Page 203 - japanese and korean art Utterberg Collection Christie's March 22 2022

78
A SET OF SILVER AND COPPER ARTICULATED
SCULPTURES OF LOBSTERS
MEIJI-TAISHO PERIOD (EARLY 20TH CENTURY), EACH SIGNED
KOZAN SAKU
The silver and copper lobsters constructed of numerous hammered
plates jointed inside the body, the body bends and the eyes, antennae,
limbs, fins and legs move, the details finely carved and chiseled,
signature on underside of fin
Body 8¿ in. (20.6 cm.) long each
With original wood box titled Choraku mukyoku and sealed
Choyoraku, and signed Kozan, sealed Heian kinko and Kozan (2)
$15,000-25,000

With their intricate bending shell, claws and antennae, shrimp
and lobster are ideal subjects for the master jizai metalworker. The
flexible body of the shrimp has the positive meaning of things going
along smoothly and the spiny carcass of the lobster calls up samurai
armor. The Japanese word for shrimp, ebi 海老, translates literally
as “old man of the sea," suggesting longevity. In Japan, shrimp
and lobster are served at special occasions and arranged in displays
celebrating the New Year.

This type of lobster is called Ise ebi 伊勢海老 in Japanese as many
of lobsters are harvested in Ise Province, Mie Prefecture. It is said
that the spiny shell of lobster protects people from demons (oni 鬼)
and brings good luck. In some of regions in Ise Province, there is
an old custom to decorate the sacred rope (shimenawa 注連縄) with
a lobster shells.