A fine mixed-metal brush pot Meiji era (1868-1912), dated 1883 The cylindrical vessel with a shibuichi body chiseled in openwork with insects in a variety of spring and summer flowers, the highlights in gold and copper takazogan and hirazogan, the silver rim above a band of clouds in gold, the three lappet-form feet decorated with stylized dragons in nunome-zogan, signed on the side Meiji jurokunen gogatsu hi Nakagawa Joeki tsukuru (Made by Nakagawa Joeki in May 1883), and signed on the base Masahiko with a kao, with a copper liner 4 1/4in (10.7cm) high