METAL- WORK. 335 



highly prized ; besides, there is the Kagawa china in 

 brick-dust colour, and the Mono-saki, made at Okasaki, 

 half way between Yeddo and Osaka. Of the designs, 

 those representing flowers and insects are undoubtedly 

 the most beautiful, true to nature in drawing as well 

 as colour. 



Equally excellent are the works in bronze and other 

 metals. I have seen some swords-hilts and damascened 

 blades which are not exceeded in beauty anywhere, — 

 their curious little tobacco-pouch clasps are another 

 speciality ; however simple the design, a leaf with a 

 fly upon it or a peacock's feather, it is perfect of its 

 kind. The large bronze vases, now rarely made on 

 account of their costliness, show what matchless eflects 

 can be obtained by embossing and inlaying with other 

 metals, notably silver and gold,— some of the Japanese 

 repousse and chasing would have done credit to a 

 Cellini. At the sale of a Damio's eflects I picked up a 

 pair of vases, sixteen inches high, showing most skilful 

 manipulation by every process metal- work is capable 

 of; the people, however, know so well the value of 

 these articles, that it was only by strategy I succeeded 

 in acquiring them even at a fancy price, for they, 

 like the Chinese, avoid letting foreigners even see 

 their finest works in metal or china, for fear they are 

 carried out of the country. In cloisonne the Japanese 



