seawater. This makes it a valuable material in various applications, including marine engineering, heat exchangers and coinage.

fig 2. Beautiful Japanese Antique (early 20thC) Cupronickel Pair Quail Sculptures, Saisai — fig 2. Beautiful Japanese Antique (Early 20thc) Cupronickel Pair Quail Sculptures, Saisai

Cupronickel has a history stretching back over a thousand years, with its earliest known use in China around 300 BCE. The Chinese called it ‘white copper’ and developed a process for creating it by heating and mixing copper, nickel, and saltpeter. It was also used in ancient Greek coins. The term "cupronickel" itself is derived from the German "Kupfernickel," which initially referred to the mineral nickel arsenide, a naturally occurring ore that miners mistakenly believed to be copper. It is commonly called ‘German silver’ or ‘nickel silver’, despite the fact it doesn’t contain any actual silver. It was developed to mimic the appearance of silver, while being more affordable and durable.