Burnell and Rowe

Description

Here we have an exquisite Pair of Small Japanese Pure Silver Photo Frames from the Meiji Period. The frames are oblong with a landscape aperture giving a visible picture size of 2ins by 1in. The fronts are planished and decorated with floral roundels and the frames are supported by wirework struts.

The photo frames were made by the renowned Japanese firm Konoike. Konoike was based in the port city of Yokohama between around 1880 and 1910 during the Japanese Meiji period. His firm is best known for tea and coffee sets and other items of tableware but did make a wide variety of pieces, all principally for export to Europe. In the UK they were retailed through Liberty & Co in London and examples of his work are in the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Condition is extremely good, with just one truly tiny ding in the back of one frame plus the superficial surface wear that has to be expected after over 110 years of good service. Please make sure to view all the photographs.

Each frame is 6.6cm / 2.6ins by 3.9cm / 1.5ins and stands 4.5cm / 1.8ins deep with the strut fully extended. The pair together weigh in at a very respectable 56.8g / 2oz of solid silver. Japanese silver is of the very highest grade, frequently 999/1000 pure unless otherwise marked.

The back of each frame is stamped KONOIKE and PURE SILVER.

Shipping in the UK is £12.50 by Royal Mail Special Delivery, which includes cover for the value of the frames.
Overseas customers, please ask us about shipping costs to your country before making a purchase.