AN IRON ARTICULATED MODEL OF AN EXCEPTIONALLY LONG SNAKE, WITH INSCRIPTION TENSHO NI-SEINEN MYOCHIN SONSHUN SAKU EDO PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

PROPERTY FORMERLY IN THE COLLECTION OF A TRUSTEE OF THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

AN IRON ARTICULATED MODEL OF AN EXCEPTIONALLY LONG SNAKE

WITH INSCRIPTION TENSHO NI-SEINEN MYOCHIN SONSHUN SAKU EDO PERIOD, 19^TH CENTURY 

the patinated russet-iron snake constructed of close fitting hammered plates joined inside the body, the head chased and engraved with scales and fitted with a hinged jaw opening to reveal movable rows of teeth, gilt tongue, gilt eyes, signed under the snake's chin

approx. 303 cm., 119 1/2 in. long