古式鋳造青銅製儀式鐘「タイガー・ボー」小林正民作 - Bronze - Kobayashi Shomin 小林尚珉 - Japan - 1900年-2000年

Item Description
A cast bronze ritual bell (Tiger Bo) by the acclaimed Japanese metalwork artist Kobayashi Shomin, produced by his studio Shokosha. This piece is a faithful reproduction of a Western Zhou dynasty (c. 900 BCE) Chinese ritual bronze bell, a type of ceremonial percussion instrument used in ancient court music.
The bell's surface is densely decorated with taotie motifs, the stylized mask-like pattern that dominated Chinese archaic bronze design. Along both sides, four openwork tiger-form flanges descend in pairs, while the central ridge is crowned with a stylized phoenix motif and an archaic loop handle. Small cabochon inlays in a soft jade-green tone punctuate the decorative bands, echoing the polychrome inlays found on genuine archaic bronzes.
The underside of the piece bears the Sumitomo mark, a "1986" date stamp, and the artist's engraved seal, confirming both the maker and year of production. The bell retains a rich, dark patina consistent with cast bronze artworks of this style.
The piece is accompanied by its original wooden storage box, inscribed by the artist with the title "虎鎛" (Tiger Bo) and signed "尚工舎," lending further authenticity and provenance to the piece.

Size
Height: 12.5 cm
Width: 10.5 cm
Depth: 7.5 cm

Weight
454 g / 0.454 kg

Condition
The bronze bell is in overall good condition consistent with age, retaining its original patina and all decorative elements intact; the accompanying wooden storage box shows some surface staining and light soiling.

Artist Profile
Kobayashi Shomin (小林尚珉, 1912–1994, real name Kunio) was a Japanese metalwork artist born in Aomori Prefecture. He first exhibited at the 2600th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition in 1940 and went on to show regularly at the prestigious Nitten (Japan Fine Arts Exhibition) from its second edition onward. In 1954 he received the Hokuto Prize at the 10th Nitten, and in 1964 the Kikuka Prize at the 7th Nitten. He became a member of the Japan Contemporary Crafts Art Exhibition in 1967 and a full Nitten member in 1968. He was a founding member of the Japan New Crafts Artists Federation (1979), the Kyoto Sokoten (1989), and the Nikokai (1991), and was recognized as a Kyoto Prefecture Person of Cultural Merit in 1985. He also produced large-scale public works, including an aluminum repoussé panel for Aomori City and a mural for a facility in Shiga Prefecture. He passed away in 1994 in Uji, Kyoto, at the age of 82.

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